Tickets for Eastern Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame weekend are now on available for purchase. The class will be inducted on Friday evening, Sept. 9 at the Unique Suites Hotel in Charleston with a 6:30 p.m. start to the ceremony. Tickets are $20 for the Hall of Fame Banquet or $30 which includes banquet ticket and ticket to the Saturday evening football game against Chattanooga, the home opener at 6 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased in-person at the EiU Athletic Office or by phone by calling 217-581-6014 or 217-581-2106. Ticket orders for the Hall of Fame banquet need to be placed by Monday, Sept. 5.
Information on this year's Hall of Fame Class is listed below...
Eastern Illinois announced a decorated group of three athletes, one friend of athletics and one legendary coach that will be inducted as members of the Panthers Athletic Hall of Fame for the Class of 2022. The Hall of Fame weekend will take place on September 9-10 with this year's ceremony on Friday evening prior to the football team's home opener on Saturday evening against Chattanooga.
All three athletes stood out in their respective sports collecting multiple All-Conference honors while this year's coaching inductee earned OVC Coach of the Year honors 45 times.
LISTED BELOW ARE SHORT BIOS ON EACH INDUCTEE (Athletes are listed with hometown and high school)…
Marlise Davidson (Clearwater, Florida / Indian Rocks HS / Swimming, Track & Field, Rugby / 2003-07) was a varsity letter winner in three different sports during her time at Eastern Illinois excelling in all three. Davidson came to EIU as a swimmer and excelled in the pool winning the 200 freestyle championship at the Mid-Continent Conference Championships, the lone female in program history to win an individual conference title. She would add two more All-Conference honors during her days in the pool setting the school record in the 200 free and ranking in the top ten in two individual events and two relay events. Davidson was a four-year letter winner on the EIU women's rugby team ranking in the career top ten for assists. She would cap her career running on the outdoor track team where she placed fifth in the 800 meter run scoring points which helped EIU win its first-ever OVC Outdoor Women's Track Championship.
Dino Fanti (Venice, Florida / Venice HS / Football / 2012-15) was part of a defensive unit that helped Eastern Illinois football win two Ohio Valley Conference Championships and advance to three FCS playoff appearances in four seasons. Fanti capped his playing career by earning OVC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 as he set the school record in both single season and career tackles for loss. Fanti was named a first team All-American that season while being named the FCS Defensive Tackle of the Year by CFPA. In addition he was a two-time second team All-OVC selection and a starter on the Panthers 2013 team that was ranked No. 2 in the nation an advanced to the FCS playoff quarterfinals. He is one of just 21 EIU football players to have earned first team All-American honors at the Division I level.
Kamu Grugier-Hill (Honolulu, Hawai'I / Kamehameha HS / Football / 2012-15) was part of a defensive unit that helped Eastern Illinois football win two Ohio Valley Conference Championships and advance to three FCS playoff appearances in four seasons. A dynamic, athletic player on the defensive side of the football he twice earned first team All-OVC honors at linebacker. Grugier-Hill ranks third on the EIU single season list for tackles for loss and ended his career ranked 10th on the career tackles for loss chart. He was a sixth round selection in the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots becoming just 15th EIU player drafted in the NFL. Grugier-Hill has played seven seasons in the NFL and appeared in the third most NFL games of any former EIU player. This past season he was a Pro Bowl alternate with his current team the Houston Texans after stints with the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles. Grugier-Hill was a member of the Eagles Super Bowl Championship team.
Jerry Groninger (Friend of Athletics) has been a significant donor to the EIU Panther Club, EI&U Expect Greatness Campaign and WEIU TV & Radio. He was the 2019 EIU Panther Club Glen Hesler Award Winner and has donated generously to support EIU Athletics since 2012. He recently contributed significant funds towards the new EIU women's basketball locker room.
Tom Akers (Director of Track & Field) served as the track and field program head coach for 23 seasons taking over the men's track and field programs in 1995 and women's programs in 2009. He would lead the two programs to a combined 45 indoor and outdoor Ohio Valley Conference Championships earning OVC Coach of the Year honors 45 times. Akers coached 20 All-American Athletes and seven that competed in Olympic Trials. He would coach 200 individual Ohio Valley Conference event champions and 26 OVC Athletes of the Year. He was inducted into the OVC Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Illinois Track Hall of Fame in 2015. Akers began his coaching career as an assistant coach at EIU before taking over the program in 1995. He won four additional indoor and outdoor men's track championships leading the program in the Mid-Continent Conference.
