East Peoria, IL - The Illinois Central College Athletic department has always been one to celebrate its tradition, its rich history, and rightfully so. Legendary athletic performers and administrators over the decades warranted the creation of the Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame in advance of the 2023 class's induction, with the 2025 class being the third such group. We are thrilled to announce that this year's inductees are the 1981-1982 Men's Basketball team, the 1987 Softball team, the 1989 Softball team, Charles Smith (Men's Basketball), Jane Miller-Sands (Media), and Jeni Garber (Women's Basketball). More information is included on each inductee below.
1981-1982 MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
Perhaps the best team in program history to this point, the 1981-82 Men's Basketball team made quite the memorable run.
Head Coach Carroll Herman's team would finish the season with a (25-12) overall record. That season, they won the Arrowhead Conference Championship with a record of (10-2). They would win the Sectional by defeating Wabash Valley 75-56, the Region by defeating Elgin 104-82, and the State Championship by defeating Lincoln 94-88.
The 1982 State Championship would be the last single-division championships awarded in Illinois.
The team would advance to the 1982 NJCAA National Tournament. Coach Herman was awarded the Illinois NJCAA Coach of the Year award for the team's accomplishments.
For their championship-caliber showcase, the 1981-1982 Men's Basketball team are members of the 2025 Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame.
1987 SOFTBALL TEAM
The Softball program at Illinois Central College has had quite the run of tradition. While the first team to ever qualify for Nationals was in 1976, there have literally been dozens of teams that have made it to the biggest stage since then.
The 1987 Cougars stand as one of the best among such a long list. It would be a season that ultimately culminated in the program's second National Championship Game appearance, with the Cougars finishing as 1987 NJCAA Division-I National Runners-Up.
For their spectacular run in the postseason, the 1987 Softball Team are members of the 2025 Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame.
1989 SOFTBALL TEAM
Not too far removed from their fellow 2025 inductees from the 1987 Softball team, the 1989 Cougar Softball team made another run at it just two years later.
The 1989 Cougars, making their first National Tournament appearance since the aforementioned 1987 team, would once again make it all the way to the NJCAA Division-I Championship Game, finishing as National Runners-Up.
For their national-level season, the 1989 Softball Team are members of the 2025 Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame.
CHARLES SMITH (MEN'S BASKETBALL)
One of the greatest players in the history of the Men's Basketball program at Illinois Central College, Charles Smith comes with quite the list of accolades while playing for the Cougars.
Named First Team All-Arrowhead Conference, Smith still holds multiple program records, including career points with 1,683, season points with 849, career scoring average at 25.9 points per game, career rebounds at 946, and season rebounds at 561. Frankly, that's just scratching the surface of what Smith was able to accomplish.
Charles Smith holds 14 different records that have still stood for the 40 years since he was patrolling the court for the Cougars.
After his time at ICC, Smith went on to play NCAA Division-I basketball for the Ball State Cardinals, where he averaged 21.1 points per game in his senior season. In that same senior campaign, Smith started all 27 of the games in which he appeared in. Smith was also at least top five in every key offensive category for the Cardinals.
Smith would go on to play professionally in Belfast, Ireland.
For his legendary status in Cougar Men's Basketball lore, and for his accomplishments in his years beyond, Charles Smith is a member of the 2025 Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame.
JANE MILLER-SANDS (MEDIA)
Jane Miller-Sands covered the Illinois Central College Athletics Department and our athletes during her career with the Peoria Journal Star newspaper. Miller-Sands' career spanned 33 years as a sports journalist from 1980-2013. Miller-Sands helped bring life to the athletes, coaches, and games that Cougar athletes participated in throughout the years.
During her time at the Peoria Journal Star, Miller-Sands covered both high school and collegiate athletics from the mainstream sports like basketball and football to the less exposed sports like bowling and cross-country.
Miller-Sands always loved basketball, and was a strong supporter of the girls and women's basketball teams in the area. This devotion even allowed her to be a National Finalist for the Associated Press Sports Editors' Game Story Award in 2004 for a story she did on girls basketball.
For her devotion to the athletes of Illinois Central College, and her successful storytelling in doing so, Jane Miller-Sands is a member of the 2025 Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame.
JENI GARBER (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, SOFTBALL)
Jeni Garber started her athletic career right here in Central Illinois, first as a standout for the nearby Metamora Redbirds. Her accomplishments in Metamora earned her a two-sport spot at Illinois Central College, playing both Basketball and Softball.
Garber's time with the Cougars was nothing short of memorable. On the basketball court, she was a Second Team All-American and two-time First Team All-Region selection. She was also a starter for Hall of Fame Coach Lorene Ramsey's 1986-87 National Runner-Up team.
On the softball field, Garber made her mark right away as a freshman, being named NJCAA National Tournament First Team, as well as an All-Region honor, and is widely regarded as being within the top three players in program history.
After her time with the Cougars was over, Garber went on the play basketball at Virginia Tech, where she was a Newcomer of the Year as a junior for the Hokies. While starting in both seasons, Garber was an all-conference selection, being named team captain, and also was the team's leading scorer during her senior season.
Garber also had an extensive coaching career, making stops at East Tennessee State, Missouri, Minnesota State-Mankato, Normal West High School, Bradley, and most recently, Quincy University. It's a coaching career that spanned 30 years, from 1991 until 2021.
From cementing a legacy as a player, to inspiring future generations of women's basketball players as a coach, Jeni Garber is named to the 2025 Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE NEWEST HALL-OF-FAMERS?
The 2025 Hall of Fame Class will be informally recognized during halftime of the men's basketball game on Saturday, February 1st (3PM Tipoff). Shortly after the game, there will be the formal Hall of Fame Ceremony & Dinner that will take place in the auxiliary gym next to Ramsey Gym.
