The Summit County Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 features former NFL players, local legends in basketball and track and field and a University of Akron graduate who made headlines for his accomplishments in rifle seven decades ago.
The SCSHOF's induction ceremony and banquet is scheduled to be held Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Akron.
Here are the eight 2026 inductees the SCSHOF announced on Tuesday, Aug. 18:
Watch Ohio High School Sports Live on NFHS Network all year
Akron basketball represented in Summit County Sports HOF by former Zips men's coach John Groce, UA women's legend Rachel Tecca Fleming
- John Cominsky: Barberton High School graduate who played on the defensive lines of the Atlanta Falcons (2019-21) and Detroit Lions (2022-23)
- James Eberwine: Former Garfield High School and Akron Zips star in rifle who achieved international acclaim in the sport during the 1950s
- Doran Grant: St. Vincent-St. Mary High School graduate who captained Ohio State football’s 2014 national title team and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2015)
More Zips sports: Inside Akron basketball's head coaching change with John Groce and AD Andrew T. Goodrich
- John Groce: Former Akron men’s basketball coach who went 197-94 (114-50 in the Mid-American Conference) in nine seasons and led the Zips to four MAC Tournament titles (2022, ’24, ’25 and ’26). He took the head coaching job at the College of Charleston on March 30
- Jeff Howard: Longtime Woodridge High School cross country and track and field coach who has guided the Bulldogs to an Ohio High School Athletic Association-record 11 state titles in boys cross country
- Whitney Mercilus: Garfield High School graduate who led the nation with 16 sacks as an Illinois junior (2011) and played linebacker for the Houston Texans (2012-21) and Green Bay Packers (2021)
- Hope Murphy: Mogadore High School graduate who won 14 Ohio Athletic Conference titles with Baldwin Wallace track and cross country (2021-25) and became a five-time All-American (three outdoor track and two indoor)
- Rachel (Tecca) Fleming: Archbishop Hoban High School graduate who led Akron Zips women’s basketball to the MAC Tournament title (2014) and remains UA’s leader in several categories, including points (2,317), rebounds (1,109) and games played (138)
More Akron Zips coverage: Rachel Tecca thrilled to be honored as a UA basketball all-time great
Summit County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony and banquet ticket information
The SCSHOF's 68th induction ceremony and banquet will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 129 S. Union St., Akron. Doors are scheduled to open at 5:15 p.m. A social/cocktail hour is slated to run from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The program and dinner are set to start at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased online at summitcountyshof.org/purchase-tickets. Tickets for adults are $75. Tickets for children (12 and under) are $25. Patron tickets are $90 and include the purchaser’s name in the banquet program. A table of eight is $550. A table of 10 is $700.
For information on advertising in the banquet program or event sponsorship opportunities, please contact SCSHOF board of directors president Jeff Kurtz at 330-329-3677 or SCSHOF board of directors vice president Glenda Buchanan at 330-687-1896.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. He is also a member of the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame's board of directors. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit County Sports HOF's new class has Zips greats, ex-NFL players