Columbia Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2026
7/16/2026 3:00:00 PM | Baseball, Field Hockey, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Squash, Men's Swimming and Diving, Men's Tennis, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Squash, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Volleyball, Men's Wrestling, Archery, Cross Country, Fencing, Lacrosse, Heavyweight Rowing, Lightweight Rowing, Softball, Track and Field, Women's Wrestling
The ninth Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame celebration will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Cipriani 25 Broadway
NEW YORK — Columbia University has unveiled its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted at a special black-tie dinner and ceremony at Cipriani 25 Broadway on Thursday, Oct. 22.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class includes 22 individual inductees and four teams representing 10 sports programs and more than 115 years of Columbia Athletics history. The class features 16 former student-athletes, four longtime athletics staff members, and two special category honorees. Inductees were selected through a vote of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, which is comprised of former student-athletes, athletics administrators, and university representatives.
"This Hall of Fame class represents the very best of Columbia Athletics and the enduring impact our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and supporters have had on this university," said Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education Peter Pilling. "Their accomplishments span generations, sports and eras, but they are all connected by a commitment to excellence and a lasting influence on our athletics community. We are proud to celebrate these remarkable Lions and welcome them into the Hall of Fame."
Leading the class is William V. Campbell, one of the most influential figures in Columbia Athletics' history. A former Columbia football student-athlete and head coach, Campbell earned All-Ivy League honors as an offensive lineman before returning to coach the Lions from 1974-79. Beyond athletics, Campbell became one of Silicon Valley's most respected executives and mentors, serving as chairman of Intuit and a longtime board member of Apple. Campbell remained a passionate supporter of Columbia until his passing in 2016, and the University's athletics department now bears his name through the Campbell Family Director of Athletics position and the Campbell Sports Center at the Baker Athletics Complex.
Lee C. Bollinger will join Campbell after playing a transformative role in the growth of Columbia Athletics during his 21 years as president of the University. His tenure was marked by significant investments in facilities, expanded opportunities for student-athletes and the continued growth of varsity athletics.
A pair of Olympians, Jackie Dubrovich '16CC and Nadia Eke '15CC, headline the women's student-athlete inductees.
Dubrovich earned four All-America honors and helped Columbia secure back-to-back NCAA team championships in 2015 and 2016. A member of Team USA, she won a gold medal in team foil at the 2024 Paris Olympics and has been a fixture on the international fencing circuit for more than a decade.
Eke was a two-time Ivy League champion and school-record holder in the triple jump. She represented Ghana at the 2016 Rio Olympics and became the first Columbia woman to compete in the Olympic triple jump.
Among the men's sports modern-era inductees, football's Jeff Adams '12CC and baseball's David Speer '14CC will enter the Hall of Fame.
One of the most decorated offensive linemen in Columbia football history, Adams earned first-team All-Ivy League honors three times. He went on to play in the NFL from 2012-17, including a three-year stint with the Houston Texans.
Speer helped lead Columbia baseball to one of the most successful periods in program history. A standout pitcher and team captain, he was the 2014 Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 2014 MLB Draft. He remains among the program's career leaders in several pitching categories.
The athletics staff category features four individuals whose impact on Columbia Athletics spanned decades. Jacqueline Blackett and former Barnard College athletics director Margie Tversky helped shape the student-athlete experience through years of leadership and service. Kevin McCarthy '85 became the winningest head coach in Columbia women's soccer history, while Al Bagnoli guided the football program through one of its most successful eras from 2015-23.
Four teams will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame this October, including the 2014-15 NCAA Champion fencing team and the 2015 baseball team, which advanced to the NCAA Coral Gables Regional final. The 2012-13 women's tennis team, which captured the program's first Ivy League championship, and the 1910-11 men's basketball team, which won the Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League title, will also be honored.
The heritage-era men's student-athlete category includes two Olympians, Maxie Long and Fitzhugh Townsend, along with Tom Vassel, the starting quarterback on Columbia's 1961 Ivy League championship team.
The full Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 is listed below:
For additional information or sponsorship opportunities related to the 2026 Hall of Fame Ceremony, please contact Michael Hathaway, Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations, at mph2162@columbia.edu.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class includes 22 individual inductees and four teams representing 10 sports programs and more than 115 years of Columbia Athletics history. The class features 16 former student-athletes, four longtime athletics staff members, and two special category honorees. Inductees were selected through a vote of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, which is comprised of former student-athletes, athletics administrators, and university representatives.
"This Hall of Fame class represents the very best of Columbia Athletics and the enduring impact our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and supporters have had on this university," said Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education Peter Pilling. "Their accomplishments span generations, sports and eras, but they are all connected by a commitment to excellence and a lasting influence on our athletics community. We are proud to celebrate these remarkable Lions and welcome them into the Hall of Fame."
Leading the class is William V. Campbell, one of the most influential figures in Columbia Athletics' history. A former Columbia football student-athlete and head coach, Campbell earned All-Ivy League honors as an offensive lineman before returning to coach the Lions from 1974-79. Beyond athletics, Campbell became one of Silicon Valley's most respected executives and mentors, serving as chairman of Intuit and a longtime board member of Apple. Campbell remained a passionate supporter of Columbia until his passing in 2016, and the University's athletics department now bears his name through the Campbell Family Director of Athletics position and the Campbell Sports Center at the Baker Athletics Complex.
Lee C. Bollinger will join Campbell after playing a transformative role in the growth of Columbia Athletics during his 21 years as president of the University. His tenure was marked by significant investments in facilities, expanded opportunities for student-athletes and the continued growth of varsity athletics.
A pair of Olympians, Jackie Dubrovich '16CC and Nadia Eke '15CC, headline the women's student-athlete inductees.
Dubrovich earned four All-America honors and helped Columbia secure back-to-back NCAA team championships in 2015 and 2016. A member of Team USA, she won a gold medal in team foil at the 2024 Paris Olympics and has been a fixture on the international fencing circuit for more than a decade.
Eke was a two-time Ivy League champion and school-record holder in the triple jump. She represented Ghana at the 2016 Rio Olympics and became the first Columbia woman to compete in the Olympic triple jump.
Among the men's sports modern-era inductees, football's Jeff Adams '12CC and baseball's David Speer '14CC will enter the Hall of Fame.
One of the most decorated offensive linemen in Columbia football history, Adams earned first-team All-Ivy League honors three times. He went on to play in the NFL from 2012-17, including a three-year stint with the Houston Texans.
Speer helped lead Columbia baseball to one of the most successful periods in program history. A standout pitcher and team captain, he was the 2014 Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 2014 MLB Draft. He remains among the program's career leaders in several pitching categories.
The athletics staff category features four individuals whose impact on Columbia Athletics spanned decades. Jacqueline Blackett and former Barnard College athletics director Margie Tversky helped shape the student-athlete experience through years of leadership and service. Kevin McCarthy '85 became the winningest head coach in Columbia women's soccer history, while Al Bagnoli guided the football program through one of its most successful eras from 2015-23.
Four teams will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame this October, including the 2014-15 NCAA Champion fencing team and the 2015 baseball team, which advanced to the NCAA Coral Gables Regional final. The 2012-13 women's tennis team, which captured the program's first Ivy League championship, and the 1910-11 men's basketball team, which won the Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League title, will also be honored.
The heritage-era men's student-athlete category includes two Olympians, Maxie Long and Fitzhugh Townsend, along with Tom Vassel, the starting quarterback on Columbia's 1961 Ivy League championship team.
The full Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 is listed below:
Men's Sports Student-Athletes, Heritage Era
- Fitzhugh Townsend 1893 (Fencing)
- Maxie Long 1900CC (Track & Field)
- Tom Vassel '62CC (Football)
Men's Sports Student-Athletes, Modern Era
- Jeff Adams '12CC (Football)
- Mark Fichera '00CC (Diving)
- Jake Hoyle '16CC (Fencing)
- Winston Lin '15CC (Tennis)
- Kyle Merber '12CC (Track & Field)
- David Speer '14CC (Baseball)
- Ramit Tandon '15CC (Squash)
Women's Sports Student-Athletes
- Jackie Dubrovich '16CC (Fencing)
- Nadia Eke '15CC (Track & Field)
- Christina Freibott '15CC (Field Hockey)
- Marvellous Iheukwemere '14CC (Track & Field)
- Michelle Piyapattra '14CC (Golf)
- Sam Warren '13CC (Rowing)
Teams, Heritage Era
- 1910-11 Men's Basketball
Teams, Modern Era
- 2012-13 Women's Tennis
- 2014-15 Fencing
- 2015 Baseball
Athletics Staff
- Al Bagnoli
- Jacqueline Blackett
- Kevin McCarthy '85CC
- Margie Tversky
Special Category
- Lee C. Bollinger '71LAW
- William V. Campbell '62CC
For additional information or sponsorship opportunities related to the 2026 Hall of Fame Ceremony, please contact Michael Hathaway, Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations, at mph2162@columbia.edu.
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