Class Includes Eight Legendary Illini Athletes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– Eight new members were named to the University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame today by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. National Player of the Year Ayo Dosunmu, two-time Olympian Jordyn Poulter, long-time professional golfer D.A. Points, NCAA football-record holder Howard Griffith, long-time NFL wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, former Illini soccer star Ella Masar, Illini career rebounding leader James Augustine and versatile Tauja Catchings from women’s basketball are the latest members of the star-studded Hall of Fame.
To celebrate the 10th year of the Hall of Fame, Illinois is presenting a Hall of Fame Gala on Friday, Sept. 11, at State Farm Center to recognize all members of the previous classes while inducting the Class of 2026.
“The Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 is another reminder of the many storied athletes who have represented the Fighting Illini,” Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman said. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my position is calling the new class members each year and hearing the excitement in their voices as they learn of this incredible honor. We look forward to hosting each of these great Illini and their families this fall during the induction weekend as we celebrate the 10th class for our Hall of Fame.”
Football is represented by wide receiver Brandon Lloyd and running back Howard Griffith. Lloyd helped lead the Fighting Illini to the 2001 Big Ten Championship and Sugar Bowl appearance, earning All-Big Ten honors his junior and senior seasons. Lloyd ranks sixth on the Fighting Illini career receptions list with 160 catches, second in career touchdown catches with 21 and second in career receiving yards with 2,583 yards.
Griffith earned All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 1990 when the Illini earned a share of the Big Ten title. He set an NCAA record for rushing touchdowns and points scored in a game when he ran for eight touchdowns to account for 48 points against Southern Illinois in 1990. That mark has been tied one time in the 36 years since that historic performance. Griffith rushed for 1,115 yards that season, including 263 yards vs. Northwestern in his final regular-season game. He holds the Illini record with 31 career rushing touchdowns.
D.A. Points was an All-American golfer for the Fighting Illini in 1999 who went on to win seven professional tournaments, including three on the PGA Tour after joining the Tour in 2005. He had 19 Top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour during his career and reached as high as No. 45 in the world rankings.
Tauja Catchings was an All-Big Ten selection three times and helped the Illini to the 1997 Big Ten Championship. She earned honorable-mention All-America honors in 1999 and 2000 and was the team’s MVP as a senior in 2000.
Ella Masar ranks sixth on the Illini career list with 27 goals and fifth in all-time points with 74 after the 27 goals and 20 assists. She earned Second-Team All-America honors in 2006 and was First-Team All-American in 2007. Masar was named First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-Big Ten in 2006 and 2007 while being named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2006.
Jordyn Poulter helped lead the United States to Olympic Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games and Silver at the 2024 Paris Games, while being named “Best Setter” at the 2020 Games. She earned All-America honors three times at Illinois, including First-Team honors as a senior in 2018 when Poulter led the Illini to the NCAA National Semifinals. She ranked second nationally with 1,521 assists in 2018, when she was named the AVCA Northeast Region Player of the Year.
James Augustine was a four-year starter for the Fighting Illini basketball team from 2003-06, helping lead Illinois to an appearance in the national championship game in 2005. He was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2006 after earning Second-Team honors in 2005. Augustine was Illinois’ first player, and the 12th in Big Ten history, to reach 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. He finished his Illini career with 1,383 points and a school-record 1,023 rebounds, while setting the Illinois record for career field-goal percentage at 61.7 percent.
Ayo Dosunmu was the USA Today National Player of the Year and Bob Cousy National Point Guard of the Year as a junior in 2021. He was a consensus First-Team All-American that season and was a finalist for every National Player of the Year honor. During his junior season, Dosunmu became the first NCAA player since 2010 to average at least 20 points (20.1 ppg), six rebounds (6.3 rpg) and five assists (5.3 apg). He earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2020 and 2021 while finishing his collegiate career ranked No. 12 on the Illini career scoring list with 1,504 points after three seasons.
The Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11, at State Farm Center. Details for the Gala will be announced at a later date. Returning members of the 2026 class will also be honored at the home football game against Duke on Sept. 12.
The Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame began in 2017 and now has 162 total members, with representatives from each current varsity sport. University of Illinois varsity athletics started with baseball in 1879 and now has 21 teams competing at the NCAA Division I level.
Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026
James Augustine, Basketball, 2003-06
A member of the famed Fighting Illini team that advanced to the national championship game in 2005, James Augustine was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2006 and Third-Team all-conference in 2005. He was named Most Outstanding Player during the 2005 Big Ten Tournament. Augustine was chosen in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and played two seasons in NBA before a successful 10-year career in Europe where he played in more than 400 games. Augustine helped his team to the 2015 EuroCup championship and was an All-EuroCup Second-Team selection in 2010. One of the top rebounders in the European leagues during his career, Augustine was Illinois’ first player, and the 12th in Big Ten history, with 1,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds. He finished his Illini career with 1,383 points and a school-record 1,023 rebounds. Augustine is also the school-record holder for career field goal percentage at 61.7 percent, which ranks fifth in Big Ten history. He started 134 of his 137 career games (132 consecutive) at Illinois and is tied with Dee Brown for most career wins with 114.
Tauja Catchings, Basketball, 1997-2000
Tauja Catchings earned honorable mention All-America honors in both 1999 and 2000 while starring for the Fighting Illini. As a freshman, she helped Illinois to the 1997 Big Ten title while also being named to the conference’s All-Freshman team. Catchings was named Second-Team All-Big Ten in 1998 and 1999 before being named First Team as a senior in 2000, when she was also named the Illini team MVP. She finished her Illinois career with 1,502 points, which ranks 12th in program history. One of the top all-around players in school history, she also ranks in the top 10 in several major categories including rebounds with 825, steals with 211, assists with 328 and free throws made with 371. Catchings was drafted in the third round of the 2000 WNBA Draft.
Ayo Dosunmu, Basketball, 2019-21
Ayo Dosunmu was the USA Today National Player of the Year and Bob Cousy National Point Guard of the Year after an outstanding junior season in 2021. He was also named an NCAA Consensus First-Team All-American, named to the five-player first team by each organization and news outlet that selects teams. Dosunmu was a finalist for every National Player of the Year honor, including the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Oscar Robertson Trophy. He was the first NCAA player since 2010 to average at least 20 points (20.1 ppg), six rebounds (6.3 rpg) and five assists (5.3 apg). Dosunmu was named the 2021 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament Team. The U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) named him the District V Player of the Year, and he was named unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten in 2021 after also earning First-Team All-Big Ten recognition in 2020. Dosunmu was named the UI Male Athlete of the Year in 2020 and 2021 and was just the fourth basketball player ever to repeat as the school’s top athlete award winner. He finished his career ranked No. 12 on the Illini career scoring list with 1,504 points and No. 2 among players after three seasons, while becoming the first player in school history to lead the team in scoring as a freshman, sophomore and junior. Dosunmu was chosen in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, where he played until traded to Minnesota during the 2025-26 season. During the 2026 NBA Playoffs, he had one of the great post-season performances in league history with 43 points and nine assists in a Game 4 win over Denver.
Howard Griffith, Football, 1987-90
Howard Griffith’s career as a Fighting Illini running back will always be highlighted by his NCAA record-setting performance against Southern Illinois in 1990 when he rushed for eight touchdowns in a 56-21 Illinois victory. After helping Illinois to a share of the 1990 Big Ten title, he would go on to enjoy an 11-year NFL career capped by winning two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos. He would play a major role in Denver’s win in Super Bowl XXXIII when he scored two rushing touchdowns. Griffith earned the nickname “the Human Plow” due to his strong blocking ability in front of Terrell Davis with the Broncos. His NCAA records of 48 points and eight touchdowns have only been tied once since that historic performance. Griffith earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in 1990, and he finished his collegiate career by rushing for 2,485 yards and a UI-record 31 rushing touchdowns. Griffith has worked as an analyst and studio host for the Big Ten Network since the inception of the network in 2007.
Brandon Lloyd, Football, 1999, 2001-02
Illinois’ leading wide receiver during his collegiate career, Brandon Lloyd earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2001 when the Illini won the Big Ten title and played in the Nokia Sugar Bowl. He finished his Illini career with the second-most receiving yards (2,835) and touchdown catches (21) while ranking third in all-time receptions (160). Lloyd also earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2002 when he again had 65 receptions. He topped 1,000 yards receiving during both his sophomore and junior seasons and had more than 100 receiving yards 12 times during his Illini career. After missing his true sophomore season in 2000 with a leg injury, Lloyd returned for two outstanding years before his long pro football run. He declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season in 2002 and was chosen in the fourth round by the 49ers. Lloyd played 11 seasons in the NFL and was second-team All-Pro while with the Broncos in 2010 when he was selected to play in the 2011 Pro Bowl. He was the NFL receiving leader in 2010 with 1,448 yards.
Ella Masar, Soccer, 2004-07
A native of Urbana, Ella Masar ranks sixth on the Illini career list with 27 goals and fifth in all-time points with 74 after the 27 goals and 20 assists as one of the top offensive players in Illinois history. She earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Second-Team All-America honors in 2006 and be named First-Team All-America in 2007. Masar was First-Team All-Region and Lowe’s First-Team All-Big Ten in 2006 and 2007. She was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2006. Masar was taken in the 2008 Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) Draft as the ninth overall pick and played professionally in the U.S. and internationally until 2019. She represented the U.S. in international competition for U-21, U-23 and National teams.
D.A. Points, Golf, 1998-99
Darren Andrew (D.A.) Points earned Third-Team All-America honors in 1999 and All-Big Ten honors in both 1998 and 1999. A native of Pekin, Ill., he remains among the Illini’s Top 15 for career stroke average at 72.57 during his Illinois career. As a senior in 1998-99, Points won three collegiate tournaments and helped lead Illinois to 15th place at the NCAA Championships, the highest school finish nationally since 1950. Since turning pro in 1999 and joining the Tour in 2005, Points owns seven professional victories, including three on the PGA Tour and had career earnings of nearly $12 million. His three victories came at the 2011 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the 2013 Shell Houston Open and the 2017 Puerto Rico Open. Points had 19 Top-10 finishes while making the cut in 175 of 387 tournaments. He reached as high as No. 45 in the world rankings and finished 30th in the FedEx Cup rankings in 2013. Points is also a three-time Illinois Amateur champion and reached the quarterfinals of the 1996 U.S. Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, where he lost to eventual-champion Tiger Woods, 3 and 2, in the quarterfinals.
Jordyn Poulter, Volleyball, 2015-18
Jordyn Poulter earned First-Team All-America honors in 2018 while helping lead Illinois to the NCAA National Semifinals. She was named the 2018 Big Ten Co-Setter of the Year and finished her career earning American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America recognition three times with honorable mention in 2016, Third-Team in 2017 and First-Team in 2018. Poulter ranked second nationally with 1,521 assists in 2018 when she was a finalist for 2018 Senior CLASS Award. She earned AVCA All-Northeast Region First-Team honors three times and was the 2018 Regional Player of the Year. Poulter finished her career ranked third in program history with 5,156 career assists and is the first Illini setter to reach both 400 blocks and 1,000 digs. A three-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2016, 2017 and 2018, she was honored as a finalist for the 2018 Honda Sports Award and was named the Dike Eddleman UI Female Athlete of the Year. Poulter made her U.S. Women’s National Team debut in 2018 and helped lead the U.S. to its first-ever Olympic Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games and Silver at 2024 Paris Games, earning Best Setter honors in Tokyo. She helped the U.S. claim Volleyball Nations League gold twice, earning Best Setter honors in 2021. Poulter remains a member of the U.S. National Team. She has played professionally in Europe and the U.S. since graduation and is currently a member of the LOVB Salt Lake.