Three athletes, two coaches, a trainer, a media member and a late coach make up the eight-member 2025 class to the El Paso Athletics Hall of Fame, as announced Thursday by president Ruben Ramirez.
The class includes Kendra Chambers Coleman, the former Hanks track star who recently retired following a distinguished pro career as a middle-distance runner, and coach/administrator Cory Herman, who was the former coach of the El Paso Rhinos that won two national championships and was instrumental in El Paso being named Kraft Hockeyville USA in 2020.
Other inductees include Parkland/Eastern New Mexico basketball player Bobby R. Kirkley, Montwood wrestler Natalia Hinojo, El Paso High volleyball coach Yesenia Alarcon-Ortega, Eastwood trainer Scott Smelser, former El Paso Times sports editor Joe Muench and late youth track coach Leon Wade.
The induction banquet will be held on June 24 at El Paso Community College.
Kendra Chambers Coleman. The 2008 Hanks alum was a state champion in the 400 meters, then was an eight-time All-American and four-time Big 12 champion at the University of Texas in the 400, 800, and 4x400 relay. She ran in three Olympic Trials, making the semifinals of the 800 in her final one in 2024 and was a regular at the USATF championships.
Bobby R. Kirkley. The Parkland alum, led the NAIA in scoring at Eastern New Mexico in 1975. He was inducted into the ENMU Hall of Fame and is the program's second-leading all-time scorer.
Natalia Hinojo. In 2012 at Montwood High, Hinojo went 35-0 to win a state title for the Rams. She went on to become a two-time All-American at Oklahoma City University and qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Cory Herman. The driving force behind the El Paso Hockey Association, Herman coachedthe El Paso Rhinos to more than 700 wins, two national titles and four Thorne Cup titles before leaving coaching in 2021 to focus on directing the EPHA. In 2020 El Paso was named Kraft Hockeyville USA in an ...
