Regular visitors to Notinhalloffame.com are aware that we are gradually compiling the top 50 lists for every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives.   Eventually, this will extend to the college ranks.  As such, it is important to us that the University of Illinois has announced 11 new members to their Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on October 10, and the class will be honored the following day during the Fighting Illini’s home game against Ohio State.

The new inductees are:

Aspen Burkett Miles, Women’s Track & Field, 1995-98.  Burkett was a seven-time All-American (four relays and three individual), won seven Big Ten Championships, and played a big part in Illinois’ Big Ten 1995 Indoor and 1995 & 1996 Outdoor Championships. 

Mike Durkin, Men’s Track & Field, 1972-75.  A five-time All-American and nine-time Big Ten Champion, Durkin excelled in middle distances, winning most of his titles in the Mile or 1,000m distances.

Jane Fauntz Manske, Women’s Swimming and Diving 1930-34.  In 1928, Fauntz Manske set World Records in the 100-yard and 100-meter breaststroke, and the year after won the National 100-meter breaststroke and 100-meter springboard Championship.  She also competed for the United States in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics.

Kiwane Garris, Men’s Basketball, 1994-97.  Garris was a two-time First Team All-Big-10 Selection whose 1,948 Points are second all-time in Illini history.  He played pro for Orlando and Denver. 

Theresa Grentz, Women’s Basketball Coach, 1996-2007.  Grentz had a record of 210-156 and brought the Illini their only Women’s Big 10 Title.  She also took the Illini to two Sweet Sixteens.  Grentz is already a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Meredith Hackett Kindt, Softball, 2009-12.  During Hackett’s time in Illinois, the school had a 45-8 record, while she boasted a stellar .616 Slugging Percentage. 

Benita Kelly Babridge, Women’s Track & Field, 1995-98.  Kelly earned eight All-America honors and the Big 10 100m and 200m titles in 1998.

Kurt Kittner, Football, 1998-2001.  Kittner took the Illini to the Sugar Bowl in 2001, and threw 8,722 Yards and 70 Touchdowns for the school.  He later played three years in the NFL.

Joe Rutgens, Football, 1958-60.  Playing at Defensive Tackle, Rutgens was a First Team All-American in 1960.  He later played a decade for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowl Selection.

Scott Spezio, Baseball, 1991-93.  An All-American in 1993, Spezio holds the school record for Home Runs (48).  Spezio later played 12 years in the Majors, winning two World Series rings: one with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the other with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Gene Vance, Men’s Basketball/Athletic Director, 1942-43, 1947 & 1967-72.  Vance helped Illinois win the 1942 and 1943 Big Ten Titles while securing First Team All-American honors in both of those years.  He would play professionally for five years, first with the Chicago Stags and then with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the incoming members of the University of Illinois Athletic Hall of Fame.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Dallas Cowboys.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Cowboys dealt with injuries to major players and slumped to a 7-10 record.  Nevertheless, there was a new entrant, and a few elevations on the Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, which remain unchanged.

1. Emmitt Smith
2. Bob Lilly
3. Roger Staubach
4. Randy White
5. Mel Renfro

You can find the entire list here.

Of note, Offensive Guard Zack Martin, who retired after the season, was unable to move up beyond #10.

Quarterback Dak Prescott remained at #29.

Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb makes his debut on the list at #41.

DeMarcus Lawrence moved up one spot to #47.

Micah Parsons moved up two spots to #50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

CeeDee Lamb, a consensus All-American from Oklahoma, was selected 19th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. He quickly gained attention under significant pressure, taking on the storied No. 88 jersey once worn by Drew Pearson and Michael Irvin. As a rookie, Lamb made an immediate impact, racking up 935 receiving yards despite a challenging season for the team with Dak Prescott's season-ending injury. After Prescott's return, Lamb transformed from a talented slot receiver into one of the most versatile and complete perimeter wide receivers in today's professional football.

Lamb quickly rose the receiver hierarchy with decisive steps. In 2021, he made his first Pro Bowl and achieved his initial 1,000-yard season. The following year, he became a key player by catching 107 passes for 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns. With strong run-after-catch skills and sharp route-running from both the slot and boundary, Lamb became Prescott's dependable target in all passing situations.

His career reached a transcendent peak during a historic 2023 season. Orchestrating the league's top-scoring attack, Lamb topped the NFL with a franchise-record 135 receptions while setting new single-season team marks in receiving yards (1,749) and scoring 12 receiving touchdowns. That masterclass earned him First-Team All-Pro honors and a third-place finish in AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting, cementing his place among the league's top playmakers. After an offseason contract dispute, he validated his landmark extension in 2024 with a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl run, catching 101 passes for 1,194 yards.

Despite facing defensive game plans tailored specifically to slow him down—and missing three games due to injury—Lamb continued his steady production in 2025. He hauled in 75 passes for 1,077 yards, averaging a career-high 14.4 yards per catch and earning his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection. In doing so, Lamb joined Michael Irvin as the only receivers in Cowboys history to record five straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, while climbing to third on the franchise's all-time receptions leaderboard behind only Jason Witten and Irvin.

Lamb enters this year having already accumulated 571 receptions, 7,416 receiving yards, and 41 receiving touchdowns, alongside 390 rushing yards and three ground scores. A five-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and holder of the franchise's single-season receiving records, Lamb enters the 2026 season in the prime of his career, needing fewer than 600 yards to jump to third place on the Cowboys' all-time receiving yards list and firmly build his case as a top-ten legend in franchise history.

Could we see a potential top-ten Cowboy?

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Cleveland Browns.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Browns were awful, winning only three games.  Despite this dismal performance, there was one new entry and three elevations on the all-time list.

As always, we present our top five, which saw a new entrant to the elite group.

1. Jim Brown
2. Otto Graham
3. Joe Thomas
4. Lou Groza
5. Myles Garrett 

You can find the entire list here.

The change in the top five saw 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett move up five spots and knock Hall of Fame Tight End Ozzie Newsome from that spot.

Offensive Guard Joel Bitonio moved up three spots to #16 after adding his seventh Pro Bowl in 2024.

Running Back Nick Chubb, who is now a Houston Texan, did enough to move up one spot to #43.

The lone new entry is Cornerback Denzel Ward.  He comes in at #46.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.