Mike Leach Selected for Texas Sports Hall of Fame
The 2023 college football season has been one that would make Mike Leach proud, with chaos and unpredictability happening all over the day. However, without legendary press conferences and postgame interviews from The Pirate, it just doesn’t feel the same.
With Leach’s death shaking the college football world last winter, it made many of us realize just how special and unique he was to the community. Although he’s gone now, his legacy lives on and the memories he gave us will be around forever.
Now, his legacy will also live on forever in the halls of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, as it was announced on Wednesday that Leach will be inducted into its nine-member class of 2024.
Here’s a look at the entire ballot, courtesy of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Lubbock Avalance-Journal:
Primary Ballot:
- Randy Allen, football
- Jose Altuve, baseball
- Tim Buchanan, football
- Jamaal Charles, football
- Phil Danaher, football
- Todd Dodge, football
- Juan Gonzalez, baseball
- Brittney Griner, basketball
- Jon Kay, football
- Wes Kittley, track and field
- Mike Leach, football
- Colt McCoy, football
- Hal Mumme, football
- Carla Overbeck, soccer
- Arthur Rhodes, baseball
- Jackie Sherrill, football
- Leon “Red” Spencer, basketball
- Matthew Stafford, football
- Bubba Thornton, track and field
- Christa Williams, softball
Veterans Ballot:
- Jay Buhner, baseball
- Kirk Dressendorfer, baseball
- Cito Gaston, baseball
- Chris Gilbert, football
- Roy Hofheinz, administration
- Barbara Jacket, track and field
- Charmayne James, rodeo
- Fred Newhouse, track and field
- Billy Nicks, football
- Richard Ritchie, football
- Ira Terrell, basketball
- Wilson Whitley, football
Leach coached all over the country but made his debut as a head coach after Texas Tech hired the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma after the 1999 season. From there Leach was the head coach for the Red Raiders (2000-09) and at Washington State (2012-19) and Mississippi State (2020-22), totaling a 158-107 record over 21 seasons. He died on Dec. 12, 2022, at the age of 61.
