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1980 Olympian Ron Neugent was among 12 athletes inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony held in Topeka on Sunday, Oct. 13.
Neugent was a standout swimmer at the University of Kansas, setting five program records and a pair of Big Eight Records during his time with the Jayhawks.
The other 11 athletes inducted alongside Neugent in the Class of 2024 include Dave Bingham (baseball coach), Mark Mangino (football coach), Kelly Rankin (baseball/track & field), Scott Russell (track & field) and Mark Turgeon (basketball), all of whom have ties to Kansas University, as well as Erik Kynard (track & field), Melvin Lister (track & field), Kevin Saunders (Paralympian), Will Shields (football), Sean Snyder (football) and Annette Wiles (basketball).
Altogether, this group is comprised of seven individuals who have ties to Olympic and Paralympic competition, including an Olympic gold medalist (Kynard) and a Paralympic medalist and the only American to be named a head track and field starter for two Olympic Games (Rankin). The group also includes national champion coaches, collegiate champions and All-Americans, and American-record holders.
In a press release for the ceremony, Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Chairman Jim Dunning, Jr. said “This is an accomplished group and one the Hall of Fame is extremely proud to recognize. They bring a considerable diversity of backgrounds and talents to the Hall. In this an Olympic year, I believe it is wonderful to shine a light on seven inductees with Olympic connections.”
With his induction, Neugent joins the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame alongside six other swimmers and swimming coaches. Some of Neugent’s most notable achievements in the pool include:
- Neugent swam for the Wichita Swim Club in High School and was one of the top ranked youth swimmers nationally. Club was founded by KSHOF inductee and former Kansas track Coach Bob Timmons.
- Over the course of two years at Kansas, Neugent set five school and two Big Eight records and won two Big Eight individual titles. His mark in the 1650 freestyle still ranks as one of the best at KU and in Big Eight history.
- He transferred to KU from SMU, where he earned All-America honors by finishing 11th in the 1650 freestyle at the NCAA Championships. He also finished second in the 1650 freestyle at the Southwest Conference Championships.
- He was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team and the 1981 U.S. National team that traveled to Moscow.
- In 1979, he gained national recognition when he won the 1500-meter freestyle at the World University Games.
- On Sept. 5, 1982, he set an American record for a 25-meter pool in the 1500-meter freestyle (15:01.77).
- Neugent has 15 top 10 U.S. Masters Swimming all-time performances.
- He served on the U.S. Olympic Committee Board of Directors and Athletes Advisory Council and was a former Vice-President of United States Swimming.
In addition to these athletic achievements, Neugent was a committed champion for KU’s men’s swimming and diving team when it was cut alongside men’s tennis in 2001.
In 2002, Neugent gave an eloquent testimony before the Title IX Opportunity in Athletics Commission in response to the University of Kansas, the University of Nebraska, and Iowa State University all cutting their men’s swimming and diving programs at the start of the 2001-2002 season.
