Indiana University Athletics
IU Athletics Announces Addition of Five Granite Monuments Commemorating Men’s Basketball’s Five National Championship Teams to Ken Nunn Champions Plaza at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
10/17/2017 3:30:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana – The Indiana University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is pleased to announce the addition of five granite monuments to the Ken Nunn Champions Plaza outside of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall commemorating each of the men's basketball national championship teams. The monuments are funded as part of a gift by Ken Nunn to the "For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign" in support of IU Athletics that was first announced on April 2, 2015, as part of the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall renovation project.
The monuments will be located outside the recently renovated South Lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, where they will always be accessible to fans: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The name of every player and coach from each team is set forth on their respective monument. In addition, IU player and other images from each championship team are depicted on one side of the monuments while the other side features the story of each team and their unique journey to the national title.
Installation of the monuments will begin on Wednesday, October 18th and be completed in time for Hoosier Hysteria on Saturday, October 21st. The five granite monuments in the Ken Nunn Champions Plaza and the new Bill and Juanita Beach Indiana Basketball Memories Collection (see accompanying release) are both being installed this week to coincide with Hoosier Hysteria and the 2017-2018 basketball season.
"There could be no better addition to Ken Nunn Champions Plaza than these inspiring tributes to our five national champion men's basketball teams – with room for more," said Fred Glass, IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "I'm particularly pleased that the name of every player and coach from every championship team is immortalized on these granite monuments, as Indiana Basketball always wins as a team."
The 1940 monument features depictions of standout players Curly Armstrong, Bill Menke, Jay McCreary, Bob Menke, Bob Dro, Marv Huffman and Bill Torphy along with head coach Branch McCracken. There's also a game action photo from the season and the team photo included.
For the 1953 monument, images of Dick Farley, Burke Scott, Charley Kraak, Bobby Leonard and Don Schlundt with Branch McCracken are featured in addition to a team image with each player holding their national championship plaque.
In 1976, the Hoosiers went 32-0 on their way to the national title – the last undefeated national champion in Division I men's basketball. There were numerous standouts on the team and those featured on the monument include Kent Benson, Scott May, Bobby Wilkerson, Quinn Buckner and Tom Abernethy along with the five seniors on the team and the numerous trophies they won during their career.
Indiana once again won the national championship in 1981 led by Isiah Thomas, Ted Kitchel, Ray Tolbert, Randy Wittman, Landon Turner each of whom is featured on the monument. It also includes a depiction of the team photo and a ticket stub from the championship game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
The fifth national championship came courtesy of the 1987 team that featured Dean Garrett, Todd Meier, Daryl Thomas, Steve Alford, Keith Smart, Daryl Thomas and Rick Calloway. All of those players are featured on the monument – including Thomas, Meier and Alford holding up the championship trophy after winning the title game.
Artist Brian Hanlon, owner of Hanlon Studios, designed and fabricated the five monuments. He has produced over 300 works in both public and private collections and has a commitment to educating through his work. Hanlon has done several sports themed works including sculptures at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He has a BA in Art Education from Monmouth University and studied at Boston University from 1988-1990 prior to opening his studio.
IU Athletics thanks Mia Williams, the University Landscape Architect, and Sherry Rouse, IU's Curator of Campus Art for coordinating this project. Hanlon was selected through a competitive campus process overseen by Williams involving proposals and interviews with multiple artists.
For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU's bicentennial year celebration in 2020. To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.
The monuments will be located outside the recently renovated South Lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, where they will always be accessible to fans: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The name of every player and coach from each team is set forth on their respective monument. In addition, IU player and other images from each championship team are depicted on one side of the monuments while the other side features the story of each team and their unique journey to the national title.
Installation of the monuments will begin on Wednesday, October 18th and be completed in time for Hoosier Hysteria on Saturday, October 21st. The five granite monuments in the Ken Nunn Champions Plaza and the new Bill and Juanita Beach Indiana Basketball Memories Collection (see accompanying release) are both being installed this week to coincide with Hoosier Hysteria and the 2017-2018 basketball season.
"There could be no better addition to Ken Nunn Champions Plaza than these inspiring tributes to our five national champion men's basketball teams – with room for more," said Fred Glass, IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "I'm particularly pleased that the name of every player and coach from every championship team is immortalized on these granite monuments, as Indiana Basketball always wins as a team."
The 1940 monument features depictions of standout players Curly Armstrong, Bill Menke, Jay McCreary, Bob Menke, Bob Dro, Marv Huffman and Bill Torphy along with head coach Branch McCracken. There's also a game action photo from the season and the team photo included.
For the 1953 monument, images of Dick Farley, Burke Scott, Charley Kraak, Bobby Leonard and Don Schlundt with Branch McCracken are featured in addition to a team image with each player holding their national championship plaque.
In 1976, the Hoosiers went 32-0 on their way to the national title – the last undefeated national champion in Division I men's basketball. There were numerous standouts on the team and those featured on the monument include Kent Benson, Scott May, Bobby Wilkerson, Quinn Buckner and Tom Abernethy along with the five seniors on the team and the numerous trophies they won during their career.
Indiana once again won the national championship in 1981 led by Isiah Thomas, Ted Kitchel, Ray Tolbert, Randy Wittman, Landon Turner each of whom is featured on the monument. It also includes a depiction of the team photo and a ticket stub from the championship game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
The fifth national championship came courtesy of the 1987 team that featured Dean Garrett, Todd Meier, Daryl Thomas, Steve Alford, Keith Smart, Daryl Thomas and Rick Calloway. All of those players are featured on the monument – including Thomas, Meier and Alford holding up the championship trophy after winning the title game.
Artist Brian Hanlon, owner of Hanlon Studios, designed and fabricated the five monuments. He has produced over 300 works in both public and private collections and has a commitment to educating through his work. Hanlon has done several sports themed works including sculptures at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He has a BA in Art Education from Monmouth University and studied at Boston University from 1988-1990 prior to opening his studio.
IU Athletics thanks Mia Williams, the University Landscape Architect, and Sherry Rouse, IU's Curator of Campus Art for coordinating this project. Hanlon was selected through a competitive campus process overseen by Williams involving proposals and interviews with multiple artists.
For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU's bicentennial year celebration in 2020. To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.
FB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Thursday, April 16