Five different Rebel sports will be represented during ceremonies late this fall as the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was announced by the school Tuesday.
In what will be the hall’s 17th all-time ceremony, five former Rebel standout players and a longtime staffer will join a distinguished contributor in being inducted on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Strip View Pavilion at the Thomas & Mack Center on campus. The event, which is open to the public, begins with a 5:30 p.m. cocktail reception followed by a 6:45 p.m. dinner and ceremony. Table sponsorships are available by emailing Mike Ketcham of UNLV Athletics at michael.ketcham@unlv.edu. Individual tickets are available for purchase ($155, including fees) online by visiting UNLVTickets.com. The new Hall of Famers will also be introduced at the Nov. 7 home football game vs. Wyoming at Allegiant Stadium.
The Class of 2026 includes two greats from the world of golf – Dana Finkelstein Fall from the women’s program and longtime pro Charley Hoffman of the 1998 National Champion men’s team – UNLV’s all-time leading rushing quarterback Jason Thomas, softball First Team All-American Marissa Nichols, and current Major League Baseball pitcher Erick Fedde. They will be joined by former longtime assistant football coach and athletics administrator Terry Cottle, as well as Distinguished Contributor Bill Paulos.
“Every two years we look forward to celebrating the people who have made UNLV such a special place and this upcoming class is another great example of what it takes to be a Rebel,” said UNLV Director of Athletics Erick Harper. ”Moving the ceremony back to a more traditional setting during a home basketball and football weekend will make it even more memorable for the inductees, their families, friends and all of Rebel Nation.”
Born in 1987, UNLV’s Athletics Hall of Fame will now grow to 148 members strong, including both individuals and teams. Under the hall’s bylaws, former student-athletes must have completed their eligibility at least 10 years earlier to be selected. Coaches and administrators must have stopped working at the University five years previous. Nominations were accepted from the public during the 2025 football season and then voted on by an executive board that includes representatives from the athletics department, university and community.
UNLV ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026
TERRY COTTLE – Staff (1984-2015)
ERICK FEDDE – Baseball Athlete (2012-14)
DANA FINKELSTEIN FALL – Women’s Golf Athlete (2011-15)
CHARLEY HOFFMAN – Men’s Golf Athlete (1995-99)
MARISSA NICHOLS – Softball Athlete (2005-10)
BILL PAULOS – Distinguished Contributor
JASON THOMAS – Football Athlete (2000-02)