The U.P. Sports Hall of Fame inducts 10 new members on May 9, 2026 at the Island Resort and Casino (Adam Hinch/Daily Press)

HARRIS — The 54th Annual U.P. Sports Hall of Fame Banquet took place at the Island Resort and Casino in their brand new convention center on May 9, 2026 where 10 more people from the U.P. were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The inductees included, Stephaine (Boyer) Lovell of Rapid River. Stephaine was a multi-sport athlete and was a 10-time U.P. Champion in track. She was also a member of the 2000 state runner-up basketball team where she scored 1,387 career points. She was named Skyline Central Conference MVP in 2002. Boyer ran track for five seasons at Northern Michigan University (NMU) and one season of cross country. She is currently an assistant coach of the track team at Superior Central

“Growing up, sports were always a part of my life,” Lovell said. “Its not the wins or titles, it’s about the memories we made and looking back those are the moments that meant the most.

Burt Angeli was also inducted into the hall of fame this year as the sports editor of the Daily News in Iron Mountain. Burt was the voice of local sports across the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin for decades. His writing blended everything from knowledge, humor and heart. Beyond the newsroom Burt was known for his kindness, quick wit. His legacy endures through the thousands of stories he penned making him a true definition of what it is to be a Yooper.

Andy Crouch was also inducted as a member of the Lake Linden-Hubbell football teams that finished as State Runners-Up in 1989 and 1991. He was an all-around athlete competing in football, basketball and track. As a head coach of Lake Linden-Hubbell football he produced a record of 120-57 and 13 playoff appearances. During that time his team won six conference championships and also coached basketball and track at Lake Linden-Hubbell where his teams experienced great success.

Erica (Helmila) Smith graduated from Marquette High School in 2000 and is recognized as one of the U.P.’s most accomplished female track and field athletes. She also competed in basketball, volleyball and cross country. She attended Grand Valley State University and qualified for the 3200 meter run all four years. She was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American and was GLIAC All-Conference first team all four years.

Lori Juntila Rupert also was inducted and began her basketball career as a freshman at National Mine before Tile IX was fully implemented. During her high school years, girls played with a larger men’s basketball and played fewer games and there was no 3-point line. She played at Westwood High School from her sophomore through senior seasons. She was named to the Mid Peninsula Conference and All-U.P. First Teams in 1975 and 1976. She attended NMU and scored 1,342 points, a record that stood for 10 years.

Dave Miller was the next inductee. Miller guided the DeTour varsity girls program for 23 years and won the Class D State Championship in 1983. During his tenure he had four state semifinal appearances, six regional titles and eight district titles. Miller also led the boys program for three years with a 45-20 record and two district championships.

Janet (Hallfrisch) Sbar was the next inductee. She graduated from Menominee High School in 1977 and played every sport offered to women. She earned All-State honors in the mile relay and played basketball and No. 1 singles in tennis her senior year. She was named MHS Female Superstar Athlete of the Year. In 2022 she was inducted into the Menominee High School Hall of Fame. She competed in the discus, shot put and javelin lettering on Michigan’s first women’s varsity track team and was inducted into the University of Michigans Women’s track team Hall of Fame in 2009.

Mark Simon was also inducted as a graduate of Stephenson High School. Simon led the Eagles to a State Championship in 1981. He was a two-time All-U.P. Selection and scored 1,166 points in his career and broke several school records. Simon coached the girls basketball team in Stephenson to a 20-3 record during the 2013-14 season. At NMU he finished with 1,078 career points and 571 rebounds in 116 games. He was inducted into the NMU Hall of Fame in 2004.

Gary Sparana was inducted this year as a ski jumper he won the National Championship in the junior class in 1967. He landed a birth on the U.S. Ski Team during the 1968-69 season but in the summer of 1969 he was drafted into the Army and sent to Vietnam which ended his ski jumping career. Sparana was inducted into the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame in Red Wing, Minnesota in 2012.

The final inductee of the evening was Fred Teddy. Teddy was one of the premier runners in the Upper Peninsula. His record in the two-mile run of 9:22:7 in 1972 will stand forever as the event was changed to the 3200 meter run in 1973. Teddy went to Michigan State University where he lettered in track and cross country all four years. Teddy a;so spent 30 years teaching and coaching at L’Anse High School.