Seven athletes and coaches are being inducted into the 2025 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, and more than half have Tucson ties.
The honor recognizes those whose achievements have shaped Arizona's sports legacy at local, national and international levels.
The local representation includes Arizona football and track star Michael Bates, UA swim coach Frank Busch, Sabino High grad and retired pro baseball player J.J. Hardy, and UA and Olympic runner George Young.
“The Class of 2025 represents the very best of Arizona sports,” said Nikki Balich, executive director of the Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission. “Their achievements and impact extend far beyond competition and reflect a lifetime commitment to excellence.”
The other Hall of Fame inductees are competitive formation skydiver Craig Girard, former Yavapai College men's soccer coach Michael Pantalione and WNBA legend Diana Taurasi.
Multi-sport athlete Bates was a standout at Amphitheater High before attending the UA. He'd go on to win a bronze medal in the 200-meter dash in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, followed by an 11-year NFL career, earning five Pro Bowl selections, five All-Pro honors, and being named to the NFL Hall of Fame’s 1990s All-Decade Team.
Carolina Panthers' Michael Bates (82) celebrates the team's 18-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Dec. 22, 1996. The Panthers clinched the NFC West divison with the win.
"Bates ranks among the league’s all-time leaders in kickoff returns and return yards, cementing his legacy as a game-changing force and a proud representative of Arizona athletic excellence," a news release from the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame said.
Busch led Arizona's men's and women's swimming programs from 1989 to 2011, finishing in the national top five 25 times. He took both squads to the NCAA championships in 2008. During his tenure, Busch's teams won four dozen individual NCAA titles and 31 relay championships.
Busch followed up his time at UA as national team director for USA Swimming from 2011 to 2017.
Frank Busch, a friend of Dick Tomey and former UA and Olympic swim coach, accepts the Dick Tomey Arizona Strong award during the Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre Gin and Juice Arizona Bowl Luncheon, Oct. 30, 2025.
"Frank Busch is one of the most influential figures in the history of collegiate and international swimming," the Hall of Fame said.
Hardy, who went pro out of high school, spent 13 years in the major leagues, playing shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles.
Sabino High School grad J.J. Hardy won three Gold Gloves in his MLB career and was an All-Star in 2007 with the Brewers and in 2013 with the Orioles.
The Tucson native earned three Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award and two MLB All-Star selections.
Ex-Wildcat standout George Young was the first U.S. runner to compete in four Olympic Games. In addition to earning bronze in the steeplechase at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Young set six U.S. records and established two indoor world records.
"George Young is one of the most accomplished distance runners in American history and a trailblazer for Arizona athletics," the Hall of Fame said of Young, who later spent 25 years coaching at Central Arizona College.
George Young took home bronze medal in the 1968 Olympics.
The induction ceremony will be held April 9 in Phoenix. Tickets will be available at AZsportsENT.com starting Feb. 2.
The Arizona Sports Hall of Fame is operated by the Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission.
