Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Jodie Meeks headline UK Athletics 2024 Hall of Fame Class

A fresh batch of Wildcats are receiving a significant athletic honor from their alma mater.

On Tuesday night, UK Athletics announced that six new names will be entered into its Hall of Fame. It’s an impressive class, highlighted by the fastest woman of all time, a legendary basketball player, multiple national champions, and more. The Class of 2024 is made up of Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (track and field), John Cropp (administrator/coach), Henrik Larsen (rifle), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (track and field), Jodie Meeks (men’s basketball), and Corey Peters (football).

This group of talented former Kentucky student-athletes will be officially inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend on Sept. 20-21. This is the 19th year for the UK Athletics Hall of Fame, which was established in 2005.

Jodie Meeks, Corey Peters and Sydney McLaughlin-Lavrone among those inducted into the 2024 class of the UK Athletics Hall of Fame

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) August 14, 2024

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Women’s Track and Field, 2016-18)

• Camacho-Quinn might not be the fastest woman of all time we alluded to above, but she’s an Olympic gold medalist in her own right (a two-time gold medalist, actually — the first woman in Puerto Rico history to do so). She was a three-time NCAA champion during her time as a Wildcat — twice in the 100-meter hurdles (2016, ’18) and also the 4x100m relay (2017) — and also a six-time SEC champion. Her time of 12.40 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles ranks 5th in NCAA history. She also holds four school records and is a 12-time First-Team All-American.

John Cropp (Administration, 1992-2013; Assistant Football Coach, 1991)

• A 22-year UK Athletics veteran, Cropp’s importance to the university was cemented once they named the softball stadium after him in 2013. He was the softball program’s founding administrator in 1997 but also served as a football assistant coach (1991), athletics recruiting coordinator (1992-93), assistant athletics director for special projects (1993-95), and associate athletics director (1997-2013). He spent nearly 50 years in coaching/administration for Kentucky, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Duke, Vanderbilt, and in high school.

Henrik Larsen (Rifle, 2018)

• A one-and-done in Kentucky’s historic rifle program, Larsen dominated the scene in 2018 as a freshman. Not only did he fuel the Wildcats to the 2018 NCAA National Championship by registering the team’s best score, but he also won the 2018 NCAA Air Rifle Individual National Championship, set multiple school records, and competed for Norway in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He won the Smallbore Men’s Gold at the 2022 ISSF World Championships.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Women’s Track and Field, 2018)

• After what happened in Paris earlier this month, McLaughlin-Levrone needs no introduction. She firmly established herself as the fastest woman of all time, once again breaking her own World Record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.37 to win another Olympic gold. She won gold in the 4×400 relay, as well. Also a one-and-done at UK, she was a 2018 NCAA Champion in the 400-meter hurdles after setting the still-standing collegiate record of 52.75 seconds. She won two golds at the 2022 World Championships and was named the 2022 World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year.

Jodie Meeks (Men’s Basketball, 2007-09)

• On his way to a Second-Team All-American spot in 2009, Meeks’ 54-point game against Tennessee still stands as the program’s single-game scoring record. He hit 10 three-pointers in that outing, which also stands as a program record. His 854 points during the 2008-09 season rank second all-time in UK men’s basketball history. The shooting guard made the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2007 and First-Team All-SEC in 2009 before embarking on a 10-year NBA career. With a career free-throw percentage of 89 percent, he sits tied for the school-best mark.

Corey Peters (Football, 2006-09)

• Peters helped fuel Kentucky to four consecutive bowl game appearances, including three wins. The defensive tackle cracked First-Team All-SEC as a senior after recording 56 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four quarterback sacks, five pass breakups, and six quarterback hurries. A winner of the Jerry Claiborne Award for academics and team attitude, he was a three-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Now working for the Jacksonville Jaguars, he spent 13 seasons playing in the NFL.