WICHITA, Kan. – Five Jayhawks, including Laverne Smith, Clifford Wiley, Mark Mangino (selected in 2024), Bobby Randall and Tim Jankovich, will be inducted into the 2025 Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in Topeka, Kansas on August 2, Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Chairman Jim Dunning Jr., announced on Monday.
The 2025 Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class includes 10 individuals, including award-winning coaches, Olympians, national champions, All-Americans, and World and American-record holders.
"This is an accomplished group and one the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is extremely proud to recognize on behalf of the entire state," Dunning said. "The individuals represent the best of the state of Kansas and come from diverse backgrounds. Their stories provide inspiration to all Kansans."
This year's class brings the total number of Inductees to 349, with the first class in 1961 including such legends as Dr. James Naismith, Mike Ahearn, Glenn Cunningham, Walter Johnson and Jess Willard. Created by the Kansas State legislature in 1961 during the state's Centennial Celebration, the hall has operated for 64 years.
The Induction Ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m., followed by a reception and lunch at the Washburn University Ballroom located at 1700 SW College Ave. Tickets for the event are $50 and may be purchased online at kshof.org or by clicking here.
Those wishing to be a sponsor for the event, contact KSHOF Executive Director Richard Konzem at 785-331-6607 or richard@kshof.org.
University of Kansas Honorees (from the KSHOF press release):
Mark Mangino - New Castle (Pa.) H.S., 1974 / Youngstown State University, 1987 (selected in 2024)
- Began coaching career as a student assistant under Bill Narduzzi and Jim Tressel at Youngstown State. Moved to the high school ranks where he was offensive coordinator at Geneva (Pa.) and head coach at Lincoln (Pa.) high schools.
- Returned to college football as an assistant coach under KSHOF inductee Bill Snyder in 1991 at Kansas State. Served as an assistant coach under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma from 1999 to 2001, where he won the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant in 2000
- Served as head coach at the University of Kansas from 2002 to 2009. Led KU to a 50-48 overall record and four bowl games, including a win in the 2007 Orange Bowl over Virginia Tech
- The Jayhawks finished No. 7 in the final Associated Press poll and were ranked as high as No. 2 that year.
- Named AFCA, AP, Eddie Robinson, George Munger, Home Depot, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Sporting News, Walter Camp, Woody Hayes, and Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2007
- Inducted to the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and the KU Booth Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.
Laverne Smith – Wichita Southeast H.S., 1972 / University of Kansas, 1977
- 1971 Kansas State Class 5A 100-yard dash champion…2012 Wichita Southeast HS HOF inductee.
- Played at the University of Kansas 1973-76, earning all-Big Eight honors in 1974 and second team recognition in 1975 and 1976.
- Set KU School Records for career rushing yards (3,074), career touchdowns (21), career 100-yard games (13), season rushing yards (1,181), season 100-yard games (7);
- Big Eight 100 meter and 440-yard relay champion…KU 100-meter record 10.07 (1976) still stands.
- Was the 99th pick of the 1977 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh…Played in seven games, but suffered a broken leg and was on the roster two more seasons.
Clifford Wiley – Baltimore (MD) Douglass H.S., 1974 / University of Kansas 1978
- Member of 1980 US Olympic Team.
- World Record 4x100 Relay (1977 IAAF World Cup); IAAF World Cup Champion 400 meters (1981). Two-time Pan Am Games Champion (1979, 1983); Two-time USA National Champion in 400 meters (1981, 1982); USA National Champion Indoor 440 yards (1983);
- At the University of Kansas, was NCAA Champion 4x400 Relay (1977); 13-time NCAA All American.
- Head Manager of Team USA (2004 IAAF World Junior Championships);
- Lawyer and Track Meet Organizer in Kansas City, Kan.
Tim Jankovich - Manhattan H.S., 1977 / Kansas State University, 1982
- Two-time all-state selection at Manhattan HS…Began his collegiate career at Washington State where he started as a freshman for coach George Raveling.
- Began his coaching career in 1983 and served as an assistant at Texas-Pan American, Kansas State, Texas, Colorado State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Kansas, and Southern Methodist.
- Served as head coach at North Texas, Hutchinson Community College, Illinois State, and Southern Methodist. Named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2017 in leading SMU to American Conference regular season and tournament titles in 2017.
- Had a career head coaching record: 332-199.
Bobby Randall – Gove H.S. 1965 / Kansas State University, 1969
- Played baseball professionally 1969-1980, including five years in the majors with the Twins and seven years in the minors with the Dodgers organization.
- Drafted in the second round of the 1969 draft by Los Angeles but was drafted two previous times by the Dodgers.
- Played in 744 games for the Dodgers minor league system, hitting over .300 in four seasons.
- He had the fourth highest number of sacrifice hits in 1976.
- Was named to the All Big-Eight First Team (1969) with a .394 batting average and set a Kansas State career batting average record (.371) – currently second all-time…In 53 games, recorded 56 hits over his career, and 43 in 32 games in 1969.
- Head Coach Iowa State 1985-1995 (309-311-1); Kansas 1996-2002 (166-213) and later Manhattan Christian College.
- Selected to Kansas State All-Century Baseball Team in 2000 and state of Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame in1998.
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