UK Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2026
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was announced Thursday, with Paul Calhoun (football), Tim Duckworth (men’s track and field), Leah Edmond (volleyball), Patty Jo Hedges-Ward (women’s basketball), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (men’s basketball) and Asia Seidt (women’s swimming and diving) chosen for induction.
The new Hall of Famers will be inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend on September 25-26.
Paul Calhoun, Football, 1981-84
Named to the All-Time Kentucky Team, selected in 1990 for the 100th season of UK football, by the Lexington Herald-Leader and Louisville Courier Journal … Excelled as a defensive back and punter … All-America second team as a junior and All-America third team as a senior … All-SEC first team his last two seasons, as a punter in 1983 and a defensive back in 1984 … Helped lead UK to two trips to the Hall of Fame Bowl … Departed UK as the program leader for single-season and career punting average … Set single-game record of 47.2-yard average (min. eight punts) and longest punt in school history (80 yards) … Had nine career interceptions, plus a key pickoff in the 1984 Hall of Fame Bowl win over Wisconsin … A retired firefighter who lives in Louisville.
Tim Duckworth, Men’s Track and Field, 2015-2018
Two-time NCAA Champion, 2018 indoor heptathlon and 2018 outdoor decathlon … Only the second man in history to win the NCAA heptathlon and decathlon in the same year … Also an NCAA silver medalist in the heptathlon as a junior … Three-time First-Team All-America, twice heptathlon, once decathlon … 2018 National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association … 2018 SEC Field Athlete of the Year, indoor and outdoor … Set NCAA decathlon long jump record … 2018 USTFCCCA Southeast Region Field Athlete of the Year … Still holds the UK records for heptathlon and decathlon … Still holds the British record in the heptathlon (6,188) … Currently an assistant coach at Alabama.
Leah Edmond, Volleyball, 2016-2019
Four-year All-American as selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association … Named to the AVCA All-Region team four years … Two-time SEC Player of the Year … Four-time All-SEC … 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year … An aggressive attacker and finisher, she is the school record holder for kills (1,978) in the rally-scoring era … During her four years, team posted a record of 103-24, three SEC championships and a highest finish of Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament … Has continued her career in professional volleyball … Most Valuable Player of Major League Volleyball in the league’s inaugural season in 2024 … Only player named to the All-MLV team in the three years of the league’s existence.
Patty Jo Hedges-Ward, Women’s Basketball, 1980-83
Known as Patty Jo Hedges during her playing days, she is the UK all-time assist leader, a member of the (state of) Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, the KHSAA Hall of Fame and the Louisville Metro Area Athletic Directors Hall of Fame … First-Team All-SEC as a senior and was a gold medalist for the United States at the 1983 Pan American Games … Helped lead UK to 1982 SEC Tournament championship and named to the All-Tournament Team … Led UK in assists and steals all four seasons … Holds UK career record for assists (731, also fifth in SEC history) and single-game record (16) … Third in single-season assists (209) … A capable scorer who tallied 1,176 career points … Sixth in UK history in steals (272) … Helped lead team to four-year record of 85-33 and four tournament appearances, including NCAA Elite Eight in 1982 … Played several years of pro basketball in the United States and internationally … Currently, the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches presents the “Patty Jo Hedges Ultimate Teammate Award” each year to the girl who exemplifies her selfless style of play … Patty Jo is a retired teacher.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Men’s Basketball, 2012
Key member of the 2012 national championship team … Consensus All-America Second Team selection … Tabbed to the All-NCAA Final Four Team … Named the South Regional Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21.5 points and 7.5 rebounds to get to the Final Four … Averaged 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds for the season, in addition to being a defensive stopper … All-SEC First Team pick … Selected No. 2 overall (behind Anthony Davis) in the 2012 NBA Draft … NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2013 … Played eight years in the NBA … A national advocate for people dealing with stuttering, he endorsed a bill passed by the 2024 Kentucky legislature that expanded insurance for speech therapy.
Asia Seidt, Women’s Swimming & Diving, 2017-20
2020 NCAA Woman of the Year – covering all female athletes in all sports in all three NCAA divisions – for her remarkable combination of athletic and academic achievements … Qualified for the NCAA Championships all four years at UK and totaled 21 All-America honors, including eight first-team honors … 2020 Olympic Trials qualifier … Swam for the United States for two years at the World University Games … 15-time SEC medalist, including four gold medals, five silver and six bronze … Still holds UK records in five events … 2019 Arthur Ashe Female Sports Scholar of the Year … Two years on the official Academic All-America team … SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year for all sports … Currently works as a physical therapist.
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.
