By Liam Elkins
Indiana Wesleyan University Athletics celebrated another group of influential Wildcats with the 2026 Hall of Honor induction ceremony on September 12. This year’s class recognizes five individuals and one championship team whose accomplishments helped shape the history of Indiana Wesleyan Athletics.
The IWU Athletics Hall of Honor is about more than athletic accomplishments. According to Indiana Wesleyan, each inductee must represent the university’s Christ-centered mission both on the playing surface and throughout their daily lives. The Hall recognizes former athletes, coaches, administrators and supporters who have successfully represented and supported IWU Athletics while making a lasting impact on the university community.
The selection process is designed to recognize individuals and teams whose contributions go beyond statistics and championships. Individual athletes must demonstrate athletics success, integrity and leadership on and off the field, while coaches are evaluated on their success and ability to mentor and develop student-athletes. Supporters, contributors and administrators are recognized for significant and lasting contributions to IWU Athletics. Teams are considered based on their athletics achievements, records, awards, impact on the community and connection to the university’s mission.
Each year, the Hall of Honor Selection Committee votes on its top nominees. A nominee generally must receive at least 80 percent of the committee’s ballots to be eligible for induction, with a maximum of five individual inductees and one team selected each year.
The 2026 class includes former basketball standout Kyle Mangas, former women’s tennis player Katie Ritchie (Wilson), former men’s soccer player Joel Trainer, two-sport athlete Tiah Wingate (Romagnoli) and longtime coach and supporter Lee Smith. The 2016 Indiana Wesleyan Men’s Basketball Team will also be inducted.
Kyle Mangas headlines a decorated basketball career that stretched from 2017 to 2021. He helped lead the Wildcats to the 2018 NAIA National Championship as a freshman before becoming a four-time Crossroads League Player of the Year and four-time NAIA All-American. Mangas also earned two NAIA National Player of the Year awards and the 2020 Bevo Francis Award. At the time of his induction, he holds IWU career records for points with 3,453, field goals with 1,280 and three-pointers with 307. He finished his collegiate career with a 120-20 record, including a 68-3 mark at Luckey Arena. His career has continued professionally, including time in the NBA G-League and a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs in 2025.
Kaite Ritchie, a key figure in the development of IWU Women’s Tennis from 2012 to 2016, also enters the Hall of Honor. She was a three-time NAIA All-American and four-time All-Crossroads League selection while helping the Wildcats win seven combined conference regular season and tournament championships. Her senior season included an NAIA Quarterfinal appearance. An NCCAA National Championship and the first ITA National Championship in program history when she on the ITA Doubles National Championship in 2016.
Joel Trainer becomes the latest men’s soccer player to receive Hall of Honor recognition after a standout career from 2005 to 2008. Trainer earned All-MCC First Team honors in each of his four seasons and was selected as an NCCAA All-American three times. His senior season included MCC Player of the Year honors, NAIA All-American recognition and an NCCAA National Championship. He finished his career with program records of 58 goals and 146 total points while helping IWU win three conference championships.
Tiah Wingate represents the Hall of Honor’s recognition of multi-sport excellence. Competing in volleyball and track and field from 1999 to 2003, Wingate earned NAIA All-American honors in volleyball in 2002 and helped the Wildcats win two MCC Regular Season Championships and the 2000 NCCAA National Championship. She ranks among the top five in several IWU volleyball career categories, including kills, hitting percentage, blocks, sets played and aces. In track and field, she won the 2002 NCCAA Indoor High Jump National Championship and qualified for the NAIA National Championships in 2002 and 2003.
Smith’s induction recognizes nearly five decades of service to Indiana Wesleyan Athletics. A former Wildcat runner from 1976 to 1980, Smith returned to IWU in the mid-1980s and became a head coach for cross country and track and field before later serving as an assistant under John Foss. Over four decades, Smith helped develop generations of student-athletes and contributed to the strong distance-running tradition at IWU. His influence has also continued through the Smith Cross Country Scholarship and a 2026 gift to the university that includes support for the Wellness Center and Center for Sports and Physical Therapy.
The 2016 Men’s Basketball Team will join those five individuals in the 2026 class. Ten years after its championship season, the team is being recognized for one of the most memorable tournaments runs in program history. The Wildcats captured the second NAIA National Championship in program history by defeating top-ranked Saint Francis in the championship game after losing to the Cougars three times earlier that season.
The team also established single-season IWU records for total points with 3,395, field goals made with 1,225 and three-pointers with 353. The championship roster featured Nate Bubash, Ben Carlson, Micah Davis, Kylan Dubbels, Grant Evans, Jacob Johnson, Lane Mahurin, Jonny Marlin, Josh Mawhorr, Jackson Murphy, Aaron Murray, Bob Peters, Trevor Waite and Grant Zawadzki. Greg Tonagel served as head coach, with Jeff Clark as associate head coach and Ethan Whaley, Jay Mercer, Jordan Delks, David Dimmich and DJ Bettinger as assistant coaches.
Together, the 2026 inductees represent several different eras and areas of Indiana Wesleyan Athletics. From championship teams and record-setting athletes to decades of coaching and service, this year’s class reflects the broader meaning of the Hall of Honor.
The Hall is ultimately a celebration of legacy. Its inductees are remembered not only for what they accomplished in competition, but also for how they represented Indiana Wesleyan and influenced the student-athletes, coaches and community members who came after them.
Kylee Purdy 
Lily Shirley 
Simon Brainerd