Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Announced, Headlined by George McGinnis

Indiana University is welcoming six new members into its Athletics Hall of Fame in the class of 2023, the 40th class in its history. Those six are George McGinnis, Aleksey Korol, Derek Drouin, Christina Loukas, Tina McCall-Waters and Larry Rink.

On Tuesday, Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson announced that six former IU greats would be inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame: George McGinnis, Aleksey Korol, Derk Drouin, Christina Loukas, Tina McCall-Waters and Larry Rink. 

"Indiana University Athletics has a tradition of excellence that rivals any other intercollegiate athletic program in the country, and this year's class is evidence of that rich history," Dolson said in a press release. "The 2023 class includes multiple Olympians, NCAA individual and team champions, pioneering students and staff, and an iconic figure in the sport of basketball. We are proud to be associated with such a world-class group, I extend my most sincere congratulations and thanks to these individuals, their families, and their loved ones."

The six new member of the IU Athletics Hall of Fame will be officially inducted on Friday night during the Hall of Fame Dinner. For more information about the dinner, contact the IU Varsity Club at varsity@indiana.edu or 812-855-0866. Tickets can be purchased here.

The class of 2023 will also be recognized on Saturday during halftime of the Indiana football game against Akron inside Memorial Stadium. 

Here's a look at the class of 2023:

George McGinnis (Men's Basketball, 1970-71)

McGinnis is perhaps the only name on this list who became more of an Indiana legend for what he did after leaving the University than for what he did during his time there. 

The superstar forward only spent two years in Bloomington, and only played varsity basketball for one. 

But what a year it was. McGinnis led the Big Ten in both scoring and rebounding in 1970-71, averaging 29.9 points and 14.7 rebounds per game, becoming the first sophomore to ever do so.

After the breakout season, McGinnis passed up his two remaining years of eligibility to play for the Indiana Pacers in the American Basketball Association, better known as the ABA. McGinnis was immediately a star for the Pacers, helping the franchise win back-to-back ABA titles in 1972 and 1973. 

McGinnis played for the Pacers for four seasons, and finished his tenure there as a three-time ABA All-Star selection, the 1973 ABA Playoffs MVP and the 1975 ABA Regular Season MVP. McGinnis' 29.8 points per game in 1975 led the entire league, and in 1976, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. McGinnis would be named an NBA All-Star three more times, in 1976, 1977 and 1979, and later in his professional career played for both the Denver Nuggets, and for the Pacers once more, after they had joined the NBA. 

McGinnis was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017 and is one of only four players to have his jersey (No. 30) retired by the Indiana Pacers. He is without a doubt one of the greatest players in Indiana men's basketball history, and a worthy member of the IU Athletics Hall of Fame. 

Aleksey Korol (Men's Soccer 1996-99)

First born in Kyiv, Korol eventually made his way from Ukraine to Bloomington in 1996 to play soccer for the Hoosiers. 

Korol was one of the most dominant forwards in the history of the Big Ten, and ranks fourth in IU scoring history with 149 points off 57 goals and 35 assists. Indiana won the conference title in all four seasons that Korol was on the roster, made the final four three straight times and won back-to-back national championships in 1998 and 1999. With 12 goals and seven assists, Korol finished as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Tournament history at the end of his collegiate career. 

At the end of the 1990s, Korol was selected to America's Team of the Decade in soccer, and he went on to have a well-traveled professional career. Korol took a job as an assistant coach for the UIC soccer team in 2006, and aside from one season he spent as an assistant coach at Indiana in 2009, he has held that position at UIC ever since.  

Derek Drouin (Men's Track and Field, 2010-13)

Derek Drouin (CAN) wins gold, Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) wins silver, and Bohdan Bondarenko (UKR) wins bronze in the men s high jump during the track and field competition in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange / © Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Given that Drouin won the gold medal for Canada High Jump at the 2016 Olympic games, being inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame doesn't seem like it should be too big a deal for him. 

Drouin's tenure at Indiana was marked by sheer dominance in his event, becoming the only person to ever win five NCAA High Jump national titles (three indoor, two outdoor). Drouin also won seven Big Ten titles, was named an All-American seven times and was named the IU Male Athlete of the Year three times.  

Drouin also won the Bowerman Award — recognizing college track and field’s top performer — as well as the Jesse Owens Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year in 2013. 

Christina Loukas (Women's Diving, 2006-09)

Christina Loukas (USA) during the women's 3m springboard semifinals during the London 2012 Olympic Games at Aquatics Centre / © Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY

All Loukas ever during her time in Bloomington was win, win and win some more. 

She finished her diving career at Indiana with six individual Big Ten titles, 11 All-American team selections, three NCAA runner-up finishes and the 2009 NCAA Championship on the three-meter board. Loukas was also twice named the IU Female Athlete of the Year and the 2009 NCAA Diver of the Year. Loukas later competed in both the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic games. 

Tina McCall Waters (Women's Tennis, 1978-81)

Tina McCall Waters is a true trailblazer in the history of IU athletics. She was the first ever Black female to receive an athletic scholarship from the school, and during her four years in Bloomington, she led Indiana to three Big Ten titles. 

She was also named to the All-Big Ten first team three times, and to the All-American first team twice. 

McCall Waters was inducted into the American Tennis Association’s Black Tennis Hall of Fame in 2020 and received the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service award from Kappa Alpha Psi in 2011. She also won the Leanne Grotike Award in 2020, which is given each year to a woman whose service contributed greatly to IU’s Women’s Athletics. 

Larry Rink (MBB Team Physician, 1980-Present)

Rink has served as the team physician for the IU Men’s Basketball program for 43 years. Rink is also a consultant to the IU Athletic Department, the Executive Director of the Lawrence D. Rink Sports Medicine and Technology Center, and a clinical professor of medicine with the IU School of Medicine.

As a graduate of the IU School of Medicine and a practicing physician, Rink launched a cardiovascular testing program with IU’s men’s basketball student-athletes in 1980, kickstarting his long standing relationship with the team. He also served as the team physician for the legendary U.S.A. men's basketball team at the 1992 Olympic games, better known as "The Dream Team." 

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