HANOVER, Ind. – The Hanover Panthers are set to open the 2026 season welcoming Centre College to Alumni Stadium on Saturday September 5 at 2:00 PM, where they will also welcome the newest members of the Hall of Fame Class.
HALL OF FAME CLASS 2026
The Hanover Athletic Hall of Fame will induct eight new members during Hall of Fame Day festivities.
Bob Donewald Sr. '64,
Erika Shepherd Dixon '16,
Melissa Fenton '97,
Ben Fox '96, Ernest "Skip" Lichtfuss,
Mike Rivera '95,
Micah Shrewsberry '99 and
Jim Spencer '75 will each be inducted. The honorees will be saluted at various gatherings associated with Hanover's football game.
SITTING AT NUMBER ONE
The Panthers enter the season as the favorite to repeat as Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Champions. Hanover received 36 points in the preseason poll, including six first place votes under reigning Coach of the Year,
Matt Theobald.
Hanover returns both the HCAC Offensive Player of the Year, senior
Eian Roudebush, and Defensive Player of the Year, junior
Brian Wall.
Roudebush led both the Panthers and the Conference in several offensive categories in 2025, including passing efficiency (163.8), touchdowns (30), and total passing yards (2,868). He was a key member of an offense that ranked first in total touchdowns (62), points per game (37.2), and total points scored (446).
On the other side of the ball,
Wall was a force in the secondary earning himself All-American honors. He was part of a defense that allowed the fewest touchdowns (23) among the HCAC, as well as the fewest total points (179), and points per game (14.8).
Senior
Saadiq Pasha also returns to the secondary after leading the team in 2025 in interceptions with four, including one pick six.
THE MATCH-UP
Centre enters the weekend with a two game win streak, defeating the Blue and Red as part of the season opener 23-15.
The Colonels finished the contest with a game-high 244 passing yards and 313 total yards. Dant Bowling returns as the top threat averaging 43.10 receiving yards per game. He recorded 431 total yards on 39 receptions.
Under center, junior Zane Cartwright will look to get the start. The junior appeared in six games completing four passes on nine attempts.
NEXT WEEK
The Panthers will hit the road in week two traveling to Maryville College for a 1:00 PM kick-off against the Scots.
