Bridgewater and Delk headline Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame class of '24

The former U of L and UK standouts lead a class of four 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Roy Pickerill called the night magical. Oscar Combs said it was a long time dream that he never thought would happen. Tony Delk called it a remarkable honor and Teddy Bridgewater proclaimed it very special. The four of them comprised the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame class of 2024 during induction ceremonies at Freedom Hall Monday night.  

"It means a lot to me," said Bridgewater. "It's a testament to the people I encountered during my years here. The coaches that I played for, the teammates that I competed with to the fans and the students that I went to school with. Everyone played a role in me becoming the man I am today and grateful for the years I had here."

Bridgewater proclaimed the honor very special.

The Miami native was a three-year starter for UofL, threw for nearly 10,000 yards and 83 touchdowns and was the MVP of Louisville's 2013 Sugar Bowl win over No.2 Florida. He was drafted in the first round and spent nine years in the NFL with five different franchises and is now the head coach at his high school alma mater, Northwestern High School near Miami.   

"We have a group of guys who see where you just came from," said Bridgewater about his players. "And they have that end goal in mind in the NFL and college and they see that I'm fresh out of the NFL. It's easy for me to get through to those guys. Everything I talk about is golden to those guys."   

Delk came to UK from Brownsville, Tennessee, and left as the MVP of the Final Four as the Wildcats captured the 1996 national title. He's still in the top five all-time in scoring at the school, was drafted in the first round and played 10 years in the NBA. 

Delk called it a remarkable honor.

Combs is a Hazard, Kentucky, native who started the Cats Pause in 1976, the first independent publication to cover a major athletic program in the U.S., essentially starting a new industry.

Pickerill is in his 54th year at Kentucky Wesleyan, where he went to school and never left. He's in his eighth year as Sports Information Director Emeritus and Special Assistant for College Relations after spending nearly 30 years as the school's Sports Information Director.

Pickerill grew up in Shively and said he worked for a couple of years at Freedom Hall doing a wide variety of tasks.

Monday night, things came full circle as he was part of the class of 2024 inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame at the same venue. 

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