INDIANAPOLIS - USA Track & Field on Friday announced the finalists for the National Track & Field Hall of Fame Class of 2007.

In conjunction with USATF's 2007 Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, this year's Hall of Fame Inductions will take place Saturday, December 1 at the Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu.

Since the induction of the Hall of Fame Class of 2003, voting and balloting procedures have been revamped. The Hall of Fame Steering Committee and Board of Directors modernized the screening, nomination and voting processes creating four categories in which individuals may be voted into the Hall of Fame. Those categories are: Modern athletes, retired 5 to 25 years; Veteran athletes, retired more than 25 years; Coaches; and Contributors. Each category has its own selection committee that chooses the finalists from the list of nominations. Members of the selection committees examine the nominations and evaluate their merit based on objective criteria.

This year's election will include inductees in the three categories seen below:

- Modern athletes, retired 5 to25 years

- Veteran athletes, retired more than 25 years

- Coaches

Elections for Modern and Veteran athletes are held each year. Beginning in 2005, elections for Coaches are held in odd numbered years, with Contributors elections in even numbered years. Hall of Fame inductees, members of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame Board and Committees, and members of the media comprise the National Track & Field Hall of Fame electorate.

The finalists for election to the "Class of 2007" for the National Track & Field Hall of Fame are as follows:

MODERN ATHLETES

HOLLIS CONWAY: Two-time Olympic men's high jumper, silver medal in 1988, bronze in 1992...two-time World Outdoor Championships team member, bronze medal in 1991...1991 World Indoor champion, 8th in 1993...five-time USA Outdoor champion...

four-time USA Indoor champion...1989 NCAA Outdoor champion...1988-'89 NCAA Indoor champion...two-time U.S. Outdoor record holder...three-time U.S. Indoor record holder...ranked top ten in the world by Track & Field News six times (#1 twice).

LANCE DEAL: Four-time Olympian, silver medalist in hammer in 1996...four-time World Outdoor Championships team member, best finish 5th in 1995...three-time World Cup team member, 2nd in 1989, 3rd in 1992, 2nd in 1994...nine-time USA Outdoor hammer champion...12-time USA Indoor 35-lb. weight throw champion...three-time (and current) USA hammer throw record holder...13-time (and current) USA Indoor 35-lb. weight throw record holder...ranked top ten in the world by Track & Field News on six occasions (#1 in 1996).

JANE FREDERICK: Two-time Olympian in heptathlon, best finish 7th in 1976...two-time World Outdoor Championships team member, bronze medal in 1987...nine-time USA heptathlon champion...two-time USA 110m hurdles champion...1979 USATF Indoor pentathlon champion...1977 USA Indoor 60y hurdles champion...1973 AIAW Pentathlon champion...five-time U.S. heptathlon record holder...five-time U.S. pentathlon (200m '71) record holder...five time U.S. pentathlon record holder (800m '71)...U.S. Indoor 60y hurdles record holder in 1977...ranked top ten in the world by Track & Field News 11 times (#1 in 1985).

JOHNNY GRAY: Four-time Olympian, 800m bronze medal in 1992...three-time World Championships team member, best finish sixth in 1991...seven-time U.S. 800m champion...1986 USA Indoor 1,000y champion...five-time (and current) USA 800m outdoor record holder...five-time (and current) USA 800m indoor record holder...set U.S. 1,000y indoor record in 1986...world ranked top ten 11 times by Track & Field News.

ANDRE PHILLIPS: 1988 Olympic 400m hurdles gold medalist...5th at 1983 World Outdoor Championships...1st at 1985 World Cup...1985 USA Outdoor 400m hurdles champion...1981 NCAA Outdoor 400m hurdles champion...world ranked #3 in 110m hurdles in 1985...world ranked nine times top ten at 400m hurdles by Track & Field News, ranked #1 in world in 1985, 1986, 1988.

CONNIE PRICE-SMITH: Three-time Olympic shot putter, best finish 5th in 1996...two-time Olympic discus thrower...five-time World Outdoor Championships team member, best finish 5th in 1997...two-time World Outdoor Championships discus thrower...seven-time World Indoor Championships team member, silver medal in 1995...two-time World Cup shot putter, 3rd in 1998...three-time World Cup discus thrower...11-time USA Outdoor shot put champion...seven-time USA discus throw champion...seven-time USA Indoor shot put champion...world ranked in shot put five times by Track & Field News.

CALVIN SMITH: Olympic men's 100m bronze medalist in 1988...two-time World Outdoor Championships 200m gold medalist (1983, 1987)...1983 World Outdoor Championships 100m silver medalist...4x100m relay gold medalist at 1984 Olympic Games, 1983 World Outdoor Championships and 1985 & 1992 World Cup...1982 USA Outdoor 200m champion...world record in 4x100m relay in 1983, 1984, 1993...former 100m world and American record holder...world ranked 10 times at 100m, world ranked seven times at 200 meters by Track & Field News (#1 in 1983).

RANDY WILLIAMS: Olympic long jump gold medalist in 1972, silver medalist in 1976...qualified for 1980 Olympic Team, but did not compete because of U.S. boycott...USA Outdoor long jump champion in 1973...USA Indoor champion in 1973...NCAA Outdoor champion in 1972...NCAA Indoor champion in 1973...world ranked four times by Track & Field News,(#1 in 1972).

VETERAN ATHLETES

AL BLOZIS: Three-time USA Outdoor shot put champion...three-time USA Indoor shot put champion...three-time NCAA champion...three-time IC4A shot put and discus champion...three-time IC4A Indoor shot put champion...four-time shot put world record holder...world ranked in shot put four times, ranked #1 in world in 1940, 1941, 1942...world ranked in discus throw three times.

DON BOWDEN: 1956 Olympian in 1,500 meters...1957 NCAA Outdoor 880y champion...U.S. mile record holder (3:58.7, 1957)...world ranked #3 in 800 meters by Track & Field News in 1957...first American to break the four-minute barrier in the mile.

ELEANOR MONTGOMERY: Two-time Olympic women's high jumper...six-time USA Outdoor champion...six-time USA Indoor champion...two-time U.S. outdoor record holder...four-time U.S. indoor record holder...world ranked in women's high jump five times.

GLENN MORRIS: 1936 Olympic decathlon gold medalist...former decathlon world record holder...ranked #1 in the worldin 1936...undefeated in three decathlon career...1936 AAU Sullivan Award winner.

PAT RYAN: 1920 Olympic hammer throw gold medalist, Olympic silver medalist in 56-pound weight throw in 1920...eight-time USA Outdoor hammer throw champion...two-time USA Indoor 56-pound weight throw champion...his world record set in 1913 lasted 24 years, 39 years as the American record...world ranked 10 times (#1 eight times).

WILLIE STEELE: 1948 Olympic long jump gold medalist...two-time USA Outdoor champion...1948 Olympic Trials champion...two-time NCAA long jump champion... world ranked four times, #1 on three occasions: 1946, 1947, 1948.

BERNIE WEFERS: Three-time USA 100y champion...three-time USA 220y champion...two-time IC4A 100y champion...1896 IC4A 220y champion...three-time 100y world record holder...two-time 220y-straight world record holder...220y-turn world record holder...three times world ranked #1 in 100m/100y...four times world ranked in 200m/200y, three times #1...two times world ranked at 400m/440y...won 100y (=WR) and 220y (WR) at 1895 New York A.C. vs. London A.C. dual meet, which was the first major international meet...he is the only sprinter other than Ralph Metcalfe to win three consecutive national championships 100/200 doubles.

GEORGE WOODS: Three-time Olympic shot putter, won silver medal in 1968 and 1972...two-time Olympic Trials shot put champion...four-time USA Indoor champion...1966 NCAA Indoor champion...six-time world indoor record holder, set the WR five times in 1964...world ranked top ten on six occasions by Track & Field News, #1 in 1972.

COACHES BIOS

ELVIN C. "DUCKY" DRAKE: Head Coach, UCLA, 1947-1964 (Asst. Coach 1929-1944)...Team Championships: NCAA 1956 outdoor...Individuals Coached: Hall of Famer Rafer Johnson (Olympic Gold 1960 Decathlon)...Olympic Medalists Cy Young, C.K. Yang, Craig Dixon, George Roubanis...Olympians George Brown, George Stanich...Individual Championships: 12 AAU titles, 9 NCAA titles by 7 athletes...Positions: Head Trainer Olympic T&F 1956, UCLA Head Trainer (all sports) 1942-1972...Honors: NCAA T&F Coach of the Year 1956.

SANDOR "ALEX" FERENCZY: Head Coach and Founder, Cleveland T.C. 1957-1976...Individuals Coached: Hall of Famer Madeline Manning (Olympic Games gold 1968 800m)...Olympians Vivian Brown, Sandra Knott, Eleanor Montgomery...Individual Championships: 43 AAU titles by 15 athletes (including relays)...Positions: Women's Head Coach Olympics 1976.

CONRAD FORD: Head Coach: New York City Police Athletic League 1949-1985...

Team Championships: AAU outdoor 1952; AAU indoor 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953

Individuals Coached: Hall of Famer Mae Faggs (Olympic Games gold 1952 4x100)...

Olympians Barbara Brown, Meredith Ellis, Anne Marie Flynn, Mattline Render...

Individual Championships: 27 AAU titles by 10 athletes (plus 11 relays)...Positions: Women's Head Coach Olympics 1968; Women's Head Coach Pan-Ams 1963; AAU Women's Committee 1950-1985...Honors: AAU/USATF Joseph Robichaux Women's T&F Award 1975.

DR. KEN FOREMAN: Head Coach: Seattle Pacific 1950-1957, 1965-1978, 1985-1999;

Falcon Track Club (and Founder) 1955-1977; SportsWest T.C. (and Founder) 1977-1998...Team Championships: AAU cross country 1972...Individuals Coached: Hall of Famer Doris Brown Heritage (International Cross Country champion 1967-1971)...

Olympians Kelly Blair-LaBounty, Lorna Griffin, Pam Spencer, Sherron Walker...

Individual Championships: 14 AAU titles (outdoor, indoor, cross country) by two athletes; 1 AIAW title...Positions: Women's Head Coach Olympics 1980, World Championships 1983, World Cross Country 1967, 1970, 1973; Chair AAU Women's LDR 1968-1974...Honors: AAU/USATF Joseph Robichaux Women's T&F Award 1978.

ROBERT "TIMMIE" TIMMONS: Head Coach: Kansas 1966-1988; East High School (Wichita, KS) 1956-1964...Team Championships: NCAA outdoor 1970; NCAA indoor 1966, 1969, 1970...Individuals Coached: Hall of Famer Jim Ryun (World Records 880, 1500, Mile)...Olympians Sam Colson, Jan Johnson, Mark Lutz, Terry Porter, Cliff Wiley (1980 team member)...Individual Championships: 20 NCAA titles (outdoor, indoor, cross country) by 11 athletes...Positions: Kansas Relays Meet Director 1965-1988.

For more information on the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, visit: www.usatf.org.