Sporting Club co-owner Cliff Illig and Sporting Legend Matt Besler will be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the organization announced today.
Illig and Besler will be honored on August 16 during an induction ceremony held in the Huhtamaki Shield Club at Sporting Park with Nate Bukaty scheduled to interview the following inductees:
- Ray Bechard - Native of Grinnell, played basketball at Barton County Community College. and graduated from Fort Hays State. Coached volleyball at Lewis High School and then at Barton County for 13 years where he was national coach of the year two times. Coached at KU 27 seasons and was five-time Big 12 Coach of the Year. His Jayhawk volleyball teams made 13 NCAA appearances, advancing to the second round three times and to the championship semifinals in 2015. A member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
- Matt Besler – Widely recognized as one of the best defenders in MLS history. A five-time MLS All-Star and the 2012 MLS Defender of the Year. He anchored Sporting KC for 12 seasons and represented the USMNT in the 2014 World Cup. Played four seasons at Notre Dame, receiving All-American and Academic All-American honors as a senior. Led Blue Valley West to the Kansas 5A State Championship as a senior.
- Cliff Illig – Graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School and the University of Kansas. Brought professional Major League Soccer to the state as the principal owner of Sporting Kansas City. He has also been a top driving force to position Kansas City as a premier soccer city in North America, including landing the 2026 World Cup in KC. 2026 Kansas Citian of the Year. Co-Chair of the KC2026 Board of Directors.
- John Martin - Graduated from Ottawa High School and the University of Kansas. His art can be viewed all over the world - known for his work with Kansas Athletics, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, and athletes Buck O’Neil, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and the creation of KC Wolf. Outside of Kansas, he has done work for MLB, NCAA, Ryder Cup, Lee Trevino, Dean Smith, Bob Cousy, Stan Musial, Joe DiMaggio, and various schools including creating the logo for West Virginia University.
- Dayton Moore - Sixth generation Kansan, born in Wichita and lived in Coldwater. Played baseball collegiately at Garden City Community College before finishing at George Mason University. Joined the Kansas City Royals in 2006 as general manager and president and transformed the franchise from a last-place team into the 2015 World Series champion. Started the C You in the Major Leagues Foundation in January 2014 as a donor-advised fund to support youth baseball, education, faith-based events, and families in crisis throughout the greater Kansas City area and beyond.
- Tracy Rietzke – A Smith Center native. NAIA All-America basketball player at Kansas Wesleyan. Led the nation in FG pct. in 1976. Recorded 1,277 victories in 38 years as the volleyball coach at Kansas Wesleyan and Rockhurst. He had an .818 winning percentage at Rockhurst; 2019 NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year. 206-45 record as women’s basketball coach at Rockhurst with five NAIA national tournament appearances. Earlier this year inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame.
- Cassie (Wait) Valentine - At Gardner-Edgerton High School was 2013 Kansas City Star Scholar-Athlete, Kansas Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year and three-time Kansas State Class 6A pole vault champion. Three-year starter and 2016 Big 12 Libero of the Year at Kansas. Starting libero for the Kansas 2015 championship semifinals appearance, a first in program history. 2016 Big 12 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Honorable Mention All-American as a senior.
- Earl Watson - As a senior basketball standout at Kansas City Washington high school, he averaged 23.4 points, 8.3 assists and 14 rebounds per game. At UCLA was a four-year starter: most consecutive games as starter in the history of UCLA basketball; He played 13 seasons in the NBA with seven teams before becoming a coach in 2014. He was the head coach of the Phoenix Suns from 2016 to 2017. Is an analyst for the Big Ten Network.
- Larry Wilcox - Served as Benedictine head football coach from 1979 to 2020 (42 years) with a record of 305–153 (.666); Second most all-time wins in NAIA; 13th all-time in wins in college football; First in all-time wins among Kansas four-year colleges and universities; 14 NAIA playoffs, 3 final fours, 2 bowl games, 4-time AFCA Regional Coach of the Year. Athletic Director 24 years (1982-2006).
- Zach Roberson - Owns the all-time best record in Kansas high school wrestling at 153-0 with four state titles (1996-97-98-99) at Blue Valley Northwest High School. His four-year record at Iowa State was 106-35, including 82-20 his last three seasons. He was a three-time NCAA All-American and as a senior was the 1999 NCAA champion at 133 pounds.
This year’s class brings the total number of Inductees to 379, with the first class in 1961 including such legends as Dr. James Naismith, Mike Ahearn, Glenn Cunningham, Walter Johnson and Jess Willard. The Hall was created by the Kansas State legislature in 1961 during the state’s Centennial Celebration. For more information, visit www.KSHOF.org.
The mission of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is to honor those that contributed to the history of sports in Kansas and to educate and inspire the public regarding the value of athletics and Kansas athletic history by providing the requisite leadership and resources.
