Jim Harbaugh headlines Michigan Hall of Fame class of 2024

Former University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is the headliner of the 2024 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, announced Friday night.

The class includes 12 athletes, coaches and contributors, all of whom will be inducted on October 17 in Detroit, on the occasion of the Hall’s 70th anniversary.

The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame honors stars of all levels who have made their mark on the state during their careers.

Harbaugh is the only coach in this class. Last season, he led Michigan to the national championship — after winning the Big Ten title for the third consecutive year — in his ninth season on the job. He left earlier this year to return to the NFL as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Harbaugh also played for Michigan, although his time as a quarterback at the school was not the reason for his induction.

This year, three other former Michigan football players are included: Larry Foote, a linebacker who attended Detroit Pershing High School and UM but is being honored for his 13-year NFL career that included two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers; wide receiver Braylon Edwards, a Bishop Gallagher product; and Lapeer East offensive lineman Jake Long. Edwards and Long are being inducted for their accomplishments before reaching the NFL as amateurs.

The other newcomers in the amateur category are two basketball players: Deanna Nolan, who was named Michigan Miss Basketball in 1995 and studied at Flint Northern High School, and Shawn Respert of Bishop Borgress, Michigan State’s all-time leading scorer.

The pros are represented by Tony Esposito, a goalie for Michigan Tech and a star in the NHL for 17 years; Cecil Fielder, a three-time All-Star first baseman with the Detroit Tigers; and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame catcher who played five seasons with the Tigers.

Don Sahne is inducted into the media department for his 23 years as sports director at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, where he won 23 Emmy Awards. Ken Holland is inducted as a staff member; he was an executive with the Detroit Red Wings for 36 years, including 22 years as general manager. Earl Cureton is inducted as a “Michigan treasure.” The Detroit native played for Finney High School and Detroit Mercy before embarking on a long career in the NBA, including three seasons with the Pistons and 11 years as the franchise’s community ambassador.

Cureton, Sahne and Esposito have passed away. The others will have the opportunity to attend the induction ceremony at the Sound Board Theater in the MotorCity Casino Hotel. The public can purchase tickets, which start at $25, at mshof.org.

The class was voted on by the Hall of Fame’s Election Task Force, a statewide voting committee and the public.