CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Elon University volleyball head coach Mary Tendler, the most decorated player in University of Illinois history, has been named one of 28 members of Illinois' inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class and will be officially inducted in September.
 
The Class of 2017 will be introduced at the Fighting Illini Athletics Hall of Fame Gala at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago on Friday, June 23. The University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30, at State Farm Center on the UI campus.
 
"When I got the call from (Illinois Director of Athletics) Josh Whitman, I was very excited and humbled to hear I was selected as part of the inaugural class," Tendler said. "There are a lot of amazing people in this class and a lot of just as amazing people that will be part of future classes. While I'm honored to receive this individual accolade, I am very appreciative of all the support I was given by my great teammates, amazing coaches, faithful fans and, of course, my family."
 
Known to Illinois as Mary Eggers during her playing days, she is the most decorated player in Illinois volleyball history. The 1988 Honda Broderick Award winner as the nation's top player, Tendler was a three-time First Team All-American and a four-time First Team All-Big Ten selection. She led the nation in hitting percentage in 1986 and 1988 and was named Big Ten Player of the Year three times while helping the Fighting Illini to the NCAA Final Four in 1987 and 1988. Her. 420 career hitting percentage stood as the NCAA record until 1993.
 
Before her career as a coach, Tendler spent time playing with the USA Olympic team and two years professionally in Europe. Prior to being named the head coach of the Phoenix back before the 2003 campaign, she spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at James Madison, Drake and Illinois State.
 
"As you would expect, with more than 120 years of athletics excellence to consider, it was an incredibly difficult process to select this small, elite group," Whitman said of Illinois' 28-member class. "The Class of 2017 includes some of the greatest names in the history of American sports … Congratulations to the inaugural class of the University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame."
 
Tendler is joined in the inaugural class by Nick Anderson, Lou Boudreau, Dee Brown, Tonja Buford-Bailey, Dick Butkus, Jerry Colangelo, Dwight "Dike" Eddleman, Perdita Felicien, Harry Gill, Harold "Red" Grange, Abie Grossfield, George Halas, George Huff, Mannie Jackson, Karol Kahrs, Nancy Thies Marshall, Herb McKenley, Allie Morrison, Harold Osborn, Andy Phillips, Renee Heiken Slone, Steve Stricker, Craig Tiley, Craig Virgin, Deron Williams, Claude "Buddy" Young and Robert Zuppke.