WINDSOR — Lead by five football players, including the school’s only Heisman Trophy winner and a Butkus Award winner, the University of Colorado announced Thursday 12 members for the 2012 class of the school’s athletic hall of fame.
Running back Rashaan Salaam, who won the Heisman in 1994, and linebacker Matt Russell, who was named the nation’s top linebacker as a senior in 1996, will be part of the class that will be honored at a banquet Nov. 15 then recognized the Buffs’ football game Nov. 17 against Washington.
“It means the world to me,” said Russell, . “It is a tremendous honor to get recognized by the school that has meant to much to me. I always tell people, ‘I’m almost 40 years old now and if I went back to 18 and did it all over again, I’d do the exact same thing.’ It was probably the greatest five-year experience of my life.”
Also in the class are: football players Frank Bernardi, who also played baseball, from 1952-55, Boyd Dowler (1956-58) and Joe Garten (1987-90); runners Alan Culpepper (1992-96) and Mary Decker-Slaney (1977-79); golfer Steve Jones (1977-81); basketball players Jack Harvey (1937-40) and Leason “Pete” McCloud (1939-42); skier Vidar Nilsgard (1971-74); and announcer Larry Zimmer, who has been calling Colorado games since 1971.
“I never expected it,” said Zimmer, who has helped broadcast more than 1,000 CU events. “It never crossed my mind.”
The class, which is the largest since the hall opened in 1998, was pared to 25 finalists then voted on by a seven-member selection committee.
Salaam also won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back and the national player of the year in 1994 when he rushed for 2,055 yards in the 11-1 season.
