Celebrate Track & Field Royalty at Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
NEW ORLEANS — Neil Everett last stepped foot inside the Hult Center for the Performing Arts 39 years ago.
Everett, then a senior at the University of Oregon, caught one of the two shows that the Jerry Garcia Band played at the Silva Concert Hall in Eugene during its 48-show tour in 1984.
The former “SportsCenter” anchor returns on Thursday, September 14, when he takes the stage to host the Collegiate Track & Field/Cross Country Athlete Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The event is free and open to the public, commencing at 6:30 pm PT and will be broadcast live on RunnerSpace.
“Going to the U of O, track & field is in your bones in some form or another,” Everett said. “Back when I was at Oregon, the football team wasn’t the torchbearer – that was track & field.”
“The legend of Steve Prefontaine permeated everything. I saw that Pre was part of the inaugural class last year and looking at the class this year, I can’t wait to be amongst these legends, too.”
One icon from the 14-person Class of 2023 stood out the most to Everett: Dave Wottle.
Some might remember Wottle winning five career NCAA titles at Bowling Green; others, like Everett, recall Wottle’s heroics at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Wottle, who just completed his junior year with the Falcons a few months earlier, captured the Olympic gold medal in the 800 meters when he made a thrilling comeback from last place with 200 meters remaining. He won by 0.03 seconds, which is the closest finish in the event’s Olympic history.
“If you were alive during that time, you have so many memories of those Olympic Games with things that happened,” Everett said. “I was ten-years old – and still very impressionable – and once I saw his name, I immediately flashed back to the dude in the hat who won gold in the 800. He looked like the last guy you’d pick on your team and here he’s the gold medalist.
“Track & field is such a beautiful and poetic sport.”
Pageantry will be abound on Thursday, September 14, when Wottle and 13 other incredible athletes are inducted into the Hall of Fame: Dyrol Burleson (Oregon), Michael Carter (SMU), Joetta Clark (Tennessee), Mike Conley (Arkansas), Sheila Hudson (California), Holli Hyche (Indiana State), Edwin Moses (Morehouse), Renaldo Nehemiah (Maryland), Sonia O’Sullivan (Villanova), Julie Shea (NC State), Seilala Sua (UCLA), John Thomas (Boston U.) and Wyomia Tyus (Tennessee State) are the other members of the illustrious group.
Together, the Class of 2023 combined to win 70 national collegiate titles, set 39 world records and capture eight Olympic/World Championships medals as collegians.
“Just being in that room around those legends is going to bring me back to my childhood,” Everett said. “I think anybody who knows anything about track & field and takes their time to watch the ceremony, either at the Hult Center or online, is going to feel the same way.”
Fans are also invited to attend the Hall of Fame Walk, sponsored by the Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission, starting at 5:50 pm outside the Hult Center. The Walk will be emceed by none other than the Voice of Hayward Field and NBC commentator, Paul Swangard.
The induction ceremony is being held two days prior to the start of the Prefontaine Classic which has been designated as this year’s Diamond League Final.
