Former Heartland Softball National Champion and current Auburn Head Softball Coach Kate Malveaux and former Heartland Baseball National Champion and current Chicago White Sox outfielder Sam Antonacci have been inducted into the 2026 Illinois Sports Hall of Fame class.

The former Hawks join an impressive class of Illinois sports legends, including Derrick Rose, Greg Maddux, and many other accomplished athletes from across the state.

The induction ceremony took place Saturday in Springfield, Illinois. However, neither Heartland inductee was able to attend because of their commitments to their respective teams.

Kate Malveaux attended Heartland from 2007-09 and was a member of the college's inaugural softball team. During the program's first season in 2008, the Hawks finished third at the NJCAA National Tournament. One year later, Heartland captured the first national championship in the history of the athletics department.

During that championship season, Malveaux batted .358 with 16 doubles, nine home runs, and 53 RBIs. She earned All-Region 24 and Second Team All-Conference honors for her outstanding play.

In a recent interview with Auburn Athletics, Malveaux reflected on the impact Heartland had on both her playing career and her future as a coach.

"We had only about 10 or 11 girls to do it," she said. "Got a lot of really great experience and learned what hard work meant in a softball career. It springboarded and showed me a different love of the game and what really committing to it meant."

"That put me on track for the rest of my career, and we haven't looked back since."

After Heartland, Malveaux continued her playing career at Bradley University before transitioning into coaching. She began as an assistant coach at Bradley before making stops at Louisiana and Tennessee. On June 5, 2024, she was named co-head coach at Auburn University, where she currently leads the Tigers' softball program.

Sam Antonacci attended Heartland from 2021-23 and helped lead the Hawks to back-to-back NJCAA World Series appearances. His sophomore season culminated in the first national championship in Heartland baseball history.

During his historic sophomore campaign, Antonacci hit .515 with 14 home runs, 103 RBIs, and 32 doubles. His remarkable season earned him NJCAA Division II Baseball Player of the Year honors and First Team All-American recognition.

Following Heartland, Antonacci transferred to Coastal Carolina University for the 2024 season before being selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

On April 15, 2026, Antonacci's professional dream became a reality when he was selected to the White Sox's 40-man roster and promoted to the Major Leagues, where he currently plays in the outfield.

The complete list of 2026 Illinois Sports Hall of Fame inductees is available on the Illinois Sports Hall of Fame website.