The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors announces the 2026 Men’s Induction Class to be honored on Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Rooted in a passion that spans generations, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame remains dedicated to Honoring, Preserving and Promoting the Heritage of Indiana High School Basketball. That commitment continues as the Hall’s Board of Directors announces its 64th induction class, to be celebrated in ceremonies on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Eighteen men are in the class, including 1987 Indiana co-Mr. Basketball Jay Edwards of Marion, and seven other players (John Barnhill of Evansville Lincoln, Wallace Bryant of Gary Emerson, Jaraan Cornell of South Bend Clay, Tom Cutter of Lafayette Central Catholic, Richard Ellis of Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, Rick Fox of Warsaw and Ron Horn of Mississinewa).The class also includes four men who were successful as players and coaches (Brandon Brantley of Andrean, Leo Costello of Lynnville, Harry Larrabee of Shelbyville and Ed Schilling of Lebanon), five coaches (Dick Barr of Muncie Central, Jerry Bomholt of Elwood, Cliff Hawkins of Cascade, Marty Johnson of Highland and Robert “Bob” Punter of DeMotte) and one broadcaster – Howard Kellman of Indianapolis – as the Indiana Pacers/Indiana Fever Silver Medal winner. The Silver Medal is presented to a person who contributed to Indiana high school basketball in a role other than as a player or coach. 

Barnhill, Barr, Cornell, Costello, Ellis and Horn are posthumous inductees. Costello, a 1923 high school graduate, is the winner of the hall’s Centennial Award, which inducts a man who graduated high school from 100 years ago or more.

The 18 inductees as well as the 2026 men’s Silver Anniversary Team members and the 2026 men’s Center Circle Officials Award honorees will be honored at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s 64th Men’s Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

A mid-day reception, free and open to the public, will be held earlier on March 18 at the Hall of Fame Museum in New Castle. The evening banquet will take place at Primo Banquet Hall, 2615 National Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227.

Robert “Bob” Punter

Bob Punter, a 1965 graduate of DeMotte, is best known for compiling a 302-117 record in 18 seasons as varsity coach at Valparaiso High School. During his tenure, Punter’s teams captured nine Duneland Conference titles as well as nine sectionals (1990, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), two regionals (1994, 2004) and one semi-state (1994) and finished as the 1994 state runner-up with a 28-1 record. 

Along the way, Punter guided four Indiana All-Stars in Bryce Drew, Tim Bishop, Scott Martin and Robbie Hummel with Drew also being named 1994 Mr. Basketball, the 1994 IHSAA Trester Award winner and a 2025 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Punter was a three-time IBCA district Coach of the Year (1992, 1994, 2007), received six other Coach of the Year awards and was a 2003 Indiana All-Star assistant coach.

Punter was a three-year basketball letterman at DeMotte, helping the Indians to a combined 50-22 record and a 1964 sectional championship. He earned a bachelor’s degree in math education from Indiana State University in 1969 and a master’s degree in math education from Valparaiso University in 1974.

He became a teacher and coach for Valparaiso Schools for 38 years, compiling a 130-118 mark as a seventh- and eighth-grade coach from 1969-88 and a 179-41 ledger as a JV coach from 1977-89 before being named varsity coach in 1989-90. After retiring as a head coach, he served as an assistant coach at Lake Station Edison from 2007-12 and Wheeler High School from 2017-2018.

Punter was named Valparaiso Teacher of the Year in 1986 and was inducted into the Valparaiso High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. He and his wife, Barbara, are parents to three adult children – Erin, Jeff and Laura – and have six grandchildren.

Banquet reservations will soon be available on the Hall of Fame’s website or by calling (765) 529-1891. For more information, you may also email kayla@hoopshall.com.