Three Wildcat Greats named to Big Sky Hall of Fame

Three Weber State all-time greats will be inducted into the Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame for the 2023 class.

Former Weber State track and field and cross country All-American and Olympian Lindsey Anderson, football legend Jamie Martin, and longtime track and field and cross country head coach Charles "Chick" Hislop will all be inducted as part of the second-ever class of the Big Sky Hall of Fame.

The 2023 class will be honored on Saturday, July 22 as part of the Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend in Spokane, Washington.

The three former Wildcat greats are part of 14 athletes, coaches, and administrators named to this year's class. The inaugural Big Sky Hall of Fame class was inducted last year, including Weber State men's basketball legend Damian Lillard.

Lindsey Anderson, Track & Field, Weber State (2004-07)
Lindsey Anderson, who is the current head cross country coach and distance coach at the University of Missouri, finished her career at Weber State as a two-time All-American in the 3000m steeplechase and the indoor 5K. She set school records in the 3000m steeplechase and 10K during the outdoor season and in the indoor 5K as well while running with the Wildcats. Anderson, who was born in Payson Utah, and attended high school in Morgan, Utah, won six Bix Sky individual championships while taking three conference titles in relay competitions for the Wildcats. Anderson was also named the Big Sky's Track Athlete of the Meet twice and was selected as the league's representative for the NCAA Woman of the Year award in 2007.

In July of 2008, Anderson became the first student-athlete from Weber State to qualify for the Summer Olympics after finishing second overall at the U.S. Olympic Trials for the steeplechase, posting a personal-best time of 9:30.75 to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Anderson's success in the steeplechase has also led her to the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany and most recently she qualified for and competed in the 2020 Olympics Marathon Trial in Atlanta, Georgia, finishing in the top 10 percent.

Anderson was ranked ninth on the Big Sky Conference's list of "25 Greatest Female Athletes of All-Time back in 2014 and was inducted into Weber State's Hall of Fame in 2017.

Jamie Martin, Football, Weber State (1989-92)
Jamie Martin, who was the signal-caller at Weber State from 1989-92, helped rewrite the school record books and bring national recognition to the Wildcat football program. Martin was a two-time All-American in 1990 and 1991, and won the Walter Payton Award in 1991, just the second Big Sky player in league history to earn the honor.

In 41 games, -- 36 straight as a starter -- Martin established himself as the fifth all-time leading total offense (12,287 yards) and passing (12,207 yards) leader in the entire history of collegiate football, in all divisions. Martin also had 87 career touchdowns, which ranks second in program history. At the time he graduated, Martin owned 14 Big Sky single-game, season, and career passing records. He is still WSU's all-time leader in total offense and ranks second in career passing yards and career touchdowns. He led the Wildcats to the Division I-AA Playoffs in 1991, Weber State's second-ever appearance in the playoffs.

Martin went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL, with his first stop coming in 1993 with the Los Angeles Rams. Martin saw his first on-field NFL action in 1996 after playing in six games with the Rams. In total, Martin played in 53 total games and was a part of nine different teams in his 14 seasons in the NFL.

Martin, from Arroyo Grande, California, was ranked ninth on the Big Sky Conference's list of "50 Greatest Male Athletes of All-Time" back in 2014. He was inducted into Weber State's Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2014, Martin became the first athlete in Weber State history in any sport to have a jersey retired.

Chick Hislop, Cross Country/Track & Field, Weber State (1969-06)
Charles "Chick" Hislop, who passed away in February of 2023, was a legend at Weber State and the track and field community after his 38-year career in Ogden. Hislop had tremendous success as the coach of the Wildcats, guiding Weber State to 21 Big Sky Championships in cross country and track and field. He coached Weber State in 106 conference championships and over 1,000 total meets. He was honored as the Big Sky Coach of the Year 20 times during his career, the District 8 Coach of the Year three times, and was named the National Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1991, when the Wildcat team finished fourth in the country. Hislop even coached the wrestling program for a time at Weber State from 1973-78, performing that duty along with serving as the head track and cross country coach for the Wildcats.

During his 38 years at Weber State, he coached 26 athletes to All-American honors 46 times in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. He coached two athletes, Farley Gerber and Charles Clinger, who won NCAA individual championships. Hislop also coached five native Utahns who have broken four minutes in the mile. He also served on the NCAA Rules Committee for seven years and was the Chair of the Cross Country Championships for four years. In 1985, Hislop served as the Sports Ambassador to Colombia.

Hislop was one of the foremost authorities in the United States on steeplechase training and technique. That knowledge sent him around the world as an expert speaker. In the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games he spoke to the International Coaches Convention about the steeplechase. In the summer of 1996, he served as an Assistant Coach for the United States Men's Track and Field Team at the Atlanta Olympic Games, where he was the primary coach of the USA long distance runners.

Hislop is a member of multiple Hall of Fame organizations. He was inducted into the Weber State Hall of Fame in 2007, the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2010.

2023 Big Sky Hall of Fame Class
Archie Amerson, Football, Northern Arizona (1995-96)
Lindsey Anderson, Track & Field, Weber State (2004-07)
Geronne Black, Track & Field, Portland State (2010-13)
Shannon Butler, Cross Country/Track & Field, Montana State (1989-91)
Debby Colberg, Volleyball, Sacramento State (1976-07)
Kim Exner, Volleyball, Eastern Washington (1995-98)
Chick Hislop, Cross Country/Track & Field, Weber State (1969-06)
Dr. Ginny Hunt, Administration, Montana State (1977-93)
Margarita Karnaukhova, Women's Tennis, Sacramento State (2003-06)
Larry Krystkowiak, Men's Basketball, Montana (1982-86)
Jamie Martin, Football, Weber State (1989-92)
Charles Roberts, Football, Sacramento State (1997-00)
Michael Roos, Football, Eastern Washington (2001-04)
Ron Stephenson, Commissioner (1981-95)

The 2023 Hall of Fame Class was selected by a committee of 14 members, which included representatives from all 10 full-time Big Sky institutions, as well as an additional Athletic Director, Senior Women's Administrator, a conference office representative, and an at-large committee member among the group of 14 voters.

Hall of Fame Eligibility Criteria

An alumnus/alumna is eligible only if he/she has participated in two (2) full seasons of competition at a Big Sky member institution and should have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to athletics at the institutional, conference and national level.
An alumnus/alumna is eligible at any time beginning five (5) years after completing their collegiate eligibility.
Coaches who have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to Big Sky athletics shall be eligible for recognition into the Hall of Fame after service of five (5) full years.
Coaches must have completed their tenure as coach or have been out of the conference for at least five (5) years.
Administrators who have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to Big Sky athletics shall be eligible for recognition into the Hall of Fame after service of three (3) full years and are immediately eligible.

Weber State University Athletics

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