Graham Harrell, Wes Kittley and Joe Lombard all have experience with halls of fame. Now each has a chance to go into a state shrine.
Those three are among the nominees who made the ballot for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame’s 2027 class. On the first Tuesday in June each year, the selection committee assembles a primary ballot of 20 names, from which six are usually selected, and a veterans’ ballot with 12, from which two are usually enshrined.
The ballot was announced on Tuesday, June 2.
Harrell, the prolific quarterback for Mike Leach era Texas Tech football teams, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Tech football Ring of Honor, both in 2025. Kittley, who’s coached Texas Tech track and field and cross country teams to 20 Big 12 championships, was a 2023 inductee into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Both are members of the Texas Tech athletics Hall of Fame.
Lombard, in 42 seasons coaching at Nazareth and Canyon, won a UIL record 26 state championships — 19 in basketball, also a UIL record, and seven in cross country. He retired in 2020 with a record of 1,379-133. He’s a member of seven halls of fame, most notably the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the National High School Hall of Fame.
Two former Texas Tech football assistant coaches also are on the ballot. Art Briles, who won 165 games as a Texas high-school head coach and 99 at Houston and Baylor, was the Tech running backs coach from 2000 through 2002.
Richard Ritchie had a 39-0 record as Texas A&I starting quarterback from 1973-76, leading the Javelinas to three NAIA national championships. He was on the Tech staff from 1981 through 1983 and was a 1998 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.
TEXAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2027 BALLOT
Primary ballot: Lamarcus Aldridge, basketball; Ronnie Baker, track and field; Josh Beckett, baseball; Art Briles, football; Dez Bryant, football; Ryan Crouser, track and field; Mike Evans, football; Casey Hampton, football; Graham Harrell, football; Destinee Hooker, volleyball; Michael Huff, football; Wes Kittley, track and field; Joe Lombard, basketball; Simone Manuel, swimming; Johnny Manziel, football; Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike, basketball; Tyron Smith, football; Huston Street, baseball; Kayla Thornton, basketball; Kerry Wood, baseball.
Veterans’ ballot: Charles Austin, track and field; Thomas Everett, football; Winston Hill, football; Lucious Jackson, basketball; Keith Moreland, baseball; Billy Nicks, football; Mary Jo Peppler, volleyball; Richard Ritchie, football; Bill Rogers, golf; Johnny Roland, football; Spud Webb, basketball; Kim Zmeskal, gymnastics.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Graham Harrell, Wes Kittley make Texas Sports Hall of Fame ballot
Reporting by Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
