A graphic containing images of all eight NUDAR HOF Inductees.Northwestern Unveils 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Northwestern Unveils 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class

EVANSTON, Ill. — A group of eight transcendent Wildcats — including six student-athletes, one coach and one honorary inductee — comprises the 2026 Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame Class, it was announced on Thursday. 

The 2026 Hall of Fame inductees include Lauren Clem (women’s soccer), Drew Crawford (men’s basketball), Sharon Drysdale (coach — softball), Justin Jackson (football), Hannah Kim (women’s golf), David Lipsky (men’s golf), Jordan Wilimovsky (men’s swimming and diving), and honorary inductee Pat Ryan, Jr.

These members exemplify exceptional athletic skill, academic excellence and the highest standards of character, embodying the true spirit of what it means to be a Wildcat. Inductees are selected by the Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

The group will be formally inducted on Friday, October 23, and recognized on Saturday, October 24 at Ryan Field as the football team takes on Rutgers.

"It's truly an honor to welcome this exceptional class into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame," said Mark Jackson, Combe Family Vice President for Athletics and Recreation. "Our selection committee did remarkable work recognizing what sets this group apart. They represent the very best of what it means to be a Wildcat — not just as athletes, but as scholars, leaders, and ambassadors for our university. This class embodies a lifelong connection to Northwestern and to each other."

2026 Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees:

The first All-American in program history, Lauren Clem posted school records in consecutive starts (89), minutes played (8,493) and goals against average (0.63) during her legendary Wildcat career.  

One of the most decorated players to ever wear a Northwestern uniform, Clem's 48 career shutouts rank sixth in the NCAA and second in the Big Ten record books. Her 8,275 minutes played are the 15th- most in NCAA history. In 2016, Clem led the Wildcats to a Big Ten Championship, matching program records with 16 wins and an NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance. Individually, Clem led the nation and set school records with 17 shutouts, a .927 save percentage and a 0.28 goals against average, earning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, NSCAA All-American honors and an All-Big Ten selection.  

In the classroom, Clem was also a two-time Scholar All-American and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.  

One of the most dynamic players in school history, Drew Crawford ranks third in program history with 1,920 career points and is among Northwestern's career top 10 in 3-pointers (232, 6th), rebounds (713, 7th) and blocked shots (98, 9th). A two-time All-Big Ten selection and two-time team captain, Crawford was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2010, becoming the first and only player in program history to earn the honor. 

Crawford made an immediate impact in Evanston, producing a Northwestern first-year record 35 points against North Carolina A&T, while connecting on eight 3-pointers, the second-most in a single game in program history. 

As a junior in 2011-12, Crawford earned consensus Third Team All-Big Ten honors after ranking sixth in the conference with 16.1 points per game. He was named the Charleston Classic MVP after averaging 24.0 points and 6.0 rebounds across three victories, including a 27-point performance in the championship game against Seton Hall. 

After a shoulder injury limited him to 10 games in 2012-13, Crawford returned for a standout senior campaign. He ranked ninth in the Big Ten in scoring (15.7 ppg) and seventh in rebounding (6.4 rpg), while leading the conference with 36.6 minutes played per game. Crawford earned Third Team All-Big Ten and NABC Second Team All-District honors and was named the USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week following road victories over nationally ranked Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

Crawford was equally accomplished in the classroom, earning CoSIDA Academic All-America First and Second Team honors in 2014 and 2012, respectively, and four Academic All-Big Ten selections. He capped his Northwestern career as the program's all-time leader in starts (142) and is tied for second in games played (143). 

Finishing with numerous Northwestern Football program records, Justin Jackson remains one of the greatest Wildcats in history. Jackson is the program’s all-time leader in rushing attempts (1,142), rushing yards (5,440), rushing touchdowns (41), all-purpose yards (6,298) and total touchdowns (42). He ranks third in the Big Ten in career rushing attempts and fourth in career rushing yards.  

A four-year letterwinner from 2014-17, Jackson rushed for 1,187 yards and 10 touchdowns in his debut campaign, his first of four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten accolades from the league coaches, who saw him become the second first-year in NU history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season (Tyrell Sutton, 2005). As a sophomore, Jackson became the fifth player in program history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons (1,418) and was a consensus All-Big Ten Second Team selection.  

The following year, Jackson was voted First-Team All-Big Ten by the conference media and named Second-Team All-Big Ten by the conference coaches thanks to his Big Ten-leading 1,524 rushing yards. He became the first Northwestern player to rush for 1,000 yards in three seasons while leading the Big Ten with 117.2 rushing yards per game. Jackson’s career-best 224 yards, along with three touchdowns, in the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl earned him his first bowl game MVP honor. During his final season for the Wildcats, Jackson’s 171-yard performance at Maryland put him ahead of Damien Anderson for the all-time program lead in rushing yards. 

He finished his collegiate career with his fourth-straight 1,000-yard rushing season, becoming just the second player in Big Ten history (Ron Dayne, Wisconsin) and ninth player in FBS history to achieve the feat. Jackson earned his second straight bowl game MVP honors and was named a finalist for the 2017 William V. Campbell Trophy. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 251st pick in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft.  

Kim is one of the most decorated golfers in Northwestern history, holding both the 18-hole and 54-hole scoring records, in addition to being the first Wildcat golfer to be named to the All-Big Ten First Team in four consecutive years.  

Kim made her Wildcat debut during the 2014-15 season, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year honors. The following season, she earned her first career win at the Hurricane Invitational, where she carded a program-record 64 in her final round. She was named the Big Ten Player of the Year for the second straight year. That season, Kim was named an All-American by both the WGCA and Golfweek. She recorded two individual wins during the 2016-17 season and led the Wildcats to the finals of match play at the NCAA Championships. After a standout senior campaign in 2018, Kim was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor and began her professional career at the Ohio Women’s Open.  

Kim concluded her career as a three-time All-American, earning nods from both Golfweek and the WGCA. She was twice named the winner of the Mary Fossum Award for the lowest scoring average in the Big Ten Conference. Her success extended to the classroom, with Kim earning Academic All-Big Ten honors on three occasions. 

A three-time All-Big Ten Conference selection and individual Big Ten Champion, David Lipsky is one of the most accomplished golfers in school history. He was twice named to the All-Big Ten First Team and earned a PING All-American Honorable Mention nod in 2011, the first for a Wildcat since 2003. Lipsky helped lead the team to a pair of NCAA Championships appearances in 2009 and 2011. 
 
He became the 10th individual in program history to win the Big Ten Individual Championship with a 72-hole total of 3-under 281 in 2010. He registered a 71.88 stroke average during that season, which ranked as the sixth-best in a single-season in program history at the time. Throughout his career, the La Canada, Calif., product earned three individual tournament wins at the Notre Dame Spring Invitational (2007), Big Ten Championship (2010) and the UNCG Bridgestone Golf Collegiate (2010), where his 14-under is still tied for third in program history for the lowest 54-hole tournament round. 
 
Seventeen of his 36 rounds came in at even par or better as a senior, earning All-Big Ten First Team honors, his second in as many seasons. Lipsky guided the Wildcats to a second-place finish at the 2011 Big Ten Championships, shooting 5-under in the final round. 
 
Lipsky began his professional career in 2011 on the Asian Tour, winning his third career start at the Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic in 2012. He won the Omega European Masters on the European Tour in 2015, before capturing the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2018. Lipsky earned his PGA Tour card in 2021 and has played five seasons on the PGA Tour as a full-time member.

Wilimovsky (2012-17) was a three-time All-American during his time with Northwestern swimming and diving, one of the program's most decorated athletes both during and after his collegiate career. The distance swimmer, Big Ten Champion and Olympian set numerous school records, and will forever be a part of NU's history. 

In 2012, Wilimovsky became NU's first NCAA individual event first-year qualifier since 2006 after breaking a nine-year-old school record in the mile. He became the first Wildcat to ever swim a sub-15:00 mile. In his sophomore season, Wilimovksy earned his first All-American honors in the mile and was also named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. With his second straight NCAA qualification, the sophomore claimed fourth at the championships in the 1650-meter Freestyle event. In the 2014-15 season, Wilimovsky claimed the Big Ten crown in the mile, while also breaking three school records. He topped his previous NCAA finish, earning third in the mile and 15th in the 500-meter freestyle event. Wilimovsky took an Olympic redshirt year in 2015-16, to train and compete with the American team. 

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Wilimovsky took fourth in the 1500-meter and fifth in the 10k marathon event, becoming the first American swimmer to participate in pool and open water events at the Olympics. In his final collegiate season, Wilimovsky was an All-American in both the 500 and 1650 Freestyle events, while continuing to compete at the national level. Finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships, Wilimovsky had a personal-best finish in the mile, setting a program record (14:23.45), which is still standing. He also won the 2017 USA Swimming Open Water Championships in the 10k with the U.S. National Team. Wilimovsky earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in four seasons (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017). 

Sharon  Drysdale built the foundation of excellence for Northwestern softball, establishing the program as a consistent Big Ten and national contender across her 23-year tenure as head coach from 1979-2001. One of the most influential figures in conference history, Drysdale guided the Wildcats to five Big Ten titles and compiled a 267-199 (.573) record in league play, totaling the fourth-most conference wins in Big Ten history. Her sustained success placed her among an elite group of coaches, joining Kate Drohan, Gayle Blevins and Carol Hutchins as the only Big Ten softball coaches to win at least three conference championships.  

A three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (1984, 1987, 1995), Drysdale took over Northwestern Softball in the program’s fourth season. Her teams quickly reached national prominence, winning the Big Ten Championship in her fourth year with the program (1982) and making three consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances from 1984-86. Northwestern finished third nationally in 1984, fifth in 1985 and sixth in 1986, marking one of the most successful stretches in program history. Her teams also advanced to the regional playoffs in 1987 and 2000, while producing 14 winning seasons. During her time leading the Wildcats, Drysdale coached three All-Americans (Sue Hebson, Lisa Ishikawa and Anne Carpenter), two Big Ten Players of the Year, four Big Ten Freshmen of the Year, 31 NFCA All-Mideast Region selections and 36 All-Big Ten honorees. Beyond her accomplishments in Evanston, Drysdale made significant contributions shaping the sport of softball’s governance, most notably by writing the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s (NFCA) current bylaws and serving as the first-ever chair of the NCAA Softball Rules Committee. 

Drysdale amassed an overall record of 640-512-3 at Northwestern and retired in 2001 as the program’s all-time winningest coach, a mark that stood until Drohan surpassed it in 2021. She currently ranks sixth in Big Ten history in total victories, and is one of just five coaches in league history to win multiple Coach of the Year awards. In recognition of her lasting impact, Northwestern renamed its home facility Sharon J. Drysdale Field in 2001.  

Pat Ryan Jr. is being honored for leading the team designing, developing and building the new Ryan Field — an $872 million project representing the largest college football stadium undertaking in history. As the CEO of Ryan Sports Development, which is leading the development on a pro bono basis, he has assembled and guided an exceptional team of architects, engineers, designers and stakeholders to realize a vision that will serve as a new home for Wildcats football and a cornerstone of the Evanston campus for generations to come.

A Northwestern alumnus with an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a Juris Doctor from the Pritzker School of Law, Ryan has been instrumental in stewarding this complex, multi-year initiative, bringing together the diverse expertise and commitment required to transform an ambitious concept into reality. He has orchestrated and led a team with a demonstrated unwavering dedication to ensuring that Northwestern student-athletes will compete in one of the nation's premier facilities.

His work on the new Ryan Field exemplifies the collaborative spirit that defines Northwestern — a commitment to excellence, innovation, and the collective effort required to build something truly transformational for Northwestern Athletics, students, faculty and the entire Evanston community.