Saginaw’s Future Stars and Legacy Builders Join Sports Hall of Fame

Ten new names will join the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame in 2026, each with a story that shaped local sports. Two inductees broke barriers for women in the 1970s and 80s, when opportunities for female athletes were still growing. The 1980 Eisenhower volleyball team won the first-ever girls state title in the county, just eight years after Title IX gave them a chance to play. Their coach, Marilynn Black, also created a synchronized swimming team at MacArthur, showing how one person could expand sports beyond the usual. Missy Leckie stood out in three sports at Arthur Hill, earning eight varsity letters. As a pitcher, she won 23 games in softball. On the basketball court, she averaged double-double stats for three seasons before becoming the first Arthur Hill player to earn a Division 1 basketball scholarship. She later helped Indiana win a Big Ten title in 1983. Adam Emmenecker didn’t get college offers after high school but proved that hard work changes everything. After walking on at Drake, he became a national story in 2007, leading the team to an NCAA Tournament berth and a conference title with record-breaking assists.Greg Housner dominated three sports at Bridgeport, earning all-state honors each time. He later starred at Central Michigan and in summer leagues, where he was named team MVP. Preston Murphy was a sharpshooter at Nouvel, averaging nearly 28 points a game before leading Rhode Island to an Elite Eight and an Atlantic 10 championship. Shameka Jackson led Arthur Hill to a state basketball final and set school records in track. At Alabama State, she became the all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Becca McCann won a state discus title and set records in shot put, then played four years at Iowa. Lawrence Day won two state swimming titles in 1968 and 1969, nearly making the Olympics. After college, he coached high school teams and later won Masters swimming awards in his 60s. Steve Jaksa turned a strong baseball career into decades of coaching, winning multiple state titles and leading Central Michigan to three conference championships. Ron Schauman didn’t just play sports—he built them. He donated land and led construction for a massive sports complex in Freeland and helped fund a high school football field, showing how athletes can give back long after their playing days.