UK Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024 was announced Tuesday, with Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (track and field), John Cropp (administrator/coach), Henrik Larsen (rifle), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (track and field), Jodie Meeks (men’s basketball) and Corey Peters (football) chosen for induction.
The new Hall of Famers will be inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend on September 20-21.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Women’s Track and Field, 2016-18
Two-time Olympic medalist in the 100-meter hurdles, winning gold at the Tokyo event and coming off a bronze finish in Paris … First athlete in Puerto Rico history to win two Olympic medals … Three-time NCAA Champion, twice in the 100-meter hurdles (2016, ’18) and also the 4x100m relay (2017) … Six-time SEC Champion, twice in the 60-meter hurdles, three times in the 100 hurdles and also the 4×400 relay … Ran the second-fastest time in NCAA history in the 100H (12.40 seconds), still ranks No. 5 on that list … Set four school records, 100 hurdles and three relays … 12-time first-team All-America … SEC Freshman of the Year in 2016, still holds UK frosh record in the 100 hurdles.
John Cropp, Administration, 1992-2013; Assistant Football Coach 1991
Served UK athletics for 22 years, including assistant football coach (1991), athletics recruiting coordinator (1992-93), assistant athletics director for special projects (1993-95) and associate athletics director (1997-2013) … Among numerous other responsibilities, he was founding administrator for UK softball in 1997 and John Cropp Stadium was named in his honor upon his retirement in 2013 … Noted for his dedication to the student-athlete, he served in coaching/administration for almost half a century at UK, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Duke, Vanderbilt and in high school … Won a national championship as a high school head football coach … Served four years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army … Elected to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
Henrik Larsen, Rifle, 2018
A generational talent, winning a team and individual national championship as a freshman before turning professional … Led Kentucky to the 2018 NCAA National Championship, posting the highest aggregate score on the team … Won the 2018 NCAA Air Rifle Individual National Championship … Set school records in smallbore, air rifle and aggregate in just his one collegiate season … 2018 NCAA Shooter of the Year and NCAA Freshman of the Year … With the exception of the NCAA Smallbore Individual final, Larsen finished first in every event in which he competed during the 2017-18 season … Represented his home country of Norway in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics … Won the Smallbore Men’s Gold at the 2022 ISSF World Championships.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Women’s Track and Field, 2018
Four-time Olympic gold medalist, twice each in Paris and Tokyo in the 400-meter hurdles and 4×400-meter relay … Had a world-record performance in the 400 hurdles in each Olympiad, lowering the mark to 50.37 seconds in Paris … The 4×400 relay set an American record in winning Paris gold … Turned in a stunning performance in her year at Kentucky … NCAA champion in the 400 hurdles … Set the collegiate record (52.75 seconds) – which still stands – while winning the SEC championship in the 400H … Set the world junior indoor 400-meter record in the NCAA Indoor Championships … Three-time SEC champion in the Indoor (400m) and Outdoor Championships (400H and 4×400 relay) … Two gold medals in the 2022 World Championships and was named the 2022 World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year.
Jodie Meeks, Men’s Basketball, 2007-09
NCAA consensus second-team All-American in 2009 … Owns UK’s single-game scoring record with 54 points at Tennessee … Also hit a school record 10 3-pointers during that game … All-SEC first team in 2009 …. Made the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2007 … His 854 points during the 2008-09 season rank as the second-most in UK history … Finished his career ranked 33rd on the career scoring list with 1,246 points … Tied for eighth in UK history in 3-point field goals made (177) … His seven career 30-point games is tied for the seventh most in program history … Owns the UK single-season 3-point field goals record with 117 made treys … Tied for the school’s best career free-throw percentage (min. 200 attempts) at .890 … Played 10 seasons in the NBA.
Corey Peters, Football, 2006-09
Outstanding defensive tackle helped UK to four consecutive bowl appearances, including three bowl wins … Tremendous senior season featured 56 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four quarterback sacks, five pass breakups and six QB hurries … Earned All-SEC first team honors … UK’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player of his senior season … Winner of the Jerry Claiborne Award for academics and team attitude … National Defensive Lineman of the Week vs. South Carolina … SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week twice … Three-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll … Drafted by the Atlanta Falcons … Played 13 years in the NFL with Atlanta, Arizona and Jacksonville … Won or was nominated for multiple community service and sportsmanship honors … Currently works for Jacksonville as a college football scout.
The UK Athletics Hall of Fame was started in 2005 to recognize and honor persons whose participation and achievements enriched and strengthened the University’s athletics program. A committee consisting of Hall of Famers, media members, campus representatives and current coaches and administrators elects new inductees each year.
