Athletics Hall of Fame
Athletics are a great source of pride at the Academy, with a program that has garnered more than 180 state championships and launched team dynasties, coaching legacies, and successful athletics careers. The Athletics Hall of Fame, established in 2020, serves as a means of honoring and recognizing the athletes, teams, coaches, and supporters who made significant contributions to the Charger tradition of excellence.
Inductees — up to five per year — are announced each spring and celebrated each fall. The Hall of Fame display is located at the path-side entrance of the East Gymnasium.
Inductees
Class of 2023 Inductees
ATHLETES
James Borrego ’96 (basketball)
Timothy Walker Gorham ’69 (football, wrestling, rugby)
Maggie Hart ’80 Stebbins (field hockey, basketball, tennis, swimming and diving, lacrosse)
COACH
Darell Gage 1965-2015 (tennis, football, basketball)
CONTRIBUTOR
Donna Wrenn 1988-Present (basketball, cross-country, football, soccer, track and field, volleyball, powerlifting, wrestling)
Class of 2022 Inductees
Anika Apostalon ’13 (swimming)
Curtis Beach ’09 (track)
Andrea Goldberg ’98 (tennis)
Chainey Umphrey ’88 (gymnastics)
COACH
Dave Barney 1967-2021 (track, swimming)
Inaugural Class of 2021 Inductees
ATHLETES
Notah Begay III ’90 (soccer, basketball, golf)
Micaela Esquivel ’02 (soccer, basketball, track)
Ellen Hart ’76 (field hockey, basketball, track)
COACH
Mike Brown (boys basketball 1984-2010)
ADMINISTRATOR
Joe Armijo (athletic director 1969-97)
Guidelines
Eligibility
- Nominees must have been associated with Albuquerque Academy at some time as a student-athlete, coach, or community member.
- Nominees must have made a truly exceptional contribution to Albuquerque Academy athletics.
- There will be a five-year waiting period (starting at high school graduation) for those whose contributions were made as Albuquerque Academy students.
- Coaches must be retired for at least five years before being nominated. This includes assistants and volunteers.
- Once inducted, a person cannot be inducted into an additional category.
- In addition to athletic or coaching ability, candidates must have shown the highest standards of sportsmanship, character, and leadership during their time at Albuquerque Academy, to the best of the committee’s knowledge. Albuquerque Academy reserves the right to remove any individual from the Hall of Fame for personal conduct that reflects discredit upon the school.
- Each inductee must attend the Hall of Fame ceremony. If the inductee is deceased, a representative must attend the ceremony. In the case of an emergency or other hardship, which precludes the inductee or representative from attendance, the Hall of Fame committee will make the appropriate decision regarding induction.
- Inductees must fall within one at least on of the following categories:
- Student-athlete
- Must have graduated from Albuquerque Academy
- It is not necessary for the student-athlete to have participated in their sport at the Academy as long as it is an Olympic sport that we did not offer, such as gymnastics, hockey, fencing, or horseback riding.
- Coach
- Must have coached at Albuquerque Academy
- Contributor
- Members of the Academy community including, but not limited to, educator, manager, media, medical staff, official, trainer, volunteer, or athletic director.
- Student-athlete
Hall of Fame Committee
Julianne Puente, Head of School (non-voting member)
Taryn Bachis, Athletic Director/Chair
Rich Adam
Dave Barney
Brent Carey ’79
Sheryl Clemmer
Christine Archibeck ’94 Lenhart
Roy Morgan ’85
Don Smith
Donna Wrenn
Committee Duties and Responsibilities
- Solicit and screen nominations.
- Select and inform a panel of up to five inductees.
- Communicate with the wider community about the Hall of Fame.
- Serve as a liaison with an inductee to collect information and materials about their accomplishments.
- Attend the induction ceremony.
- Track demographics or maintain records of inductees.
- Maintain a cumulative list of unselected nominees and resubmit to the nomination pool for the appropriate time period.
Selection of Inductees
Under extraordinary circumstances the committee has the purview to decide to waive the five-year wait period before induction to the Hall of Fame.
Submit a Nomination for the 2025 Hall of Fame
The deadline for nominations is October 31, 2024. Please note: Only complete nominations will be considered.