Madonna University Athletics Hall of Fame

Athlete Criteria  |  Coach Criteria  |  Team Criteria  |  Meritorious Service Criteria |  General Guidelines

Previous Hall of Fame Classes  |  VIEW NOMINATION FORM

The Madonna Athletic Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the Madonna University Athletic Department. The Madonna University Athletic Hall of Fame honors former Madonna student-athletes, coaches, teams and special contributors whose accomplishments have brought prestige and honor to the Madonna University Athletic Department. All nominees to the Hall of

Fame must be individuals of outstanding quality, high moral character, fine leadership qualities and must be held in high esteem by their colleagues, coaches and athletes.

All nominations must fit the criteria of one of the five categories below. All nominations must include detailed supporting information, which could include newspaper clippings, proof of awards, letters of support from others, etc. If assistance is needed in compiling information about a nominees career, they should contact the Madonna sports Information Office before the nomination is submitted.

Nominations for the Madonna Athletic Hall of Fame must be received by August 15. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is held annually beginning with the 2008-09 induction.

CRITERIA FOR NOMINATION

ATHLETE:
• Must be a degree-holding graduate of Madonna University
• Must have been a Madonna student-athlete for at least two years.
• Athletes are not eligible for nomination until five years after their final season of competition.

Nominees in the athlete category should have achieved at least one of the following
• National Player of the Year
• First-team All-American
• National Champion
• National record holder (single season or career)
• Second or third-team All-America
• Honorable mention All-America
• Conference Player of the Year
• First team All-Conference
• Second or third-team All-Conference
• Conference champion
• Madonna school record-holder (single season or career)
• Academic All-American
• Letter in four different varsity sports
• Letter in three different varsity sports
• Letter in two different varsity sports 

Nominating information for athletes should include: collegiate playing record, conference/national championship participation and place finishes, national honors obtained, achievements since graduation and a biographical sketch.  In addition, three support letters should also be included with nomination with one of the letters from the nominator and two letters from other sources.

NOMINATE A STUDENT-ATHLETE FOR HALL OF FAME CONSIDERATION

COACH:
• Must uphold the ideals and philosophies of Madonna athletics while striving to serve the best interests of intercollegiate athletics. While winning championships might be a factor, the primary concern is a person’s effect upon the student-athletes and fellow coaches he/she has influenced.
• Must have served as a coach at Madonna for five years or more.
• Must have a compelling list of accomplishments relative to Madonna Athletics such as graduation rates, impact on department or sport beyond normal coaching scope, etc.
• Must have compiled a significant number of wins or produced a high winning percentage relative to the sports history. 

Nomination information for coaches should include: sports coached (with win/loss records), national championships competed in by that coach’s teams (with years and place finishes), conference, district, regional and national championships won by nominee’s teams (with years), national honors received, committees or associations served and a biographical sketch.  In addition, three support letters should also be included with nomination with one of the letters from the nominator and two letters from other sources.

NOMINATE A COACH FOR HALL OF FAME CONSIDERATION

TEAM:
• A team shall be eligible for nomination seven full seasons following the completion of the season for which they have been nominated.
• Must be a team that accomplished high ranking or high placing in regional or national competition (i.e. national tournament appearances, national placings, national championship).
• Should have won one or multiple (i.e. regular season and tournament) conference championships.
• Teams should have brought prestige to Madonna University in their actions in and out of the athletic arena.
• Team was a pioneer for Madonna Athletics in some form. 

Nomination information for teams should include: sport, year and head coach’s name; names of all athletes on team, names of all assistant coaches, conference or regional championships, national championship participation and place finishes and a season summary.  In addition, three support letters should also be included with nomination with one of the letters from the nominator and two letters from other sources.

NOMINATE A TEAM FOR HALL OF FAME CONSIDERATION

MERITORIOUS SERVICE:
• This category shall also include members of the Madonna University Athletic Administration and University Administration who have made significant contributions to the Madonna University Athletic Department.
• Must exhibit a dedication and loyalty to intercollegiate athletics at Madonna for a period of 10 years or more.
• Their work must have made a concrete and lasting contribution to the welfare of the Madonna University Athletic Department. 

Nomination information for meritorious service should include: relationship to the Madonna athletic program, contributions to the athletic program, years of service to Madonna (if an employee), contributions to regional or national organizations, honors received and specific reasons for nomination.  In addition, three support letters should also be included with nomination with one of the letters from the nominator and two letters from other sources.

NOMINATE AN INDIVIDUAL IN MERITORIOUS SERVICE FOR HALL OF FAME CONSIDERATION

GENERAL HALL OF FAME GUIDELINES/CRITERIA

INDUCTION CLASS SIZE:
• No more than four (4) inductees per year shall be inducted into the Madonna Athletics Hall of Fame through the regular balloting process. A maximum of three (3) of the four inductees per year shall be in the student-athlete category.  A maximum of one (1) inductee per year shall be in the coaches category.  A maximum of one (1) inductee per year shall be in the team category. A maximum of one (1) inductee per year shall be in the meritorious service category.  The total number of inductees is not to exceed four (4).

• There shall be a maximum of two (2) inductees per sport per year into the Madonna Athletics Hall of Fame.  Any combination of sport, whether it is in any category, constitutes the maximum number.

NOMINATION PROCEDURES:
• Student-athletes who meet at least one (1) of the criteria listed above automatically become eligible for nomination to the Hall of Fame five (5) years after their final year of athletic participation at Madonna University.

• Nominations can be made at the annual Hall of Fame Committee meeting. Nominations can also be made by anyone outside the committee via the online form.

• Deadline for nominations via online form or in person via committee member for each induction class will be AUGUST 15.

• Voting by the Hall of Fame committee will be completed by OCTOBER 15.

• The Sports Information Office shall obtain pertinent information regarding the achievements of nominated student-athletes, who qualify   under the criteria for induction as established and mail to each committee member, not later than 10 days prior to the annual Hall of Fame selection meeting.

VOTING PROCEDURES:
• Candidates shall be voted on using a point total of 1 to 4, with 4 being the highest point total awarded. Voters are not required to assign a vote to every nominee.  No nominee shall be inducted into the Hall of Fame without being named on two-thirds of the ballots. Candidates will appear on the ballot in alphabetical order. Each voting member will be provided supporting information on each candidate detailing his or her accomplishments using the induction criteria listed above. The candidates with the top four point totals, who also are named on two-thirds of the ballots cast, will be inducted.

• Nominees for induction into the Hall of Fame shall remain on the primary ballot for five years (note exception in item below). After the fifth year, if the nominee has not earned the required votes for induction, he or she shall be eliminated from the ballot. The candidate must be re-nominated with additional information and support material re-submitted to be placed on nomination ballot.

• If a nominee on the ballot for the Hall of Fame receives zero (0) votes for three consecutive years, that candidate shall be removed from the ballot.

Hall of Fame Classes

2004 - Jerry Abraham (Coach - Volleyball)
Legendary Madonna volleyball coach Jerry Abraham was inducted as the inaugural member of the MU athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.  The dean of MU coaches, Abraham is among the top-five winningest volleyball coaches in collegiate volleyball history, amassing over 800 career victories since 1987.  Abraham has also guided the MU volleyball program to at least a share of the WHAC championship in each of the last 11 seasons.  Abraham also guided the MU softball program to a national tournament, becoming the first MU coach to take two separate teams to their respective national championship events. In all, Abraham has guided nine different teams to the national championships, including a pair of final four appearances.