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The U.S. Olympic Committee announced today the 'Class of 2006' inductees, including Olympians Evelyn Ashford, Rowdy Gaines, Bob Hayes, Shannon Miller and Kristi Yamaguchi; Paralympian Diana Golden-Brosnihan; coach Herb Brooks; Jack Shea in the veterans category; and special contributor Dick Ebersol.

The 'Class of 2006' will be honored during the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, presented by Allstate, Induction Ceremony, Dec. 8, 2005, in Chicago, Ill. at the Harris Theatre.  

Additionally, a nationally-televised special will air early in 2006 to enable sports fans across the United States to relive the moments that catapulted the Class of 2006 inductees to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame status.  Broadcast details will be announced at a later date.

The Class of 2006 finalists in the individual sport/event, team, Paralympic and coaching categories were selected by a nominating committee consisting of athletes, members of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, historians and USOC representatives.  The inductees in these groups were then selected for induction into the Hall of Fame through on-line voting by the general public and Olympic family members. The honorees in the veteran and special contributor categories were selected by the nominating committee. 

In addition to capturing the team gold at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the gymnastics squad of Bart Conner, Tim Daggett, Mitch Gaylord, Jim Hartung, Scott Johnson and Peter Vidmar collected seven individual medals in the competition. Vidmar captured the gold medal on the pommel horse and the silver in the individual all-around. Daggett earned the pommel horse bronze while Conner was golden on the parallel bars. Gaylord came away with the silver in the long horse vault and bronze medals in the parallel bars and rings.

A rare five-time U.S. Olympian (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992), Evelyn Ashford won gold in both the 100 meters and the 4x100-meter relay at Los Angeles in 1984 and was the silver medalist in the 100m in 1988 at Seoul, where the sprinter again was a member of the USA's gold medal-winning 4x100m relay. Ashford collected her third consecutive 4x100m relay Olympic gold medal at Barcelona in 1992 at 35.

Rowdy Gaines, a two-time Olympian (1980, 1984) and 17-time national champion, swam to three gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, winning in the 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle relay and 400m medley relay. 

Called the "World's Fastest Human," Bob Hayes earned a pair of Olympic gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Games.  In addition to winning the 100 meters with a world-record-tying time, Hayes ran the anchor leg of the 4x100m relay, turning a three-meter deficit into a three-meter victory and new world record. As a member of the 1972 Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys, Hayes became the only athlete to win both an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring.

The most decorated gymnast in U.S. history, Shannon Miller earned five Olympic medals at the 1992 Barcelona Games (silver in individual all-around and balance beam; bronze in floor exercise, uneven bars and team all-around) and two gold (balance beam and team all-around) at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Kristi Yamaguchi won the Olympic gold in ladies singles at the 1992 Albertville Winter Games. Winner of back-to-back world titles (1991, 1992), the four-time U.S. World Team member was one of the first American women to compete in both pairs and ladies singles. At the 1988 World Junior Championships, Yamaguchi won the ladies' title as well as earning the pairs gold medal with partner Rudy Galindo.

Winner of 19 U.S. Disabled Alpine Championships gold medals and a 10-time World Disabled Ski Championships gold medalist, Diana Golden-Brosnihan's most cherished gold medal was bestowed upon her during the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary when disabled skiing was introduced as a demonstration sport. She led her teammates in a USA medal sweep in the women's disabled slalom.

Herb Brooks was the architect of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team that defeated Finland to win the gold medal. However, it was the USA's 4-3 victory over Russia in the semifinals that will forever be remembered as the "Miracle on Ice." Himself a member of the 1964 and 1968 U.S. Olympic teams, and the last player cut from the 1960 squad that won gold, Brooks returned to coach the 2002 U.S. Olympic Men's Team to the silver at the Salt Lake Winter Games.

A double-gold medalist in speedskating at the 1932 Olympic Winter Games in his hometown of Lake Placid, N.Y., Jack Shea won both the 500-meter and 1500-meter events. Shea, who chose not to defend his Olympic titles at the 1936 Winter Games in Germany, was also the patriarch of the United States' first three-generation Olympic family, including his son, Jim Shea Sr., a 1964 Olympian in skiing, and grandson, Jim Shea Jr., 2002 Olympic skeleton gold medalist.

As Chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics, Dick Ebersol is one of the world's most respected figures in sports. Under his leadership, the Olympic Games have caught the attention of the viewers (187 million watched the 2002 Winter Games) and the industry (11 Sports Emmys awarded to NBC for its coverage from Salt Lake). One of Ebersol's greatest achievements has been the establishment of NBC Universal as the home of the Olympic Games through 2012.

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was established in 1979 to celebrate the achievements of America's premier athletes in the modern Olympic Games. The first U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame class was inducted in 1983 during ceremonies in Chicago. That Charter Class, which included Olympic greats Jesse Owens, Jim Thorpe and Muhammad Ali, remains the largest group (20 individuals and one team) ever inducted.  In 2004, after a 12-year hiatus, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was revived through the support of the Allstate Insurance Company as the presenting sponsor. This year, Allstate will again serve as the presenting sponsor for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, and Kleenex will return as an associate sponsor for the event.

To date, 182 athletes (including six U.S. teams) and special contributors to the U.S. Olympic Movement have been enshrined. From the Charter Class of 1983 to the 2004 inductees, Hall members represent an American honor roll of athletic ambassadors to the ideals of brotherhood and fair play. The Class of 2006 inductees each continue that tradition.