College of DuPage Athletics recently honored its Class of 2026 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees at the Double Tree in Lisle on June 13. 

"The 2026 class of the Athletic Hall of Fame represents another outstanding group of individuals who greatly contributed to COD's history," reflected Hall of Fame Chair and 2023 inductee Jane Vatchev. "Our two pioneers in athletic administration and coaching, Herb and Joe, laid the foundation for the future of athletics at COD. Demond, MJ, Jessica, and Guy were all local DuPage County athletes who competed successfully at the NJCAA national level and were standouts in their respective sport." 

The College of DuPage Athletic Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Chaparral athletics as student-athletes, coaches and administrators. The Class of 2026 continues that tradition, representing excellence across multiple eras and sports while helping shape the history and success of College of DuPage athletics.

Joe Palmieri — Athletic Director, Coach (1967–1980) 

Joe Palmieri served as COD's first athletic director and played a foundational role in building the Chaparrals' athletic and physical education programs. Palmieri hired the first generation of COD coaches and helped establish programs that quickly gained national recognition. During the 1970s, COD was honored four times as one of the nation's most productive NJCAA athletic programs. A strong advocate for expanding opportunities, Palmieri promoted growth in women's sports, intramurals and overall athletic funding. He later coached softball and women's basketball and served as the golf coach in the program's early years. His leadership helped shape the identity of the College's athletics during its formative period.

Herb Salberg — Athletic Director, Coach, Dean (1967–1992)

Herb Salberg served as a coach, athletic director and administrator for 25 years. As head hockey coach, he compiled a 237-83-9 record and led the Chaparrals to NJCAA national championships in 1980, 1988 and 1990. His teams also captured numerous state titles and helped establish COD as a national power. Salberg later served as director of athletics from 1979 to 1992 and spearheaded the development of the College's modern athletic facility, a $10.1 million project still in use today. He also coached golf teams that won multiple conferences and regional titles and served in leadership roles within the NJCAA. Salberg was later dubbed the "godfather of junior ice hockey" for his contributions to the sport.

Demond Brown — Men's Basketball (1999–2001)

Demond Brown was one of the most dominant post players in COD men's basketball history. A two-time NJCAA All-American and two-time All-Region IV selection, Brown finished his career ranked second in rebounds (668), eighth in points (952), sixth in field goal percentage (.58) and sixth in free throws made (186). He holds the program record for rebounds in a game with 19. Brown helped lead the Chaparrals to the 2000 NJCAA Division III National Championship game, finishing as national runner-up. Following COD, he earned a full scholarship to St. Xavier University where he earned first-team all-conference honors. He later went on to coach at the high school level and continued impacting student athletes.

MJ Ignacek — Women's Basketball (2000–2002)

MJ Ignacek helped lead the College's women's basketball team to the 2002 NJCAA Division III National Championship, earning First Team All-American honors. The Chaparrals defeated Northland Community & Technical College 66-49 in the title game. Ignacek earned All-Conference and All-Region honors both seasons while leading the team in scoring each year and leading in steals and rebounds as a guard. She was named COD Co-Outstanding Player of the Year and received the team's Coaches Award in both 2000 and 2001. In addition to basketball, she also competed for the women's volleyball team. A Joliet native, Ignacek played for Hall of Fame coach Dr. Thomas Earl Reed.

Jessica Pancoska — Women's Track & Field (1999–2001)

Jessica Pancoska was a six-time All-American and five-time NJCAA national champion for the women's track and field team. She captured national titles in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, and 4x800 relay while helping lead the Chaparrals to a national teamchampionship. Pancoska also placed fifth in the 800 and fourth in the 1500 at the 1999 NJCAA Championships. As team captain in 2001, she anchored the 4x800 relay team that set an NJCAA and school record, which stood until 2025. Following COD, she competed at the University of Illinois-Chicago, where she set the school record in the 3000-meter steeplechase and later completed the Chicago Marathon in 2008.

Guy Sciortino — Men's Golf (1996–1998)

Guy Sciortino was a two-time NJCAA Division III First Team All-American and helped lead COD to back-to-back national golf championships. He was a two-time N4C First Team All-Conference selection and Conference Player of the Year, along with earning First Team All-Region IV honors twice. Sciortino placed fifth and third individually at the NJCAA Championships and finished his career with 13 tournament victories and 30 top-10 finishes. His scoring average of 74.14 ranks among the best in program history. Following COD, Sciortino competed professionally on multiple tours and participated in the Illinois Open for 30 years, recording seven top 10 finishes and a runner-up finish. He most recently won the Morris Invitational in 2025. 

View photos from the induction ceremony.