NEW ORLEANS (June 25, 2026) – Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, and Bo McCalebb, the Class of 2026 for the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame, highlighted a group of 26 individuals and two teams that were honored at the annual Allstate Sugar Bowl Sports Awards Banquet presented by LCMC Health on Wednesday, June 24, at the Caesars Superdome. In addition to welcoming the three Hall-of-Famers, the Sugar Bowl recognized its annual James J. Corbett Award winners, the top coaches, athletes, and teams from New Orleans and the Sugar Bowl Athletes of the Month for 2025-26. The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, a group of current and former media members, selected all of the honorees.
 
"New Orleans has an incredibly rich sports history, and the Sugar Bowl has been a part of that since 1934," said Jeff Hundley, the chief executive officer of the Allstate Sugar Bowl. "The Bowl's involvement with the New Orleans Sports Awards dates back over 50 years and has provided the opportunity to recognize outstanding athletes at all levels, from an 11-year-old budding track star to a Pro Football Hall of Famer. It's a real privilege to see the big smiles from our athletes of the month, the celebrating faces of our high school teams of the year, the tears in the eyes of the parents of our scholarship winners, and the proud looks of accomplishment from our Hall of Famers as they're honored by their hometown."
 
The New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame was created in 1971 and has honored 267 sports figures (through 2026) who were born in New Orleans and achieved prominence in or away from the New Orleans area; or, those non-natives who achieved sports prominence in the New Orleans area in high school, college, professional or amateur sports. Plaques honoring the Hall of Famers are displayed prominently in the Caesars Superdome at Gate A on the Club Level as part of the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame.
 
New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026:
Eli Manning, Football - Isidore Newman/Ole Miss/NFL, 1995-2019
Peyton Manning, Football - Isidore Newman/Tennessee/NFL, 1990-2015
Bo McCalebb, Basketball - O. Perry Walker HS/UNL/Europe, 1998-2019

The Corbett Award was created in 1967 and named in honor of the late James J. Corbett to commemorate his many contributions to intercollegiate athletics and specifically to the Sugar Bowl. At the time of his death, Mr. Corbett was the Athletic Director at Louisiana State University. These awards are presented annually to the most outstanding non-professional male and female athletes in the State of Louisiana.
 
James J. Corbett Awards:
Corbett Award – Male: Easton Royal, Brother Martin Football/Track
Corbett Award – Female: Kailin Chio, LSU Gymnastics
 
"This year's Corbett Award winners are excellent additions to the Award's history," said Sugar Bowl President Riley Busenlener. "One has established himself as one of the top high school football players in the country while also being the fastest high school sprinter in the state of Louisiana. The other is one of the best gymnasts in the country, setting school records for perfect 10s and nearly leading her team to a national championship. The Sugar Bowl is proud to have the opportunity to recognize them both."
 
New Orleans Annual Awards:
Outstanding College Coach, Louisiana: Jon Sumrall, Tulane Football
Outstanding Boys Prep Coach, New Orleans: Wayne Stein, St. Charles Catholic Football/Baseball
Outstanding Girls Prep Coach, New Orleans: Maureen Homburg, Pope John Paul II Soccer
Outstanding Female Athlete, New Orleans: Leah Varisco, Sacred Heart Cross Country/Soccer/Basketball/Track
Outstanding Male Athlete, New Orleans: Easton Royal, Brother Martin Football/Track
Outstanding Boys' Prep Team, New Orleans: Jesuit Soccer
Outstanding Girls' Prep Team, New Orleans: John Curtis Basketball
Jimmy Collins Award: Don Dubuc, New Orleans Outdoors
 
"I'm really grateful to the Sugar Bowl for the recognition," said Sumrall, now the head coach at the University of Florida, via a recorded message. "Any time a head coach gets recognized, it's got more to do with the staff and the players involved. I'm so grateful for the 2025 Tulane football team and everyone involved. I'm also forever grateful to the city of New Orleans."
 
The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, with the support of the Allstate Sugar Bowl, also selected six standout student-athletes to receive Women in Sport Scholarships. Honorees were selected based on their athletic and academic success as well as their involvement in community service and an essay they wrote regarding why they felt they were deserving of an Allstate Sugar Bowl scholarship. 
 
Women in Sport Scholarship Honorees (presented by LCMC Health):
Sara Cordova, Isidore Newman Soccer
Addilyn Dufrene, John Curtis Christian Volleyball/Track & Field
Stella Junius, Mount Carmel Cross Country/Soccer/Track & Field
Kaelyn Sharp, Covington Volleyball/Track & Field
Ja'Mia Riley Washington, Eleanor McMain Softball
Abigail Willie, Northlake Christian Volleyball/Soccer/Softball
 
"While we are very proud of the competition opportunities we offer the young people of this region, there's something else the Bowl does to impact our community," Busenlener said. "We provide significant scholarship money to deserving student-athletes from the area. Honoring young student-athletes for their hard work and dedication is one of the most rewarding initiatives of the Sugar Bowl Committee."
 
The Sugar Bowl also surprised the scholarship winners by announcing at the event that the total scholarship dollars being awarded had been increased from $60,000 to $100,000.
 
The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee came together in 1957 when James Collins spearheaded a group of sports journalists to form a sports awards committee to immortalize local sports history. For 13 years, the committee honored local athletes each month and a variety of annual award winners. In 1970, the Sugar Bowl stepped in to sponsor and revitalize the committee, leading to the creation of the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, honoring 10 legends from the Crescent City in its first induction class. While adding the responsibility of selecting Hall of Famers, the committee has continued to recognize the top athlete in the New Orleans area each month as well as a range of annual awards – the honors enter their 70th year in 2026.
 
Sugar Bowl Athletes of the Month, 2025-26
July, 2025: Varenka Zhuk, New Orleans Metro Stars Track
August, 2025: Albert Edwards III, New Orleans Metro Stars Track
September, 2025: Easton Royal, Brother Martin Football
October, 2025: John Johnson, Edna Karr Football
November, 2025: Avery Daigle, Mandeville Swimming
December, 2025: Tre Garrison, Edna Karr Football
January, 2026: Stella Zippert, St. Mary's Dominican Soccer
February, 2026: Casey Parker-Karst, Jesuit Soccer
March, 2026: Aaliyah Lane, John Curtis Christian Track
April, 2026: Ashtyn Rogers, Patrick Taylor Softball
May, 2026: Easton Royal, Brother Martin Track
 
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 29 national champions, 114 Hall of Fame players, 55 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 92-year history. The 93rd Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will serve as a College Football Playoff Semifinal, will be played on January 15, 2027. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships, and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors thousands of student-athletes each year, while injecting over $2.6 billion into the local economy in the last decade. For more information, visit www.AllstateSugarBowl.org.
 
Established in 2009, LCMC Health is a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system serving the healthcare needs of the Gulf Coast region. LCMC Health currently manages Manning Family Children's, East Jefferson General Hospital, Lakeside Hospital, Lakeview Hospital, New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans and West Jefferson Medical Center.