Braxton Gregory Sports Editor
At the ICCU Bengal Alumni Center, ISU inducted Lindsey Reed (women’s basketball), Vicky Galasso (softball), George Kyvernitis (men’s tennis), Dan Taylor (football), and Kelly Rae (softball) into the Sports Hall of Fame. The class honored a collection of athletes whose stories stretch across championship eras, rebuilding years, and personal turning points.
The 2025 class represents decades of Idaho State history. Teams were rebuilt from the ground up, championships were chased and won, and ordinary moments on practice fields quietly shaped the people the athletes would become. Their careers unfolded under different coaches and in various conference landscapes with varying expectations. On Saturday, their achievements converged on a single stage.
Reed, one of the most electrifying scorers in ISU women’s basketball history, was remembered for her ability to combine skill and resilience. Her leadership on the court helped define an era for the program.
“I realized from a young age that you take a lot more from a loss than from a win,” Reed said. “A loss is a time to improve, reflect, and create a better game plan.”
Her championship moments still linger in her memory. She described the instant she knew a title belonged to the Bengals.
“I had the ball in my hands,” she said. “We were swarmed by so many people on the court that I couldn’t breathe.”
Galasso lifted the softball program from obscurity into a Big Sky powerhouse. Her records and achievements set a new standard for Bengals who followed her.
“We came from zero to where we were in the span of four years,” Galasso said. “What we built, what we created, is the greatest pride I have from my time here.”
Her message to current players emphasized confidence and determination.
“These records are there for you to break,” she said. “Go for it.”
Kyvernitis, a four-time All-Big Sky First Team selection, said the most significant impact of his time at ISU was the sense of belonging he found far from home. His journey from Greece to Idaho taught him a new perspective on team competition.
“I felt like I had a family in another country, another state,” Kyvernitis said.
Taylor, a cornerstone of the 1981 national championship football team, reflected on how the experience shaped his life and career.
“The last play when we won… I will never forget that feeling,” Taylor said. “How often do you really get to complete your dream?”
He credited his coaches with preparing him for professional football.
“When I went to the Cowboys, I took what he taught me,” he said.
Rae arrived at ISU with no scholarship, spent her first months working on the field, and doing laundry just to stay enrolled. She credited one scholarship opportunity in 1978 with changing her path.
“It changed the trajectory of my life,” Rae said. “I’d probably be in prison otherwise.”
Her decades of mentorship and service have left a lasting impact on the university.
As the ceremony concluded, ISU President Robert Wagner framed the class as more than athletes, but role models.
“Each of these inductees represent the best of what it means to be a Bengal,” Wagner said. “These are not just exceptional athletes, they are role models, leaders, and ambassadors of this university.”
