Celebrating the achievements and contributions of Aurora University’s distinguished athletes, coaches and supporters, AU’s Athletics Hall of Fame welcomed the class of 2026 October 10.
More than 100 persons attended the 5:30 p.m. event in the university banquet hall in Alumni Hall of Physical Education. Master of ceremonies was James “Jim” Hamad, vice president for athletics.
Inductees were Jeremy Benson, Coal City, football; Dana Cebular, Brookfield, softball; Max Obriecht, Naperville, men’s lacrosse; Emily Paull Galusha, Somonauk, women’s cross country; and Bob Vozza, Naperville, soccer and baseball.
Benson, a 2002 alum, remains AU football’s most fearsome defensive lineman, graduating with multiple program records that still stand today. He was a two-time All-American, a three-time All-Illini-Badger Conference selection, the 2000 conference Defensive Player of the Year, and a two-year team captain. He finished with a school-record 39.5 career sacks, including a program-high 16 in 1999 and helped AU qualify for the NCAA Tournament in 2000.
Cebular, a 2008 grad, left an indelible impact on the AU softball program. An Academic All-America team member in 2008, a two-time Northern Athletics Conference Player of the Year and the AU Female Athlete of the Year twice, she appeared in three NCAA Tournaments with the Spartans. Her 184 games played, 196 runs — including a program-record 60 in 2007 — and 449 total bases are more than any other Spartan, and her 255 career hits, 38 home runs, and 159 RBIs all rank second in team history.
Obriecht, a 2015 alum, is the first Athletics Hall of Fame inductee for AU men’s lacrosse following a decorated career. A monster in the midfield, he was an All-American, the NACC Offensive Player of the Year, AU Male Athlete of the Year each year from 2013–2015 and an Academic All-America team member in 2015. He holds AU career records with 285 points and 707 ground balls and ranks second with 175 goals. Obriecht led the program to its first three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Galusha, a 2016 grad, shared AU’s Female Athlete of the Year award in 2015 and is the first Athletics Hall of Fame inductee for AU women’s cross country and track and field. In cross country, she won individual NACC championships in 2013 and 2014 and was an Academic All-America team member in 2015 and 2016. In track and field, she was named an All-American twice in steeplechase and won seven indoor NACC championships and six outdoor NACC titles. She set multiple AU records and still holds the fastest times in the indoor 1,000 meter and the outdoor steeplechase.
Vozza, a 1995 grad, was a two-sport standout and AU’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1992. In men’s soccer, he tallied 30 goals and 72 points during a four-year career, marks that remain among the program’s top 10 all-time. In baseball, his teams reached the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons, including a College World Series appearance in 1992. He was an All-Region outfielder twice, including in 1994 when he hit .409 while leading the Spartans with 41 runs and 22 stolen bases.
Hamad said, “Hall of fame induction honors those who have exemplified Spartan pride, excellence and dedication while leaving a lasting impact on Aurora University and its athletic tradition.”
A 10-member committee of university officials, coaches and former inductees selects hall of fame honorees.
—Al Benson