PEORIA — A major league baseball pitcher, a decorated area softball player, a billiards ace with a national profile, a veteran NFL coach for more than two decades and one of the greatest bowlers in the Peoria area will be among the Class of 2025 individual inductees to the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame.
The group includes Zach McAllister, who pitched eight seasons for the Cleveland Indians; Judex James, once a nationally ranked pro billiards player; Brigit (Cornish) Grunow, an elite softball player for Dunlap and Illinois Central College; Pete Hoener, who has coached on NFL staffs with the Bears, Cardinals, 49ers, Panthers and the Commanders; and Gary Smith, who has bowled 26 perfect games.
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They will be inducted at a March 21, 2026 banquet at the Peoria Civic Center. Also on the induction honors list are some great area teams, including the 2004 Peoria Notre Dame boys soccer team, the 2006 Illinois Valley Central baseball team, and Eureka girls track and field teams from 2002 and 2003.
More: Which historic teams are headed into the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame?
The winner of the annual Neve Harms Award for meritorious service, and the top 2025 Tri-County players and coaches also will be honored; those winners will be announced later this month.
Here is a look at each of the individuals set for induction at the 2026 ceremony:
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Zach McAllister
The IVC star led the Ghosts to the IHSA Class A state title in 2006 and was Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year and Journal Star Player of the Year. He was also the starting center on an IVC basketball team that finished runnerup at the 2006 IHSA Class A state finals.
McAllister was drafted by the Yankees but traded to Cleveland, and pitched eight of his nine MLB seasons for the Indians. He was part of a Cleveland team that won a record 22 consecutive games in 2017. The year before, he had appearances in Game 3 of the ALCS against Toronto and in Game 2 of the World Series against the Cubs.
All told, McAllister appeared in 287 big-league games over nine seasons, with a 29-35 record and 4.11 ERA.
Jul 29, 2021; Richmond, VA, USA; Washington Football Team tight ends coach Pete Hoener instructs players during training camp at Bon Secours Washington Football Team Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
Pete Hoener
The 1969 Richwoods grad played football for Tom Peeler there, and went on to play on Bradley’s football team.
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He has a 22-year career in the NFL as an assistant. He spent nine seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2011-2019) and developed tight end Greg Olson. He followed head coach Ron Rivera to the Washington Football Club in 2020. He was tight ends coach for San Francisco (2005-10) and developed Vernon Davis there.
He was offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears in 2014, and coached tight ends and offensive line with the Arizona Cardinals (2001-03) and tight ends with the Cardinals when they were in St. Louis (1985-86).
Hoener has 24 years of college coaching experience, too, among his stops including Illinois, Purdue, Illinois State and Iowa State.
He is in the Bradley University Athletics Hall of Fame.
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Brigit (Cornish) Grunow
The three-year offensive star on the Dunlap High School softball team also was a standout volleyball player.
She was named to the Chicago Tribune softball all-state team in 1993, and went on to play two years at ICC. With the Cougars she was a two-time first-team All-America selection and led them to third- and sixth-place finishes in the NJCAA Tournament.
She went on to play at Iowa (1996, 1997), converting from a left-handed hitter to right-handed, and helped them to consecutive appearances in the NCAA Women’s College World Series.
Grunow hit .353 with 19 steals in her first NCAA season, and as a senior hit .315 with 15 steals on a 52-9 team.
Judex James, age 74 as pictured, is one of the elite billiards players in central Illinois and well-respected nationally.
Judex James
Long one of the elite billiards players in the Peoria area, he won a pro event in 1999 at age 57 and at one time ranked 12th on the senior pro tour.
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He has defeated five U.S. Open champions and/or Player of the Year opponents in tournament play, including Corey Duea, Dallas West, Nick Varner, Jim Marino and Steve Mizerak.
James was one of seven area players on a team representing Racks on the Rocks billiards facility (West Peoria) that won a national championship in 2016.
More: One of Peoria’s best billiards players is recovering from a stroke. The sport is giving back
Gary Smith
Considered perhaps the most skilled bowler ever from the Peoria area.
He has won 17 titles in four divisions of the Greater Peoria Bowling Association’s annual tournament. He tossed 26 perfect games, of which four were in Professional Bowlers Association competition.
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Smith rolled perfect games in the Peoria City Tournament, Illinois State Tournament and on a nationally televised ABC Masters tournament.
The Illinois Bowling Association Hall of Fame and Greater Peoria Bowling Association Hall of Fame inductee has won four PBA regional titles and now is on the PBA Senior circuit.
Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame ceremony
Where: Peoria Civic Center
Details: Cocktails at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the induction ceremony. Tickets are $55 if purchased by March 11. Tickets after that date, if available, are $65. Tickets are not available at the door. To reserve tickets, contact Lynn Thompson via email at lthompson87@yahoo.com with credit card information, or send check to GPSHOF, PO Box 9338, Peoria, IL 61612-9338.
Class of 2025 team inductees: 2004 Peoria Notre Dame boys soccer team, the 2006 Illinois Valley Central baseball team, and Eureka girls track and field teams from 2002 and 2003.
Class of 2025 individual inductees: Major League Baseball pitcher Zach McAllister of Illinois Valley Central; longtime NFL and college football assistant Pete Hoerner of Richwoods; Iowa and Illinois Central College all-American softball player Brigit (Cornish) Grunow of Dunlap; Peoria billiards legend Judex James; and former PBA bowler Gary Smith of Peoria.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Meet the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame induction class set for spring ceremony