50th Hall of Fame Class inducted June 6
To view videos of each inductee, click on their name. To view a video of the banquet, click on this link: 50th Annual Madison Sports Hall of Fame Banquet
(L-R: Steve Brown, Dr. Ellen Olson Wermuth, Tom Bennett and Jay Mortenson)
- Tom Bennett was the baseball coach at Madison Memorial for 30 years and won two WIAA state titles. He is the winningest baseball coach in Madison prep history. He also played baseball at Edgewood High School and the University of Wisconsin in the 1960s and 70s.
- Steve Brown is a world-renowned curler who won three U.S. Men’s National championships, a two-time bronze medalist at the World Championships and, with his wife Diane, won two U.S. Mixed National titles. Brown also coached the U.S. Women’s Olympic teams in 1988 and 1998 that featured his daughter Erika. He has also coached the U.S. team at the Paralympics in 2006 and 2010.
- Jay Mortenson was a dominant swimmer at Madison West High School, Stanford University and the U.S. Olympic team. He won 10 state titles from 1982 to 1985 and led West to state team titles all four years. Mortenson was a four-time NCAA champion, eight-time Pac 10 champ and led Stanford to two NCAA championships (1986 and 1987). In 1988, he won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea in the 4x100 meter medley relay.
- Dr. Ellen Olson Wermuth was one of the most decorated prep runners in Madison history. Between cross country and track, she won 14 city and seven conference individual titles. In 1981 she won the 800m and 1600m individual races and the 1600m relay in leading the Madison West Regents to a second consecutive WIAA D1 track and field championship. At the University of Wisconsin she was a three-time All American in track and was a member of the 4x800 relay team that won the Badgers first NCAA title.
2012 Special Achievement winners
The Zimbrick Honda Madison Sportsman of the Year Award winner is Chris Davis, UW-Whitewater and former Madison East basketball player. Davis was named an NCAA first team DIII All American, Most Valuable Player of the DIII title game won by the Warhawks and the WIAC Player of the Year.
The Strand Associates Madison Sportswoman of the Year Award winner is Amanda Kessel. The University of Minnesota sophomore was a member of the NCAA women’s ice hockey champions. She was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award and led the Golden Gophers in scoring this past season.
The Flad Development and Investment Area Sportsperson of the Year Award goes to Ryan O’Donnell. The McFarland senior concluded an outstanding swimming career by winning four events and leading the Spartans to their sixth straight WIAA D2 title. He set a WIAA record with 14 individual state titles in his four years.
The Edgewood College “Pat Richter” Favorite Sibling Award winner is Madison native Dan Schachte. Schachte retired after 30 years as a National Hockey League official. He officiated 2,009 games in a career that began in 1982.
The Madison Gas and Electric Friend of Sport Award winner is Dennis Helwig. He is the University of Wisconsin's Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine. Helwig started at the UW in 1975 as athletic trainer for football and men's hockey. He became UW's head athletic trainer in 1985. He also was the 1984 Olympic hockey trainer.
The Mendota Gridiron Club's Pat O'Dea award recipient is former UW football great and athletic director, Pat Richter. The University of Wisconsin athletic department determines the award winner.
The Ganser Company Special Achievement Award Winners:
· Chandler Diffee, LaFollette junior won the WIAA D1 cross country championship. Gatorade State boys cross country runner of the year.
· Derek Straus, currently a UW football preferred walk-on, was first-team All State in baseball, led the state in scoring in hockey and played on back-to-back D2 state football champions his senior year at Waunakee.
· Ivan Bruner, won the 85+ age division at the International Masters Racquetball tournament. It was his 12th international title to go along with 23 national titles.
· Jeff Sauer, former Badger hockey coach, who coached the United States sled hockey team to its second straight World Championship.
· Edgewood girls soccer, won the 2011 WIAA D2 soccer title with a 1-0 win over Notre Dame.
· Madison Memorial boys swimming, won the WIAA D1 title for the 12th time in school history. It was their second consecutive title.
The Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club also presented the Otto Breitenbach scholarship to Madison West High School senior Alex Bastian, who is planning to compete at NCAA DIII Washington University in track and cross country next fall.
UW Journalism student John Veldhuis received the Tom Butler Scholarship. The senior-to-be covers football and basketball for the Badger Blitz web site and also writes for the Badger Herald.
Weekly Lunch Meetings every Tuesday
Check out the exceptional list of guest speakers for the Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club's Tuesday meetings. The club meets on Tuesdays at the Elks Club Lodge on Jenifer Street. Meetings start at 11:30 a.m. The event is open to the public and new members are always welcome. Upcoming speakers are featured on the right of this page.
Be a Banquet Sponsor
If you would like to be a sponsor of one of the longest-running and most anticipated annual banquets in Madison, then become a sponsor of the Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club's annual banquet. To receive sponsorship information, contact Peg Mueller.
Media members and guests are welcome. The luncheon costs $10 and begins at 11:30 a.m. Check out the list of upcoming speakers on the right column of this site.
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Welcome to the Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club Web site at madisonsportshalloffame.org
Check out the induction videos for the last five years by going to the Hall of Fame tab at the top of the page and clicking on the name of an inductee.
Anyone is welcome to join the the Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club. Just send an e-mail requesting an application form. Dues are $95 for the year (paid before October 15) or $100 after October 15. The dues include two tickets to the Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club Induction Banquet held the first Wednesday in June at Monona Terrace.
Welcome Media Members
Active Madison area media members may join for a reduced rate.
More than 500 people attended the 2011 Madison Sports Hall of Fame Banquet to honor four great Madisonians.
Milwaukee Brewer Outing
Each year the Madison Hall of Fame Club organizes a trip to a Milwaukee Brewers game.
