Track & Field 10/17/2025 9:00:00 AM McKenna Roering

Akil Mills: Late Bloomer to Hall of Famer

It was like any other day — until the phone rang.

When Akil Mills answered, he wasn't expecting news that would honor years of sacrifice, grit and perseverance. He thought something was wrong, or that Illinois State Athletics Director Dr. Jeri Beggs was reaching out to ask him for help with something.

"No," Mills remembers her saying. "I just wanted to welcome you into the Percy Family Hall of Fame."

Equally grateful and surprised by the news, Mills hung up the phone and immediately told his wife, Sammi, whom he met through the track & field team at ISU over a decade ago.