CHAMPAIGN — Illinois dipped into the national sports media well for its Hall of Fame Gala host for a second straight year, with ESPN personality Rece Davis set to host the June 15 event at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History.
Davis, who joined ESPN in 1995, has been the host of ESPN College GameDay the past two seasons. He is also the host for the network's on-site coverage of the College Football Playoff and Final Four.
"We are committed to building the tradition, started last summer, of making the Hall of Fame Gala a marquee event on the annual calendar for Illinois fans across the country," Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said in a release. "All in attendance at the Field Museum last year raved about the evening, which was highlighted by seeing and hearing from some of the great figures in the history of Fighting Illini Athletics. This year, in addition to another elite class, we are pleased to welcome nationally acclaimed sports journalist and ESPN personality Rece Davis as our emcee."
A 21-person class be inducted into the Hall of Fame with another ceremony on Sept. 22 at State Farm Center. Among those to be inducted in the second class are former coaches Lou Henson and Ray Eliot, former gymnast and current coach Justin Spring and former soccer scoring leader Tara Hurless.