Three more Hoosiers enter Hall of Fame

Three more murals were added to 129 that already stand watch over the north and south entrances to Assembly Hall. The murals rarely receive more than a glance from the thousands of students who pour into Assembly Hall each winter -- despite the presence of the three words that carry the most weight when it comes to individual achievement in sports -- "Hall of Fame."\nFormer high jumper Denis Adama, softball pitcher Amy Unterbrink-Poljan and swimmer Tom Stock were all inducted into the IU Hall of Fame Friday. Adama and Stock each enter as a part of former IU track coach Sam Bell and legendary swim coach Doc Counsilman's legacies that have produced many Hall of Famers. \nUnterbrink-Poljan enters as the first ever softball player inducted.\n"I am the first one from my sport," Unterbrink-Polijan said. "So I represent, not only myself, but the whole program which has a great tradition and I came here because of that tradition."\nUnterbrink-Poljan was an All-American in 1986 when she posted a 0.21 earned run average, which is still a Big Ten record. She holds IU career records in wins, innings pitched, shutouts and strikeouts along with holding the top six single game strikeout records. In her four years, Unterbrink-Poljan was also able to throw nine no-hitters.\n"I know this is about me and my name is up here," she said. "But in a team sport, unlike individual sports, you make it to where you are because of the people that are around you. It would be very arrogant of me to say that I got where I am, and accomplished what I did by myself."\nDespite accumulating all the top pitching statistics in IU history, Unterbrink-Poljan said the memories of all the team accomplishments greatly overshadow anything individual. Specifically, she spoke of the two Big Ten championships and trips to the College World Series.\nJust about one decade earlier Adama dominated the high jump at IU, winning indoor and outdoor Big Ten crowns from 1972-1974. He was named an All-American in 1974 after placing third in indoor and second in outdoor competitions. Adama helped set new standards in the collegiate high jump by clearing seven feet or better 20 times in competition.\n"Sports, for me, have really been a wonderful thing in my life," Adama said. "And sports at Indiana University have changed my life."\nStock enters the Hall of Fame as the 14th swimmer from Cousilman's tenure. Stock entered IU while the team was still on probation, preventing them from capturing NCAA titles. Despite the probation, Stock was able to win Big Ten backstroke titles in 1962 and 1963 along with seven AAU titles in the backstroke and medley relay.\n"(The probation) didn't alter my decision, why would it?" he said. "I was going to go to the world's leading institution and be taught by the world's greatest coach."\nStock is the first swimming inductee since Counsilman's death earlier this year. Stock paid tribute to Counsilman's wife, who was in attendance, calling her the "first lady of swimming." \n"I was so fortunate to be taught by the world's greatest coach at the world's greatest institution," he said.\nThere have been over 30,000 student athletes who have passed through IU, but only 129 are forever entitled with the University's greatest athletic honor. They stand as a reminder of the past, and a motivation for the future of IU athletics.\n"We recognize (the Hall of Famers) to remind our current student athletes of the long tradition of athletic success we expect them to try and emulate." IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan said.\n-- Contact staff writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.