IHSA

IHSA Announcements

March 30, 2009

NFHS Hall of Fame To Induct Wheeling’s Dana Miroballi

One of the best runners in Illinois High School Association (IHSA) history will be honored with the most prestigious honor in high school athletics, as Wheeling High School’s Dana Miroballi will be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Hall of Fame.

Miroballi is a part of a 12-person Hall of Fame class that will be formally introduced at The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile in Chicago on July 1. The ceremony will serve as the culmination of the 90th annual NFHS Summer Meeting. Miroballi is the 23rd Hall of Fame selection from the state of Illinois and the sixth athlete.

“Anytime an individual from Illinois is honored as an NFHS Hall of Fame member, it is an exciting time for the IHSA, the state and for me personally,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “It is especially fitting for Dana that her Hall of Fame induction will occur so close to where she achieved so many of her accolades. In terms of prestige, the NFHS Hall of Fame is an honor unrivaled in the high school athletic forum.”

Multi-sport athlete Billy Bye of Thief River Falls High School in Minnesota and Houston Westchester High School pitcher David Clyde join Miroballi as the only three athletes selected in a class that includes coaches, administrators, officials and those involved in fine arts. Bob Hurley, the head boys basketball coach at St. Anthony High School in New Jersey headlines a class that includes: Guy Anderson (Coach, California), Harry Breland (Coach, Mississippi), Dick Dullaghan (Coach, Indiana), Catherine Lempesis (Coach, South Carolina), Clair Muscaro (Administrator, Ohio), Ruth Rehn (Administrator, South Dakota), George Ford (Official, Connecticut) and Himie Voxman (Fine Arts, Iowa).

In the 35-year history of IHSA girls sports competition, no other athlete dominated the sports of cross country and track & field like Miroballi did at Wheeling High School in the 1980s. Miroballi won four consecutive state cross country titles from 1984-1987, including a then state-record time of 11:16 as a senior in 1987. On the track, Miroballi won four consecutive 3,200-meter run titles and also claimed the 1,600-meter run championships as a junior and senior. Overall, she won 10 IHSA state championships as a high school student. She later was a standout track and cross country athlete at Indiana University. Since 2004, Miroballi has worked as an attorney for the Office of Intelligence within the National Security Division at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

Previous IHSA members of the NFHS Hall of Fame are:

Athletes
Quinn Buckner, Dolton (Thornridge), Basketball & Football (inducted in 1989)
Bart Connor, Skokie (Niles West), Gymnastics (1986)
Dwight “Dike” Eddelman, Centralia, Basketball, Football, Track & Field (1983)

Harold E. “Red” Grange, Wheaton, Basketball, Football, Track & Field (1984)
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Lincoln-East St. Louis, Basketball, Track & Field, Volleyball (1989)

Coaches
Charles Farina, Franklin Park-Northlake (East Leyden), Wrestling (1987)
Vergil Fletcher, Collinsville, Basketball (1983)
Gordon Gillespie, Joliet (Catholic), Football (1989)
Joe Newton, Elmhurst (York), Cross Country/Track & Field (2004)
David Robertson, Winnetka (New Trier), Swimming (1991)
William “Red” Schmitt, Granite City (South), Wrestling (1993)
Arthur Trout, Centralia, Basketball (1982)

Officials
Dick Deitz, Baseball, Basketball, Football, Softball (2008)
Norm Geske, Football (1982)
Keith Parker, Basketball (1990)
Larry Wilcoxen, Basketball (2002)
Fred “Brick” Young, Basketball (1983)

Administrators
Ola Bundy (1996)
Tom Frederick (1994)
H.V. Porter (1982)
Milt Sprunger (1983)

Contributor
John Griffith (1986)