Balloting Now Open for Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame

Lifetime voting members of the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame will soon be receiving their 2026 ballot.

The Class of 2026 – the Hall of Fame’s 24^th induction class – will come from five separate categories: Interscholastic/Professional Male, Interscholastic/Professional Female, Veterans, Coaches, and Teams.

In the Interscholastic/Professional Male category, voters will select three deserving individuals from eight nominees. They include Mat Curry (Douglas MacArthur, University of California-Irvine swimmer), Adam Emmenecker (Arthur Hill, Drake University basketball), Greg Housner (Bridgeport, Central Michigan University baseball), Charleston Hughes (Saginaw High, CFL football), Keyonta Marshall (Saginaw High, Grand Valley football), Preston Murphy (Nouvel Catholic Central, Rhode Island University basketball), Lorenzo Reynolds (professional boxer), and Chris Sarmiento (Douglas MacArthur, University of Miami baseball).

Making the grade in the Interscholastic/Professional Female category are eight individuals, and voters will select three of them. The nominees are Lindsey Brown (Heritage, Arizona State swimming), Shameka Jackson (Arthur Hill, Alabama State University basketball), Melissa “Missy” Leckie (Arthur Hill, University of Indiana basketball), Rebecca McCann (Freeland, University of Iowa basketball), Jamie Nieman (Freeland, Eastern Michigan gymnastics), Cassandra Pack (Arthur Hill, University of Detroit basketball), Angie Ritter (Frankenmuth, Grand Valley track), and Kaihla Szunko (Heritage, Central Michigan basketball).

In the Veterans category, voters will choose one individual among the six nominees. Representing that category is Art Burgman (Buena Vista, Central Michigan basketball), Larry Day (Douglas MacArthur, University of Michigan swimming), Roy Hinton Jr. (Saginaw High, Central State University basketball), Karen Krogman (swimming), Bob Markey (Saginaw High, Central Michigan University football), and Mary Ann Opalewski (Douglas MacArthur, Michigan State University track).

One coach will be selected from the Coaches category, where five individuals have been nominated. They include Claudette Charney (college basketball), Kent Howenstein (Arthur Hill swimming), Steve Jaksa (Nouvel Catholic Central, Central Michigan University baseball), Bob Quinn (Douglas MacArthur, Heritage tennis), and Jim Szappan (Chesaning football).

Rounding out the categories is the Teams category where five state champion teams are on the slate and voters will select one. Teams include Eisenhower High School’s 1980 volleyball team, Frankenmuth High School’s 1992 girls’ basketball team, Merrill High School’s 1990 girls’ softball team, Michigan Lutheran Seminary High School’s 1986 football team, and Swan Valley High School’s 1986 girls’ softball team.

There will not be a Contributor’s category in 2026.

Ballots must be postmarked by April 3, 2026. The results will be announced at 6 p.m. on April 30, 2026, at a Press Conference at the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History, 500 Federal Avenue, in downtown Saginaw. A social hour will be held at 5 p.m. where refreshments will be served.

To become a Lifetime Voting Member, simply send a $50 check or money order made out to SCSHOF and mail it to the Castle Museum, Attn: Sports Hall of Fame, 500 Federal Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48607-1253. Additional information can be found at www.saginawcountysports.com.