Frank Hawkins, Nevada’s all-time leading rusher and a College Football Hall of Fame inductee, is among eight people selected for the Big Sky Conference’s 2026 Hall of Fame class announced Thursday.
Hawkins becomes the first inductee from a school no longer in the Big Sky. Nevada football competed in the Big Sky from 1979-92, winning five titles and reaching the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs seven times.
He played at Nevada from 1977-80, with his final two seasons in the conference. Hawkins was a two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection and an Associated Press All-American. He rushed for 3,402 yards in conference play, led Division I-AA in rushing in 1979 and 1980, and totaled 24 rushing touchdowns.
Hawkins remains Nevada’s all-time leading rusher with 5,333 yards, 947 carries, 39 touchdowns, and 264 points scored among non-kickers. His No. 27 jersey is retired, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 1981 and played seven NFL seasons from 1981-87, winning a Super Bowl XVIII championship. He finished his career with 1,659 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
After his playing career, Hawkins became a civic leader in Las Vegas, serving on the City Council as the first elected Black official, on the Las Vegas Housing Authority board, and as president of the Las Vegas NAACP branch from 2008-15.
The induction ceremony is scheduled for July 25 at Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Airway Heights, Washington, during Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend.
