Lining the northeast corridor of Worthen Arena are 175 plaques, each portraying the face of prominent member of Ball State University's 87-year athletics history.
From Darrell Jones, a high jumper for the Cardinals from 1927-31, to Blaine Bishop, who played safety for the Ball State football program from 1989-92 before playing 10 years in the NFL, each plaque has been posted along the hallway as the Cardinals' Athletics Hall of Fame fraternity has grown.
Almost a month from now, five new plaques will join those along Worthen Arena's inside wall.
Former football players Brad Maynard and Brent Baldwin, men's volleyball player Phil Eatherton, gymnast Sarah Mikrut Doyle and men's tennis player John Noble will be inducted into the Cardinals' Athletics Hall of Fame Feb. 8.
Noble, who played No. 1 singles for the Cardinals during his final two seasons on the tennis team and holds the fourth-best singles record of all time at 104-53, said he's witnessed numerous hall of fame inductions at various universities. Despite his stellar career, he never thought he would become a hall of famer at Ball State.
"I didn't think of myself as very deserving," Noble said. "It's hard to say how much this means to me, and I've been thinking about it for the past couple months since I found out. I'm just honored beyond words."
The selection committee consists of 11 members, ranging from former student athletes to workers within the Cardinals' athletics department. The committee votes on the nominations it receives and each must pass with a unanimous vote before being inducted into the hall of fame.
Athletes and other contributors must wait 10 years after their Ball State careers end until they are eligible for nomination.
Committee members judge each possible inductee on their athletic exploits as well as what they have done since leaving campus. The five former student-athlete inductees in this year's class is the maximum allowed in one class.
"The committee is very excited with this year's inductees," selection committee chairman Joe Hernandez said. "Like most hall of fames, it's the most prestigious athletic award you can receive at Ball State, especially because it has to be a unanimous vote by the committee. Each class stands by itself, but I think this class is as good as any we've had."
Maynard, who is currently the punter for the Chicago Bears, was selected to the hall in his first year of qualifying as a nominee. Maynard received numerous first team All-American honors during his career at Ball State and just concluded his 11th season in the NFL.
Even though each inductee had strong careers at Ball State, Hernandez said, Maynard highlights the Class of 2008.
"We've got some former NFL players in the hall of fame, but he may be the first current NFL player we've been able to induct," Hernandez said. "We even pushed the ceremony back to fit his schedule just in case he would be in the Playoffs with the Bears this season. Brad is probably the most decorated football player we've ever had here."
Baldwin, a football coach at Goshen High School in northern Indiana, played on both the 1993 and 1996 Mid-American Conference championship teams. A former quarterback, Baldwin holds the career passing percentage record with a 65.7 clip and threw 35 touchdown passes in his career, fifth-most in Ball State history. After his playing career, Baldwin served as an assistant coach at Ball State from 2001-05.
Baldwin and Maynard were not only teammates for two conference championships, but the duo also roomed together while at Ball State. Baldwin said it's a special honor to be inducted to the hall of fame with his old roommate.
"It's neat to go into the hall of fame with somebody of that caliber," Baldwin said, adding he was shocked when he heard the news of his induction last fall.
"I was really fortunate to play on some great teams that had a tremendous defense and an outstanding punter," he said. "I certainly didn't put up the numbers [current quarterback] Nate Davis is putting up now. My main job was to be the guy leading the offense and make sure we didn't turn the ball over."
The five former student athletes will return to Ball State for the induction ceremony, which will be held Feb. 8 at the Alumni Center. The next day, each member will be honored at halftime of the Cardinals' men's basketball game against the University of Akron.
Hernandez, who also serves as Ball State's associate athletics director, said he expects all five members to be in attendance.
"In my 21 years at Ball State we've probably had a 98 percent attendance rate," Hernandez said.
Even though he's made multiple plans to return to his alma mater, Noble said he hasn't been back to Ball State since graduating in 1990. Hernandez can count on him, however, to make his first trip back to Muncie in more than 15 years.
"I'm excited about coming back," Noble said. "I have my folks coming in, and some other relatives and friends of mine are going to be there. It's going to be a lot of fun."
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