A Night for the Ages: Hall of Fame Welcomes Jeff Brown and a Pair of Legendary Coaches
The Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame swung its doors open on May 7, 2026, and the Spokane Convention Center was buzzing from the first handshake to the final toast. This wasn’t just another ceremony. It was a full-throated celebration of grit, glory, and gridiron greatness. The 2026 class - a mix of NHL star power and high school coaching royalty - pushed the Hall’s total membership to 514, and the sold-out crowd, which snapped up every ticket three weeks early, made sure the energy never dipped.
The Headliners: From the Blue Line to the Sidelines
Let’s kick things off with the man who made defensemen dangerous. Jeff Brown, the former Spokane Chiefs standout, finally took his rightful spot among the greats. Brown’s career was a masterclass in attacking from the back end: 587 points (138 goals, 449 assists) in 911 games across 13 seasons with Quebec, St. Louis, Vancouver, and Chicago. For a kid who sharpened his skills in Spokane, this induction felt like a homecoming - proof that the Lilac City breeds winners.
📊 Jeff Brown: 587 career NHL points - 5th-most among defensemen from his draft class (1985), and proof that Spokane's WHL pipeline produces elite talent.
But the real thunder came from the tacticians on the sidelines. Dick Wenkel, the winningest high school football coach in Washington State history, walked in to a roar that shook the rafters. His numbers are absurd: a 342-69-0 career record over 39 seasons, mostly at Mount Spokane High School. Five state championships (2006, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2019). Multiple state Coach of the Year honors. Wenkel didn’t just coach football - he built a dynasty on discipline and old-school fundamentals.
📊 Dick Wenkel: 342 career wins - No high school football coach in Washington history has ever reached that number. The man is a walking record book.
Right beside him stood Mark French, the Gonzaga Prep basketball lifer who hung up his whistle in 2025 with a jaw-dropping 452-178 record. French guided the Bullpups to two state titles (2008, 2014) and turned Gonzaga Prep into a perennial powerhouse. He’s the kind of coach who reshaped Spokane hoops culture, and the Hall gave him his due in grand style.
The Full 2026 Class: Depth, Versatility, and a Voice We All Know
This year’s class wasn’t just about the big names - it was stacked from top to bottom. Larry Schwenke, the track and field and cross country legend from Mead High School, joined the coaching takeover with his 22 state titles over 46 years. If Wenkel owned Friday nights, Schwenke owned the spring. Every single year.
| Coach | School | Sport | State Titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dick Wenkel | Mount Spokane | Football | 5 |
| Mark French | Gonzaga Prep | Basketball | 2 |
| Larry Schwenke | Mead | Track/XC | 22 |
Then there’s Kelly Olynyk, the former Gonzaga star whose 2013 Final Four run still gives Zags fans chills. Olynyk’s NBA career has been a steady climb, but his Inland Northwest roots run deep. And finally, Tom Hudson, the voice of the Spokane Indians and Gonzaga basketball for over four decades, finally got his moment. Hudson called the games we all grew up on; his induction felt like welcoming a family member home.
The Atmosphere and the Afterglow
The ceremony was a who’s who of Spokane sports royalty. Individual seats ran $75 and tables $750, and not a single one sat empty. The speeches mixed humor and heart - Wenkel cracked a joke about his "retirement" lasting longer than his halftime talks, while Brown paused to thank the Chiefs organization for betting on a kid from the northeast. Those moments landed.
But the party didn’t stop on May 7. The next day, a free public reception at the Spokane Arena concourse let fans get up close with the new display panels. The permanent plaques are now installed in the arena’s east lobby, ensuring that Brown, Wenkel, French, Schwenke, Olynyk, and Hudson are etched into Inland Northwest lore forever.
