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Tennessee State University Announces 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class
Tennessee State University (TSU) has announced the members of its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class, set to be honored at the annual banquet on August 27 in Nashville. The inductees include former student‑athletes, coaches, administrators and contributors who have shaped the university’s athletic tradition through championship performances, individual achievements and lasting service.
The TSU Athletics Hall of Fame has long been a centerpiece of the university’s celebration of its sports heritage. Each year the selection committee reviews the careers of former Tigers who have made significant contributions to the program, and the 2026 class reflects the breadth of talent that has passed through the Big Blue ranks.
A highlight of the class is Johnny "Ballpark" Franks, who served as sports information director for TSU from 1988‑98 and again from 1999‑01, before becoming associate athletics director for media relations and marketing. Franks is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished sports information professionals in HBCU athletics. During his 13‑year tenure, he secured hundreds of weekly, annual and national honors for TSU athletes and coaches, including the 1989‑90 USA Today National Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year award for Teresa Phillips and two NCAA Silver Anniversary Awards for former TSU student‑athletes. His excellence earned him the Cal Jacox‑Champ Clark Award three times, the top honor for a sports information director among historically black colleges and universities. Franks was a top‑three finalist for the award five times between 1990 and 1996.
After leaving TSU, Franks built an 18‑year career in sports talk radio, culminating in the Alabama Broadcasters Association’s Best Radio Sportscaster Award in 2026. He was also inducted into the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame in 2025, becoming the first TSU graduate to receive that honor.
The 2026 class also includes Brent Alexander, Frankie Allen, Catherine Katrelle Armwood, Terry Blocker, Curtis Burke, Clairwin Dameus, Oliver Davis and Larry Dorsey. While the announcement does not detail each individual’s specific achievements, the group represents a cross‑section of TSU’s athletic history, encompassing players who earned conference titles, coaches who led teams to postseason appearances, and administrators who guided the program through periods of growth.
TSU, founded in 1912, is the only state‑funded historically black university in Tennessee and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The university’s athletic programs compete in the Ohio Valley Conference of NCAA Division I, and the Tigers have a storied history in football, basketball and track and field. The Hall of Fame ceremony, traditionally held in the spring, serves both as a tribute to past contributors and as a reminder of the standards of excellence the university continues to uphold.
The August 27 banquet will feature speeches from university officials, former coaches and the inductees themselves. The event is scheduled to take place in the TSU Student Union, where the Hall of Fame plaque will be unveiled and the inductees will receive their medals.
The announcement of the 2026 class underscores TSU’s commitment to honoring those who have helped build its athletic legacy. While the full list of inductees will be revealed at the banquet, the inclusion of figures such as Johnny Franks highlights the university’s recognition of contributions beyond the playing field.
As TSU prepares for the ceremony, the university’s athletic department will continue to promote its current teams’ performance in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Hall of Fame induction serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of past athletes and staff on the present and future of TSU sports.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class will be celebrated on August 27, marking another chapter in the university’s tradition of honoring those who have shaped the Tigers’ athletic identity.
The TSU Athletics Hall of Fame has long been a centerpiece of the university’s celebration of its sports heritage. Each year the selection committee reviews the careers of former Tigers who have made significant contributions to the program, and the 2026 class reflects the breadth of talent that has passed through the Big Blue ranks.
A highlight of the class is Johnny "Ballpark" Franks, who served as sports information director for TSU from 1988‑98 and again from 1999‑01, before becoming associate athletics director for media relations and marketing. Franks is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished sports information professionals in HBCU athletics. During his 13‑year tenure, he secured hundreds of weekly, annual and national honors for TSU athletes and coaches, including the 1989‑90 USA Today National Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year award for Teresa Phillips and two NCAA Silver Anniversary Awards for former TSU student‑athletes. His excellence earned him the Cal Jacox‑Champ Clark Award three times, the top honor for a sports information director among historically black colleges and universities. Franks was a top‑three finalist for the award five times between 1990 and 1996.
After leaving TSU, Franks built an 18‑year career in sports talk radio, culminating in the Alabama Broadcasters Association’s Best Radio Sportscaster Award in 2026. He was also inducted into the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame in 2025, becoming the first TSU graduate to receive that honor.
The 2026 class also includes Brent Alexander, Frankie Allen, Catherine Katrelle Armwood, Terry Blocker, Curtis Burke, Clairwin Dameus, Oliver Davis and Larry Dorsey. While the announcement does not detail each individual’s specific achievements, the group represents a cross‑section of TSU’s athletic history, encompassing players who earned conference titles, coaches who led teams to postseason appearances, and administrators who guided the program through periods of growth.
TSU, founded in 1912, is the only state‑funded historically black university in Tennessee and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The university’s athletic programs compete in the Ohio Valley Conference of NCAA Division I, and the Tigers have a storied history in football, basketball and track and field. The Hall of Fame ceremony, traditionally held in the spring, serves both as a tribute to past contributors and as a reminder of the standards of excellence the university continues to uphold.
The August 27 banquet will feature speeches from university officials, former coaches and the inductees themselves. The event is scheduled to take place in the TSU Student Union, where the Hall of Fame plaque will be unveiled and the inductees will receive their medals.
The announcement of the 2026 class underscores TSU’s commitment to honoring those who have helped build its athletic legacy. While the full list of inductees will be revealed at the banquet, the inclusion of figures such as Johnny Franks highlights the university’s recognition of contributions beyond the playing field.
As TSU prepares for the ceremony, the university’s athletic department will continue to promote its current teams’ performance in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Hall of Fame induction serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of past athletes and staff on the present and future of TSU sports.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class will be celebrated on August 27, marking another chapter in the university’s tradition of honoring those who have shaped the Tigers’ athletic identity.
