Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State Celebrates 2024 Hall Of Fame Inductees
09.20.2024 | Athletics
AMES, Iowa – Six former Cyclone athletes were bestowed the highest honor by the Iowa State Athletics Department Friday night at the Sukup End Zone Club. Rich Binek (wrestling), Melvin Ejim (men's basketball), Victoria Henson (volleyball), Kelechi Osemele (football), Lyndsey Medders (women's basketball) and Mike VanArsdale (wrestling) received their Hall of Fame rings as members of the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Because of professional basketball obligations, Ejim was unable to attend the ceremony. The ISU Letterwinners Club will celebrate Ejim's induction at a future Hall of Fame event.
Medders didn't have to travel very far for her prestigious award. Medders still resides in Ames as a public speaker and mental health advocate.
The two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection and the nation's leader in assists in 2006 wears her Cyclone Pride on her sleeves. When Medders got her induction call from Iowa State Athletics Director Jamie Pollard, she couldn't hide her emotions.
"I was just shocked and humbled," Medders said. "I've been really close to the program, so I got to witness Alison Lacey go into the Hall of Fame. I know Angie Welle and Stacy Frese very well, so to be in the same category and conversation as some of those players it means the world to me."
VanArsdale, a native of Waterloo, currently lives in the Phoenix area. His time wrestling at Iowa State was fruitful. The team competed for NCAA Championships and VanArsdale played a huge role in the team's success, earning All-America honors three times including a national title at 167 pounds as a senior in 1988.
The Cyclone wrestling tradition is second to none and VanArsdale is thrilled to be among this elite group of Hall-of-Famers.
"Going into the (ISU) Hall of Fame is not something you think about," VanArsdale said. "For Iowa State wrestling, there is just so many great individuals and this is a wonderful opportunity for me and my family to celebrate the hard work we did as an Iowa State Cyclone on the mat."
A total of 210 athletes have been enshrined into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame, which was established in 1997.
