STC Graduate and Wartburg Alum Joe Hughes will be inducted into the Wartburg Athletics Hall of Fame this fall. Hughes was the 1998 Class 2A state cross country champion while at South Tama and carried this success into his career at Wartburg.

Hughes boosted various accolades while competing for the Division III powerhouse. He earned All-American honors in cross country at the 2001 national championships as well as in track in the distance medley relay in 2001 and the steeplechase in 2003. Hughes is a three-time All-Region finisher and three-time All-Conference finisher in cross country. He is a two-time conference champion in the steeplechase and won the indoor 1500 in 2002. Hughes earned two Academic All-Conference honors and was named USTFCCCA All-Academic in 2001 and CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2003.

After learning of his inclusion into the hall of fame Hughes shared the following statement.

“Wartburg has always been very supportive of me, just like the South Tama community. I wasn’t the best runner in Wartburg history, but our team elevated the program, which led to multiple national champions after us and a culture that has lasted two decades,” he said.

His induction will take place as part of the annual Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities this October in Waverly, with an exact date and time is still to be announced. Hughes will be accompanied by eight other Wartburg alumni into the 2024 induction class. Look out for more coverage at the time of the event.