A pair of football stars and one of the best basketball players in program history highlight the 10 members of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame & Museum 2024 induction class.
Hurricanes football standouts Brandon Meriweather and Eric Winston as well as basketball star Shane Larkin lead the group, which also includes Kimberli Barrett (track and field), Johan Donar (tennis), Jose “Chemi” Gil (diving), Meghan Saake-Knokey (women’s basketball), George Oliver (polo), Chris Perez (baseball) and Rick Remmert (athletics administration).
“On behalf of the UM Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, it gives us great pleasure to announce the 2024 Class, which is comprised of UM athletes from seven sports, a coach and an athletics administrator,” said Hall of Fame President Mike Ward. “We will celebrate this diverse class and showcase their outstanding accomplishments from their Miami careers at our induction banquet in the Spring of 2024.”
The class will be introduced to Hurricanes fans in an on-field ceremony during Miami’s home game against Virginia on Oct. 28.
Meriweather, a safety, and Winston, an offensive lineman, were both 2005 All-Americans.
Meriweather had 202 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four forced fumbles 17 passes breakups and and six interceptions in his college career. He was a first-round NFL draft pick and spent nine seasons in the league.
Winston was a third-round NFL draft pick and spent 12 seasons in the league.
Larkin was the 2013 Lute Olson National Player of the Year and helped lead Miami to its first ACC basketball title. The star point guard was named the 2013 ACC Player of the Year and a second-team All-American after averaging 14.5 points, 4.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds. In two seasons with Miami, he averaged 11.2 points, 3.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds.
Larkin played four seasons in the NBA and is currently playing professionally in Turkey.
Barrett spent only one season at Miami, but in that season, she won the 2005 ACC and NCAA titles in both the indoor and outdoor shot put.
Donar was a two-time All-American and is the Hurricanes’ all-time leader in singles victories with 108.
Gil was a six-time All-American, earning honors three times each in the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard. Gil also won the 1995 national championship in the 1-meter springboard.
Saake-Knokey was an elite defender for the UM women’s basketball team, and she is second in program history in career steals with 358. She scored over 1,000 points and was the 2002 Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Oliver founded Miami’s short-lived polo program, leading the team to four consecutive national titles. The program was disbanded in 1951 having never lost a game under Oliver.
Perez was a dominant closer for the Hurricanes, notching 20 career saves. He posted a 4-1 record with 12 saves and a 1.79 ERA in 37 appearances in 2006, helping Miami reach the College World Series.
Remmert, a 1977 UM graduate, worked to market the UM baseball program from 1978-87 before returning in 2012. He is currently the Associate Athletic Director of Alumni Programs.
