Published on November 12, 2026 9:58 am
Last Updated on November 12, 2026 10:03 am
LOUISVILLE, IL — The National Athletic Hall of Fame 2026 Inductees will be honored Friday at the Teutopolis Banquet Hall. The event begins at 6 p.m.
Following are the inductees:
Greg Sapp as an inductee in the Media/Sports Broadcaster category
For more than 50 years, Greg Sapp has been a defining voice in local athletics, serving as a longtime sports broadcaster and former Sports Director at Premier Broadcasting.
Sapp was the voice of the Effingham Hearts for many years. His coverage has spanned baseball, basketball, football, softball, and even a bowling tournament alongside fellow Hall of Famer Larry Wilson. Sapp’s distinguished career includes numerous honors, among them the 2003 Tom Bryant Friends of the Game Award, 2009 Effingham Citizen of the Year, 2017-18 IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award, 2018 IBCA Media Division Hall of Fame, 2024 National Athletic Hall of Fame Director’s Award of Excellence, and 2025–26 Effingham Sports Backer of the Year.
Beyond the broadcasting booth, Greg has been a steadfast supporter of athletics and community service, encouraging athletes and contributing to organizations such as being a member of the Effingham Noon Rotary for over 30 years, the Alliance for a Healthier Effingham County, the Salvation Army, and the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce. He has also been a member of Calvary Baptist Church for over 50 years, where he has worked with youth, led worship, and taught.
Millie Lange as an inductee in the Media/Sportswriter category
Lange has served the athletic community as a sportswriter for 45 years and counting, including 29 years at the Effingham Daily News, where she worked as a sports reporter and editor from 1981 to 2010. Since 2010, she has continued her coverage with Premier Broadcasting.
Throughout her career, she has reported on nearly every sport in the region — covering baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, tennis, track and cross country, wrestling, volleyball, golf, bowling, swimming, bass fishing, and both men’s and women’s fastpitch and slow-pitch softball.
Beyond journalism, Lange is deeply involved in her community. She is a 59-year member of First Baptist Church in Effingham, has participated in Relay for Life, taught Sunday School kindergarten for 30 years and assisted with Girls in Action.
Andy Pullen as an inductee in the Official’s Division
Pullen has devoted 59 years as an IHSA-certified official, serving across multiple sports including basketball (59 years), track and field (22 years) and cross country (five years). His officiating career also extended to the collegiate level, where he spent 22 years officiating junior college basketball in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC) and 15 years in the Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC).
Throughout his distinguished career, Pullen has officiated countless regional contests, eight boys’ basketball sectionals and two girls’ basketball sectionals. His commitment to the officiating community is further reflected in his mentorship of new officials and his dedicated service to Special Olympics Basketball.
Pullen died October 12 at the age of 89.
Bob Horst as an inductee in the Coaching Division
Over his 37-year coaching career, Horst made stops at Mt. Vernon High School, Flora High School and finally Newton High School. During his legendary 23 years at Newton, his football teams made 18 playoff appearances, compiling a 27-18 career playoff record. In 2005, his team went undefeated, capturing the Apollo Conference title and finishing as Class 4A State Runner-Up. Horst closed out his football coaching career with an overall record of 166-79.
In 2006, Horst led the Newton Eagles to their first-ever IHSA Class A Boys Track and Field State Championship.
Coach Horst’s contributions to high school athletics have been recognized previously as well: he was inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001 and received the Heritage Circle Award in 2024.
Chad Green, as an inductee in the Professional Athlete category
A Major League pitcher and All-State athlete from Effingham High School, Green was a key member of the Hearts teams that made back-to-back Class 3A regional championships in 2009 and 2010. After graduation Green continued his baseball career at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.
While at Louisville, Green set a school record for the lowest career ERA at 2.38 and a single-season starts record with 18 starts in 2013 (second most in school history). In 61 appearances, he pitched 193 innings, including being chosen as the 2013 College World Series game starter and posting an overall record of 16-6 from 2011 to 2013.
In 2013, Green was drafted in the 11th round of the MLB Amateur Draft by the Detroit Tigers. He made his major league debut in May 2016 with the New York Yankees, where he played through 2022, before signing with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023 and playing with them through 2025.
During Green’s breakout season of 2017 with the Yankees, in 69 innings pitched he recorded 103 strikeouts with a 1.83 ERA. After returning from Tommy John surgery in 2024, he was a finalist for American League (AL) Comeback Player of the Year, converting 16 straight saves. Over his professional career, Green has accumulated more than 500 strikeouts, is a member of the 100-strikeout reliever club and posted 10 wins as a reliever in 2021.
Jeff Mihlbachler as an inductee in the Student Athlete Division
Mihlbachler was a standout multi-sport athlete at St. Anthony High School, competing in basketball and baseball from 1973-77. On the basketball court, he contributed to a varsity team that posted a 17-3 regular-season record and earned a No. 14 Associated Press state ranking during his junior year (1975-76). a two-year letterman, he received All-State Honorable Mention in 1977 and finished his career just shy of 1,000 points, achieving this in an era before the three-point shot.
On the baseball field, Mihlbachler anchored the Bulldogs’ pitching staff throughout National Trail Conference play and IHSA Class A regional competition. A four-year letterman, he became one of the rare athletes drafted directly out of high school, selected in the 25th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Over two professional seasons, he logged 190 innings and led the Pioneer League in strikeouts in 1978.
Beyond his athletic accomplishments, Mihlbachler has been a long-time supporter of athletics and community recreation in Effingham. He currently served as a Grand Ambassador for the Effingham Chamber of Commerce and is also a 22-year member of the Effingham Sunrise Rotary.
Jim Wagner as an inductee in the Official’s Division
Wagner has served as a licensed IHSA official for 35 years, contributing his expertise across multiple sports: basketball (35 years), baseball (25 years), softball (25 years) and football (25 years). His dedication to officiating extends to the collegiate level as well, having spent 15 years as a junior college basketball official in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC). During that time, he officiated 12 women’s basketball regionals and earned one National Tournament appearance.
Throughout his career, Wagner has exemplified leadership and mentorship, while guiding countless young officials and helping to strengthen the officiating community across Illinois.
EIU Co-Coaches Kristi and Dan Paulson as inductees in the Coaching Division
Over their 16-year collegiate softball coaching career, the Paulsons’ teams have accumulated an overall record of 279-95.
While serving as co-coaches at Parkland Community College, the coaching duo led their teams to three Region 24 (NJCAA) National Junior College Athletic Association titles and three appearances in the Junior College World Series — finishing seventh in 2021, fifth in 2023, and ninth in 2024. They also captured four straight Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) titles and were named MWAC Coach of the Year from 2021 to 2024, closing out their time at Parkland with an overall record of 205-56.
As head coaches at Eastern Illinois University (EIU), the Paulsons have compiled an overall record of 74-39, capturing two Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) regular-season and tournament titles in 2025 and 2026. Their 2025 team advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Austin Regional, and their 2026 team competed in the Stillwater Regional.
The Paulsons were also named 2026 OVC Coaches of the Year.
In addition to their collegiate coaching duties, the Paulsons founded Premier Fastpitch in 2011, a program that has produced numerous top-10 finishes at national tournaments.
Loren Tate as an inductee in the Media/Sportswriter and Broadcaster Division
Known as the Dean of Illinois Sports Reporters, Loren’s career as a sportswriter spanned more than 70 years, including almost 60 years covering University of Illinois athletics for the News-Gazette in Champaign since 1966. Tate has served as sports director, columnist, and radio host, and still writes a weekly column and appears on over four radio shows weekly on WDWS 1400 AM/93.9 FM. Along the
way, he has become a trusted source for all things Illini athletics throughout the region.
In 1974, Loren was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Media Division Hall of Fame, and in 2021 he was inducted into the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Hall of Fame.
Growing up in nearby Monticello, Illinois, Loren continues to maintain a lifelong connection to the area’s athletic history, frequently sharing nostalgic looks at regional sports on local broadcasts.
Randy Poole as an inductee in the Media/Sports Broadcaster Division
For more than three decades, Randy has been one of the most recognizable voices in regional athletics.
He served as the long time broadcaster for Flora Wolves football (34 years) and Flora Wolves basketball (15 years) on WNOI in Flora, becoming a trusted and familiar presence for generations of athletes, families, and fans. In addition to his play-by-play work, Poole also spent 15 years as Sports Director, covering football, basketball, baseball, softball, and junior high athletics throughout the region.
Randy’s dedication extends far beyond the broadcast booth. He has been an active member of the Flora Rotary Club for 30 years, served on the Flora Academic Foundation Board and the Flora Chamber of Commerce, and remains a committed member of the First Methodist Church in Flora, where he serves on the Church Council.
Tom Clark as an inductee for the Twelfth Man Award
Tom Clark has been a familiar and beloved voice at Newton High School Eagles football games for 50 years and counting, serving as the Public Address announcer with unwavering dedication and enthusiasm.
Beyond his long-standing commitment to local athletics, Clark has demonstrated exceptional service to the Newton community. He has contributed his time and leadership as a member of the Newton Rotary, a Jasper County Health Department Board member, and a member of the Newton City Council Zoning Board. His decades of volunteerism and civic involvement exemplify the spirit of the Twelfh Man Award.
The 2026 Induction Ceremony will be held on the evening of Friday, November 13 at the Teutopolis Banquet Hall in Teutopolis.