Four Inductees Set To Join UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame On September 5
8/4/2026 10:15:00 AM | Football, General, Golf, Volleyball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The Class of 2026 for the University of Tennessee at Martin Athletics Hall of Fame has been announced as this year's induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5 in the Russell Duncan Ballroom inside the Boling University Center on campus.
Stefanie Dubach (volleyball, 1999-2002), Dewayne Harper (football, 1991-94), Ben Reeves (golf, 2012-16) and Chris Rushing (volleyball, 1998-2004) make up the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Those four will be officially enshrined at an 11 a.m. luncheon in conjunction with the Skyhawk football "Hall of Fame Game" against Chicago State at 6 p.m. at Hardy Graham Stadium.
Dubach played a key part in the program's first two Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships in 2001 and 2002 while punching the school's first ticket to the NCAA Tournament with an OVC Tournament title in 2002. As part of a Skyhawk squad which posted a remarkable 42-6 conference record in her final three seasons, she played in all 443 sets spread out over 120 matches in four seasons under fellow Class of 2026 inductee Chris Rushing. She left the program as the team's all-time leader in digs (1,401) and still ranks in the program's top-10 in service aces (113, seventh) and digs per set (3.16, 10th). Additionally, she still holds the school record for most service aces in a match with eight against Southern Illinois in 2001.
A two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference first team defensive back, Harper was a key member of the program during its transition to the Division I level. Following his standout career, he still ranks among program leaders in interceptions (13, third), solo tackles (209, fifth), total tackles (339, sixth) and passes defended (29, eighth). He also ranks as the program leader in punt return yardage in a game (183 against Charleston Southern in 1994), season (564 in 1994) and career (955) while sitting atop leaderboards in punt returns in a season (48 in 1994) and career (93). He was named OVC Specialist of the Week in 1994 after returning a pair of punts for touchdowns (87 yards and 73 yards) against Charleston Southern.
Beginning his career with the program's first OVC Freshman of the Year honor, Reeves saw his career only take off from there. The two-time All-OVC honoree in 2014 and 2016 became just the second UT Martin golfer to earn multiple All-OVC awards in a career while also adding All-OVC Newcomer honors in 2013. Team success came during his senior season after leading the program to its first-ever OVC Championship in 2016. He also made history as the first Skyhawk golfer to win multiple OVC Golfer of the Week honors after he collected three during his decorated career which saw him with two tournaments – coming at the Frito Lay/Taco Bell Intercollegiate and the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate. Finishing his career with 16 top-10 finishes, arguably his best honor came in 2014-15 when he was named the program's first OVC Scholar-Athlete, which is considered the league's highest individual accolade.
A two-time OVC Coach of the Year, Rushing left the program as the school's leader in wins with 110 at the NCAA Division I level. He coached UT Martin to its first two OVC regular season championships in 2001 and 2002 while adding an OVC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2002. Most notably, he led the Skyhawks to a combined record of 70-20 – including a 42-6 conference mark – over a dominant three-season span from 2000-02. During his tenure he coached 15 All-OVC honorees and 16 OVC Player of the Week selections.
Stefanie Dubach (volleyball, 1999-2002), Dewayne Harper (football, 1991-94), Ben Reeves (golf, 2012-16) and Chris Rushing (volleyball, 1998-2004) make up the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Those four will be officially enshrined at an 11 a.m. luncheon in conjunction with the Skyhawk football "Hall of Fame Game" against Chicago State at 6 p.m. at Hardy Graham Stadium.
Dubach played a key part in the program's first two Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships in 2001 and 2002 while punching the school's first ticket to the NCAA Tournament with an OVC Tournament title in 2002. As part of a Skyhawk squad which posted a remarkable 42-6 conference record in her final three seasons, she played in all 443 sets spread out over 120 matches in four seasons under fellow Class of 2026 inductee Chris Rushing. She left the program as the team's all-time leader in digs (1,401) and still ranks in the program's top-10 in service aces (113, seventh) and digs per set (3.16, 10th). Additionally, she still holds the school record for most service aces in a match with eight against Southern Illinois in 2001.
A two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference first team defensive back, Harper was a key member of the program during its transition to the Division I level. Following his standout career, he still ranks among program leaders in interceptions (13, third), solo tackles (209, fifth), total tackles (339, sixth) and passes defended (29, eighth). He also ranks as the program leader in punt return yardage in a game (183 against Charleston Southern in 1994), season (564 in 1994) and career (955) while sitting atop leaderboards in punt returns in a season (48 in 1994) and career (93). He was named OVC Specialist of the Week in 1994 after returning a pair of punts for touchdowns (87 yards and 73 yards) against Charleston Southern.
Beginning his career with the program's first OVC Freshman of the Year honor, Reeves saw his career only take off from there. The two-time All-OVC honoree in 2014 and 2016 became just the second UT Martin golfer to earn multiple All-OVC awards in a career while also adding All-OVC Newcomer honors in 2013. Team success came during his senior season after leading the program to its first-ever OVC Championship in 2016. He also made history as the first Skyhawk golfer to win multiple OVC Golfer of the Week honors after he collected three during his decorated career which saw him with two tournaments – coming at the Frito Lay/Taco Bell Intercollegiate and the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate. Finishing his career with 16 top-10 finishes, arguably his best honor came in 2014-15 when he was named the program's first OVC Scholar-Athlete, which is considered the league's highest individual accolade.
A two-time OVC Coach of the Year, Rushing left the program as the school's leader in wins with 110 at the NCAA Division I level. He coached UT Martin to its first two OVC regular season championships in 2001 and 2002 while adding an OVC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2002. Most notably, he led the Skyhawks to a combined record of 70-20 – including a 42-6 conference mark – over a dominant three-season span from 2000-02. During his tenure he coached 15 All-OVC honorees and 16 OVC Player of the Week selections.
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