A new home for the UW Athletic Hall of Fame

Opening last week, the Ray Kubly Plaza outside the Kohl Center recognizes hundreds of Badger greats.

As Badger fans head to the Kohl Center to catch future Hall of Famers in action, they can now pay their respects to past UW-Madison legends at a new installation outside the arena. The UW Athletic Hall of Fame's new home, the Ray Kubly Plaza, opened on September 18 with an induction ceremony for the 2026 class.

The Hall of Fame, established in 1991 by Wisconsin Athletics in partnership with the W Club letterwinner organization, recognizes exemplary athletic achievement and contributions to the university both on and off the field. More than 330 Badger athletes, coaches, administrators and benefactors - spanning competitive eras from the late 19th century to modern day - have joined its distinguished ranks.

The new exhibit, stationed in front of the Kohl Center and along Frances Street, honors each Hall of Famer with a plaque detailing a list of accomplishments. The plaques are organized by induction class and displayed on three long concrete walls. The exhibit is spaced to allow many visitors to casually walk through and learn about Badger greats, such as Heisman-winning running back Ron Dayne, Olympic gold medalist runner Gwen Jorgensen, and former athletic directors Pat Richter and Barry Alvarez.

The freshest plaques, representing the 2026 class, honor football players Chris Borland and Melvin Gordon, basketball players Sam Dekker and Janet (Huff) Dyer, and track and field star Kelsey Card, among others.

The Hall of Fame was previously located outside the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center (known as "the Shell") prior to the building's 2024 demolition, which made way for the Kellner Family Athletic Center. The new location affords the Hall of Fame more visibility and increased foot traffic, with an anticipated 750,000 visitors per year. The plaza is named for Ray Kubly, the founder of Swiss Colony (now Colony Brands), who was a Badger cross country athlete in the 1920s and later president of the W Club.

The old location was running out of space to add plaques, so the new installation includes plenty of room for future Hall of Famers - including, perhaps, players that Badger fans cheer on at the Kohl Center today.