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John Henderson, Stan Huntsman, Sarah Fekete, Jim Haslam highlight Vols hall of fame class

Former Tennessee football player John Henderson and a collection of national champions lead UT's 2024 Hall of Fame class.

The seven-member class will be honored at an induction ceremony on April 26 at Regal Square Events and on April 27 at UT's baseball game versus Missouri.

The class includes Henderson, softball player Sarah Fekete-Bailey, women’s basketball player Sheila Frost, track and field coach Stan Huntsman, volleyball player Julie Knytych, legacy inductee Jim Haslam and trailblazer inductee Ann Baker Furrow.

"We look forward to honoring this special group of true Tennessee legends," athletics director Danny White said in a school release. "Our history of success is second to none, and it's an honor for all of us associated with Tennessee athletics to welcome this esteemed group of individuals into our Hall of Fame."

Florida quarterback Rex Grossman (8) is sacked by Tennessee's John Henderson (98) during the third quarter on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2001 in Gainesville, Fla.
Florida quarterback Rex Grossman (8) is sacked by Tennessee's John Henderson (98) during the third quarter on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2001 in Gainesville, Fla.

Here's what Tennessee hall of famers did for Vols

Henderson (1998-2001), a Nashville native, was a dominant defensive lineman. He earned two first-team All-America honors, the Outland Trophy, SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Citrus Bowl defensive MVP.

Fekete-Bailey (2003-06) led Lady Vols softball to their first two appearances in the Women's College World Series. She was a first-team All-American, the NCAA batting champion in 2006 and broke numerous SEC records. Her jersey was retired in 2022.

Frost (1985-89) helped Lady Vols basketball win their first two national titles in 1987 and 1989. And her senior class made the Final Four all four seasons. She was a three-time All-SEC honoree and remains one of only six Lady Vols with at least 1,000 points and 1,000 rebound in her career.

Huntsman (1971-85) coached UT track and cross country teams to 31 SEC titles, the 1972 cross country national championship and 1974 outdoor track national title. He was the NCAA coach of the year six times. Huntsman died in 2016.

Knytych (2002-06) broke numerous records for Lady Vols volleyball while guiding the team to the 2004 SEC title and the 2005 Final Four. She was two-time All-America.

Furrow is a trailblazer inductee. She was the first UT women's golfer, but she played on the men's team in 1964-65. She was awarded a men's golf scholarship during the very brief period when the SEC allowed that. Furrow was also the first woman and the youngest person appointed to the UT Board of Trustees, where she served for 18 years.

Haslam, a longtime contributor to UT athletics, is the first legacy induction. He was captain of the 1952 UT football team, served in the U.S. Army and built Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers in North America.

Haslam is the former vice chair of the UT Board of Trustees, a founding member of the UT Foundation Board of Directors, co-chair for the statewide Campaign for Tennessee, a member of the board of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy and a lifetime member of the Haslam College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council.

In 2009, he was named a UT Distinguished Alumnus.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: John Henderson, Sarah Fekete, Jim Haslam highlight Vols hall of fame class