D.A. Points was going about his business last week when his phone rang. The caller ID showed Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman — a name he recognized, but a call he certainly didn't expect.

Points, a three-time PGA Tour winner and proud Illini alum, has crossed paths with Whitman at basketball games over the years. "We always have a real nice time together," Points said, "but he's never really called me, so I was a little shocked and wondering what was going on."

What was going on turned out to be the best kind of news: Points had been selected for the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I was completely surprised," Points admitted. "I never thought about it. I never thought that I was necessarily in the running for a thing like this. I am so honored and beyond grateful. It was a little emotional. My wife (Lori) and I hugged and shed a tear. It really, truly means the world to me."

Points will be inducted alongside a star-studded class that includes basketball standouts Ayo Dosunmu, James Augustine and Tauja Catchings, football legends Howard Griffith and Brandon Lloyd, volleyball star Jordyn Poulter, and soccer great Ella Masar. The group will be celebrated at a gala in September at the State Farm Center in Champaign-Urbana.

This isn't Points' first hall of fame honor. As a member of the Pekin High School golf team, he was inducted into the IHSA Hall of Fame after leading his team to a state title in 1993, where he also claimed individual medalist honors. Unfortunately, a scheduling conflict kept him from attending that ceremony in Peoria.

This time, nothing will keep him away. Points, his wife Lori, and their two children — 16-year-old Laila and 11-year-old Charlie — will be in Champaign-Urbana on Sept. 11 for the gala. The timing works perfectly, with the Illinois football team hosting Duke the following day.

"I have a couple friends that have been part of my career that are Illini and might come as well," Points said. "I'm definitely going to be there and can't wait."

The Points family got a taste of Illinois football in 2025 when they attended the game against top-ranked Ohio State. Though the Buckeyes won 34-16, it was a memorable experience — especially for Laila and Charlie, who had never been to a college football game before. They even got to go on the field before kickoff to watch the teams warm up.

"Obviously, we didn't win, but it was a beautiful day," Points recalled. "It was a really cool opportunity for my kids."

Points graduated from Illinois in December 1999 and moved to Florida on Jan. 1, 2000 — a place he's called home ever since. He and Lori recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.

Now approaching a milestone of his own, Points turns 50 in December, which will make him eligible for the PGA Champions Tour — a second career chapter that Illinois great and fellow Hall of Famer Steve Stricker knows all too well. For a guy who never expected a call from the athletic director, the next few years are shaping up to be just as exciting as the last.