Two former Male high school stars and two former University of Kentucky administrators will be enshrined in the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in August.

Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, former U of L running back Michael Bush, women sports pioneer Sue Feamster and former Harlem Globetrotter Dallas Thornton make up the KSHOF class of 2022.

"The KSHOF Class of 2022 recognizes four outstanding individuals who represent a broad spectrum of sports and occupations – individuals who had a major impact on sports in the Commonwealth and on the national stage," Louisville Sports Commission President and CEO Karl F. Schmitt Jr said in a news release. "Sue Feamster’s role championing girls’ and women’s sports is compelling and a fitting way for the KSHOF to celebrate the 50th anniversary year of Title IX legislation. The selection of Michael Bush and Dallas Thornton acknowledges the long history of outstanding athletes from Male High School, the University of Louisville and Kentucky Wesleyan. And the selection of Mitch Barnhart celebrates the on-going success of UK athletics under his tenure dating back more than two decades."

Kentucky football: UK Board of Trustees approves renovation of indoor facility

Mitch Barnhart

UK's athletic director since 2002, Barnhart has overseen four consecutive top-20 finishes in the national all-sports standings, six national championships (men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and rifle), 48 regular season and conference tournament championships and six consecutive football bowl games. During Barnhart's tenure, Kentucky has upgraded most of its athletics facilities while operating a self-sufficient budget with no state or university funds. Barnhart currently serves on the College Football Playoff Committee. In 2021 he finished a term as the chair of the NCAA's Men's Basketball Committee.

Michael Bush

The 2002 Mr. Kentucky Football, Bush was a multi-sport star at Male. He averaged a double-double as a senior on the basketball court after leading the Bulldogs to the state championship game in football. There, he passed for 468 yards and six touchdowns, rushed for 116 yards and a score, caught two passes for 24 yards, recorded five tackles on defense and returned one punt and one kickoff in a 59-56 loss to Trinity in what is widely considered the best Kentucky high school football playoff game ever. Bush went on to U of L, where he rushed for 2,508 yards and 39 touchdowns and caught 50 passes for 651 yards and two touchdowns in his career. Bush played six seasons in the NFL.

Michael Bush: 'It could have gone wrong,' Bush recounts tense encounter with DEA agents in Louisville

Sue Feamster

A Frankfort native, Feamster joined the UK faculty after graduation then served on the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, founded in 1969 to govern women’s sports and sponsor national championships. She was one of the founding members of the Kentucky Women’s Intercollegiate Conference in 1971 and served as the organization’s president from 1975-77. After the passing of Title IX, Feamster oversaw the administration of UK women’s athletic teams. She also served as the head coach of the UK women's basketball team from 1974 to 1976 and an assistant athletic director from 1978 to 1986.

Dallas Thornton

A four-sport star at Male, Thornton was named an All-American in basketball as a senior in 1964 after averaging 16.5 points and 14 rebounds per game. Thorton started a school-record 112 straight games for Kentucky Wesleyan. He helped lead Kentucky Wesleyan to the 1966 and 1968 NCAA DII national championships and a second-place finish in 1967. As a senior, Thornton was named a first team All-American. After leaving Kentucky Wesleyan, he was drafted in both the NBA and ABA. He played two seasons in the ABA before spending 17 years with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Email Jon Hale at jahale@courier-journal.com; Follow him on Twitter at @JonHale_CJ. 

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Ky Sports Hall of Fame: Mitch Barnhart, Michael Bush in 2022 class