"This is a real honour," said Mannino. "My biggest goal when I was racing was to compete with my peers and be looked at as a great ski racer - not a disabled ski racer. To even be nominated is truly an honour because it means someone saw what I was doing and that I had good success with it.

"For all the years I was on the U.S. Ski Team, it's good for me to be able to reflect back on the success I had."

The public will have a say in the hopeful selection of the U.S. Ski Team athletes. From now through June 16, fans can cast their votes for the 2009 class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame online at www.teamusa.org.

Greg Mannino continues his inspirational work in his day-to-day job at Endolite where he inspires recent amputees, particularly soldiers in the early days of rehabilitation, to go after opportunities and develop their potential for personal achievement.

The inductees will be revealed in early July and will be honoured at a black-tie induction ceremony on August 12 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame is the only national sports Hall of Fame that includes fan voting.

The charter class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was enshrined in 1983, with such Olympic legends as Cassius Clay, Peggy Fleming, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph and Mark Spitz. Following the 2008 induction the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame currently consists of 213 distinguished athletes and 13 special contributors.

U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, Class of 2009 Nominees

Individuals Greg Barton, canoe/kayak Jeff Blatnick, wrestling Valerie Brisco-Hooks, athletics Tracie Ruiz-Conforto, swimming Teresa Edwards, basketball Gary Hall, Sr., swimming Michael Johnson, athletics Mary T. Meagher, swimming Sheila Young Ochowicz, speed skating Darrell Pace, archery Terry Schroeder, water polo John Smith, wrestling Picabo Street, alpine skiing Peter Westbrook, fencing Willye White, athletics

Paralympians Jean Driscoll, athletics David Larson, athletics Greg Mannino, alpine skiing Tony Volpentest, athletics Sarah Will, alpine skiing