Nick Rimando, Haloti Ngata, Courtney Young Johnson, Jay Don Blake, and Teri Okelberry Spiers are the latest to receive the honor of being inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.
The five athletes will take their place in the Utah Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 20 at the Little America Hotel with a ceremony in their honor.
Rimando played 20 years in Major League Soccer, including 13 years for Real Salt Lake. He is widely regarded as the greatest goalkeeper in MLS history and holds the MLS record for career wins, career saves and career shutouts. He was key for RSL in winning the 2009 MLS Cup and appearing in the 2013 MLS Cup. He was also a mainstay on the United States national team roster.
Haloti Ngata, a Highland High football legend, played 13 seasons in the NFL along the defensive line for Baltimore, Detroit and Philadelphia. He was a five-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2012.
Young Johnson graduated from Skyline High School and won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics in water polo, in the first year that women’s water polo was an Olympic sport.
Blake, who was born in St. George and played golf for Utah State University, was the 1980 NCAA individual golf champion. As a professional golfer, Blake won a PGA Tour event (the 1981 Shearson Lehman Brothers Open) and three Champions Tour wins. He also won the 1988 Utah Open.
Okelberry Spiers competed for Weber State in both track and field and volleyball in 1988. She went to the NCAA championships in both track and field and volleyball that year. Okelberry Spiers was an All-American in javelin in 1988 and also helped the Wildcats’ volleyball team to a Big Sky championship and NCAA tournament appearance, becoming the first female Weber State athlete to compete in two sports’ NCAA championships in the same year.
The public can visit the Utah Sports Hall of Fame museum at City Creek Mall — 99 W. South Temple.