Army West Point Athletics
Class of 2026 Inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame
September 11, 2026 | Athletics, Army A Club
The Class of 2026 honored at the 22nd annual induction banquet included Jennifer Blatty '00 (Women's Tennis), Robert Dickerson '87 (Football), Thomas Garver '77 (Hockey & Men's Lacrosse), Kelsey Minato '16 (Women's Basketball), Lyle Nelson '71 (Skiing/Olympian) and Robert Steenlage '66 (Wrestling).
Family, friends, former teammates, and supporters filled Ike Hall as each inductee was recognized for their contributions to Army West Point Athletics and their lasting impact on their respective programs.
Jennifer Blatty (Women's Tennis, 1996-2000)
Blatty played four seasons under legendary head coach Paul Peck and helped Army claim back-to-back Patriot League Championships in 1999 and 2000.
Blatty was the lone Army tennis player named to the Patriot League All-Decade Team and was a member of the Patriot League's 25th Anniversary Team. She amassed 77 wins during her Army career which still ranks in the top-5 for the Black Knights. She graduated as Army's all-time No. 1 Singles winner with 27. She was a four-year starter and team captain in her final season at West Point.
A native of New Orleans, La., Blatty won two conference doubles titles in 1997 and 1998. Blatty was also a five-time All-Patriot League selection, with four First-Team certificates in singles and one in doubles.
She graduated Army's 1999 and 2000 championships were the first of 16 won under Peck.Â
Dickerson joins the 2026 Hall of Fame class on the back of an illustrious football career in which he played in all 46 games, including starts in each game of his final three seasons.
The Wilmington, Del. native began his career as a tight end his first three seasons, including being named Honorable Mention All-East by the AP in 1984, but moved to offensive tackle in the fourth game of his senior year due to injuries along that unit.Â
Dickerson was a member of Army's first two bowl teams in 1984 and 1985, as well as the 1984 and 1986 Commander-in-Chief's Trophy teams. As a senior in 1986, Dickerson was a Freedom Network First-Team All-Star, an AP Honorable Mention All-American, and was picked to play in the Hula Bowl.
Thomas Garver (Hockey & Men's Lacrosse, 1973-1977)Garver stands as one of the top goaltenders in Army Hockey's illustrious history, remaining Army's all-time wins leader with 75—which were eighth most in NCAA history— as well as holding the program top mark in career saves for nearly 30 years.
He had a record of 75-30-3 and a 3.76 goals against average in a total of 109 career starts.Â
Garver was named a Second-Team All-East player in 1977, and set academy career records in saves, starts and minutes played in the postseason, while serving as team captain during his senior season. He also played two seasons on the Men's Lacrosse team.
Kelsey Minato (Women's Basketball, 2012-2016)Minato's on-court resume is one of the best in Patriot League history, and the Class of 2016 graduate joins the 2026 Hall of Fame class as a first ballot inductee.
She was an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention selection in 2016, was voted a WBCA All-American Honorable Mention twice and named the espnW 2016 Mid-Major Player of the Year.Â
Minato was a three-time Patriot League Player of the Year and the only player in league history to be named First-Team All-League four times. She was also the first player in Patriot League history to be named the Rookie and Player of the Year in the same season and was the Division I All-Met Player for the Year in 2016.
The Huntington Beach, Calif. native remains Army's all-time leader in points (2,556), field goals (829), three-pointers (329) and free throws made (529). She set 18 scoring records with her 49-point game vs. Holy Cross in 2014, including going an NCAA-best 26-of-26 from the free throw line.
Minato was the only active player in program history to have her jersey retired and was part of a senior class that set an academy record with 99 victories, two Patriot League Championships and a pair of NCAA Tournament berths in 2014 and 2016.
Lyle Nelson (Skiing/Olympian, 1968-1971)Nelson, a member of Army's varsity skiing team during his time at the academy, is the only West Point graduate to have participated in four Olympic Games, competing in the biathlon in 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988.
At the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, Nelson served as Team USA's flag bearer and team captain. Nelson won a total of 13 United States and North American championship during his biathlon career.
The McCall, Idaho native served as President of the United States Biathlon Association and was the biathlon venue director at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. He also was inducted into the Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame in 2012.
Robert Steenlage (Wrestling, 1962-1966)Steenlage was a two-time NCAA qualifier for the Cadets and earned NCAA All-American accolades in 1966 as a team captain, finishing third at 123 pounds to close out his career. In 1965, Steenlage captured the EIWA Championship at 130 pounds after an impressive 11-0-1 record in dual meets during the year.
The Britt, Iowa, native had a legendary high school wrestling career as Iowa's first-ever four-time state champion prior to coming to West Point.
Steenlage finished his career undefeated in dual meets at West Point. He had a 7-0-1 record in his final season with the Black Knights and helped Army to a 10th place finish at the 1965 and 1966 NCAA Championships.
He was awarded the Pierce Currier Foster Memorial Award as the outstanding member of the Wrestling team in 1966. Steenlage is also a member of the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame.
As the Class of 2026 took its place among West Point's legends, the celebration served as a reminder of the lifelong bonds forged through athletics and the enduring values of duty, honor, and country.A special plaque unveiling ceremony will take place at halftime of Saturday's football game against South Florida, ensuring the legacies of the new inductees are forever remembered within Army Athletics. Following the unveiling, the plaques will be permanently displayed at the new Lessey Army Sports Hall of Fame located in the lower concourse of the East Stands at Michie Stadium preserved by USAA.
