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Wayne State University Athletics

David L. Holmes HOF Announcement graphic

General Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

WSU Athletics Hall of Fame To Be Renamed - David L. Holmes WSU Athletics Hall of Fame

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame will be renamed the David L. Holmes Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame in recognition of David L. Holmes' extraordinary and foundational contributions to the institution's athletic history.

On Oct. 9, 2026, WSU will induct its 50th Hall of Fame class in conjunction with its 50th anniversary since the HOF was started in 1976 (missed one year of inductions due to COVID).

As part of the renaming and the 50th anniversary, the current HOF area inside the Matthaei is being renovated.

David L. Holmes dedicated more than four decades of his professional life to the growth and development of athletics at Wayne State University and its predecessor institutions.  Born in Carlton, Kansas, on August 28, 1887, Holmes was a multi-sport athlete at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University), where he competed in football, basketball, and track and remained unbeaten in the long (broad) jump throughout his collegiate career from 1904–1908.  He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1908 and later obtained a Master of Science from Columbia University in 1910.

Holmes' early professional career included roles as an athletic director and multi-sport coach at several institutions before arriving in Detroit.  He served at Detroit Eastern High School and Cass Technical High School from 1914-1917, and in the fall of 1917 he accepted the position at Detroit Junior College, the forerunner of Wayne State University.  From that point forward, Holmes became synonymous with the evolution and identity of Wayne State University athletics.

Across Detroit Junior College, the College of the City of Detroit, and Wayne University, Holmes served as Athletic Director from 1917 through 1954 - a combined 37 years of continuous leadership.  During this tenure, he oversaw significant milestones, including the adoption of the "Tartars" nickname in 1927 and the institution's entrance into the NCAA and the Mid-American Conference in 1945.  His leadership established organizational structure, competitive credibility, and long-term sustainability for the athletic department.

In addition to his administrative accomplishments, Holmes was an accomplished coach across multiple sports.  He coached men's basketball during the program's first 12 seasons, compiling a 130-66 record and leading the 1927-28 team to a Michigan Collegiate Conference championship.  His football teams posted a 35-35-9 record, including two undefeated seasons.  When he stepped away from football, he founded the cross-country program and coached it for 27 seasons, recording a 99-53 mark and capturing a Mid-American Conference title in 1946, with only five losing seasons during that span.

Holmes also gained national recognition as a track and field coach and innovator.  Despite limited facilities, his indoor and outdoor track teams achieved competitive records, and he coached four Olympians, including a bronze medalist in the decathlon and a gold medalist in the 4x100-meter relay.  Beyond competition, he contributed to the advancement of the sport through the development of training systems and the design of equipment such as starting blocks and hurdles.

Holmes retired from Wayne State in 1958 and passed away in 1960.  His legacy was formally recognized when he was inducted as a charter member of the Wayne State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976 and selected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 following a 41-year career at the university.

Renaming the Athletics Hall of Fame in David L. Holmes' honor appropriately acknowledges his unparalleled influence on Wayne State athletics.  His 
contributions were not limited to wins and championships; they shaped the identity, infrastructure, and national standing of the athletic department.  The naming serves as a lasting tribute to a pioneer whose leadership, innovation, and longevity laid the foundation upon which Wayne State Athletics continues to build today.

 
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