BY SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
HUNTSVILLE — Twelve of the region’s most accomplished athletes, coaches, officials and sports leaders were announced as the 2026 inductees into the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame, marking one of the most diverse and wide-ranging classes in the organization’s history.
Sportswriter and Hall of Fame secretary Mark McCarter said the new class reflected the depth and history of North Alabama’s athletic excellence. “We forget sometimes what a great sports community Huntsville is and has been,” McCarter said. He added that the field of nominees was so strong, “We could’ve taken the 12 vote-getters behind them and had another great class.”
This year’s honorees included Olympians, professional athletes, sportswriters, trailblazing women athletes, and longtime officials whose impact reached far beyond the stat sheets. “Alongside athletes who’ve become famous and done things on the national and international stage, it was just as important to honor folks who succeeded here and made an impact here,” McCarter said.
A formal induction banquet in April was set to enshrine the new class, selected by the Hall of Fame’s 18-member board from public nominations.
THE 2026 INDUCTEES
Toyin Augustus
A Grissom High graduate and Penn State athlete who competed for her native Nigeria in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, holding two world records.
Mark Bechtel
A Grissom alum who became a senior editor for Sports Illustrated, overseeing NBA coverage at the national level.
David Bell
A high school sports official for more than 35 years and the state’s football coordinator of officials. A member of the Alabama Officials Hall of Fame.
Reggie Benson
A Troy State and Alabama A&M alumnus who spent 23 years as a respected sportswriter for The Huntsville Times.
Dee Cummings
An all-state star on Butler High School’s late-’90s girls basketball dynasty. She still holds the Alabama state record for assists.
Jeremy “Jerry” Gordon
Grambling State’s all-time receiving leader, with additional pro careers in the USFL and Canadian Football League.
Jeffrey Hammonds
A Madison County resident of 15 years who spent 13 seasons in Major League Baseball and competed as an Olympian.
Donnie Humphrey
A standout Auburn defensive lineman, two-time All-SEC selection, and member of Auburn’s 1983 SEC championship team. He went on to play three seasons in the NFL and later coached in California before his death in 2014.
Anthony Jones
Alabama A&M’s second winningest football coach, posting an 83-57 record over 12 seasons, winning four division titles. Jones played five years in the NFL and earned a Super Bowl ring in 1987 with Washington.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Jones reflected on the moment he first visited Alabama A&M with his son. He admitted telling a “little white lie” — that if his son didn’t like the school, he wouldn’t accept the job. When they arrived, his son looked at the stadium and said, “Wow, I’m going to miss Morehouse.” Jones said the atmosphere and community spirit convinced him A&M was special.
Stephanie Pinto (now Boster)
A Grissom and UAH softball standout, widely considered one of the greatest softball players in UAH history. A three-time All-American, she was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Decade and is a member of the UAH and GSC Halls of Fame.
Whitney Smith (now Boggus)
A Grissom alum who excelled in softball and basketball before becoming the school’s girls basketball coach. A three-time All-America bowler at Alabama A&M, she led her team to the 2006 NCAA championship game and was named Conference Bowler of the Year in 2007.
James Willis
An All-SEC linebacker at Auburn who was drafted by Green Bay and went on to play seven seasons in the NFL. He later built a coaching career with stops at the New Orleans Saints, Auburn, Alabama, Temple, and Texas Tech.