Bison Athletic Hall of Fame To Induct 37th Annual Class on Oct. 3
9/26/2008 6:00:00 PM | General
North Dakota State University will induct its 37th annual class of seven new members into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame and its second national championship team into the Bison Athletic Hall of Champions on Friday, Oct. 3rd. The addition of the seven new members will bring the number of individuals enshrined to 224.
The newest members of the Hall are the 1968 NDSU national championship football team represented by co-captain and fullback JACK HAGEN, men's track & field All-American TODD JOHNSON (1989-92); men's basketball standout DAVID RYLES (1983-87); All-America offensive lineman TED HALL (1984-85); women's basketball All-America guard and cross country performer JODY BUCK STEFONOWICZ (1989-94); All-America nose guard PAUL LENZ (1985-88); women's basketball All-America guard/forward NADINE SCHMIDT (1989-93), and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame head coach AMY RULEY (1979-2008).
The announcement was made by Hall of Fame committee chairman LEE PETERSEN.
The induction will take place at the Holiday Inn in Fargo. Lunch will begin at 11 a.m. with the induction ceremonies to start at 11:30 a.m.
A limited number of tickets are available from the NDSU Athletic Media Relations Office (701-231-7197) for a cost of $25 per ticket.
The group will also be recognized at the homecoming football game on October 4th between NDSU and Southern Illinois.
Here's a look at the 37th annual class:
1968 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL TEAM ? North Dakota State University capped off a perfect 10-0 season with a Pecan Bowl win over Arkansas State to claim the program's second national championship and first under the direction of head coach Ron Erhardt ... The Bison recorded their fifth straight North Central Conference championship with a 6-0 record -- unprecedented in the history of the league ... North Dakota State extended its home field winning streak to 24 games that season ... Sixteen members of the 1968 NDSU football team, 13 players, a pair of coaches and athletic trainer, have been inducted into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame ... Paul Hatchett ran for 106 yards and a touchdown as NDSU's awesome offense rolled to 23 first-half points to stop Arkansas State in the fifth annual Pecan Bowl ... The Bison, ranked No. 1 in the nation, looked to make it a runaway in the opening two periods when Joe Roller, Hatchett, Ken Blazei and Bruce Grasamke combined for the three TDs and a field goal ... Roller caught an 11-yard pass from Grasamke and Hatchett traversed 18 yards for first-quarter TDs ... Blazei then booted a 30-yard field goal and Grasamke ran in from four yards out before the halftime gun ... The Indians got two fourth-quarter TDs but had little other success against the Herd ... Hatchett was voted the outstanding offensive player of the game. ... Hatchett and defensive tackle Jim Ferge were named first-team Little All-Americans by the Associated Press, while safety Del Gehrett was honorable mention ... For the 18 seniors on the Bison roster, it marked the end of three successful years where they charted a 26-2 regular season record ... Hatchett established a NCC rushing standard and became the first Bison player in 73 years to surpass 1,000 yards on the ground ... Blazei booted 50 consecutive extra points to establish a then- national intercollegiate single-season mark.
TODD JOHNSON, Track & Field, Javelin (1989-92) ? Four-time North Central Conference champion in the javelin...Two-time All-American ... Captured the NCC javelin championship in 1989-90-91-92 during an unprecedented run by the Bison of 17 consecutive javelin championships ... Threw consistently over 200 feet in the NCC with a top mark of 211-8 in 1991 ... Only four-time javelin champion in NCC history ... Finished 8th in the nation in the javelin in 1990 (207-8) and 7th in 1991 (201-11) ... Two-time North Dakota Class A champion in the javelin in 1987 and 1988 leading the Fargo South High School track & field team to a pair of state championships ... Was also a member of two Class A football state championship teams in 1987 and 1988 ... Selected as North Dakota's Gatorade Track & Field Athlete of the Year in 1988 ... Todd and his wife, Tina, reside in Alexandria, Minn. with their two children, Nolan and Analise ... Joined Lakes Area Recreation as a youth programmer in 1997 and moved into program director's position in 1998 to present ... He worked for Moorhead Parks and Recreation as youth baseball/basketball coordinator and park maintenance from 1995-97.
DAVID RYLES, Men's Basketball, Guard (1983-87) ? First team All-North Central Conference in 1987 as senior ... Four-year starter who played in 111 games for NDSU, setting eight school records that still stand in steals and assists ... Outstanding playmaker and defender for three 19-9 Bison teams and one 16-12 squad under Bison Hall of Fame member Erv Inniger ... Led the Bison in steals and assists in three seasons ... Led the NCC in assists once and steals three times ... Holds school records for steals in a game (8), season (86) and career (275), and assists in a game (16) and season (230) ... His 639 assists are second in school history ... Averaged 6.8 ppg over his career that included 94 starts ...Held four NCC records when he departed including assists for a season and career, and steals for a season and career ... Grew up in Milwaukee, where he attended Messmer High School from 1979-1983 and was a starter from his sophomore year on ... As a junior led Messmer to a third place finish in the private school state tournament ... Earned all-conference honors as a senior ... After NDSU he moved back to Milwaukee and has worked for the Waukesha County Juvenile Services the past 19 years ... Works as a mentor for at risk kids for Lad Lake, a non-profit organization in Milwaukee ... 10-year member of the Wisconsin Juvenile Detention Association ... He and his wife, Mozella reside in Germantown, Wis. with their five children, Kyle, Symone, twin girls Kailynn and Keairra, and Samyra.
TED HALL JR., Football, Offensive Line (1984-85) ? Two-time All-North Central Conference, MVP offensive lineman in NCC as senior, first team All-American as senior by Football News & second team All-American by the Associated Press ... Transferred from USD ... Started in two national title games for the Bison ... Part of an offensive line that helped lead the Bison rank first in NCAA in rushing yards in 1984 and third in 1985 ... Played for Bison Hall of Fame coaches Don Morton and Earle Solomonson ... All-conference and all-area performer for Montevideo (Minn.) High School ... Following graduation from NDSU, he spent 15 years in the business field and worked his way to regional sales manager for Ecolab Professional Products ... Currently the director of sales and marketing for USA Northland Directories based out of Moorhead, Minn. ... Has stayed active in coaching and currently is the run coordinator and offensive line coach at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D. ... Was the offensive line coach at Minnesota State Moorhead (2005-07) and Wayne State College ... His coaching resume also includes stops at Fargo Shanley High School and West Monona High School in Onawa, Iowa ... Ted and his wife, Sherri, have three children, Katie, Kristin and Ted III, and three grandchildren, Christopher, Catherine and Leah ... His son, Ted III, plays on the offensive line at Northern State.
JODY BUCK STEFONOWICZ, Women's Basketball, Guard / Cross Country (1989-93) ? 1993 Midwest Sports Channel Division II Female Athlete of the Year...Two-time NCAA Division II National Championship all-tournament team ... NCAA Quarterfinal MVP vs. Cal Poly Pomona (1993) ... 1993 Kodak Division II All-America first team ... Two-time Kodak All-District first team ... 1992 AWSF Division II All-America 4th team ... Two-time NCAA North Central Regional all-tournament team...Three-time North Central Conference Player of the Year ... 1994 NDSU Albrecht Presidential Student-Athlete Award...1994 North Dakota NCAA Woman of the Year state award winner ... Led Bison to program's first NCAA national title in 1991, runner-up finish in 1992 and national title in 1993 ... NDSU won the 1992 & 1993 NCC championships ... Bison compiled a 115-13 record during her career for .898 winning percentage ... Three-time All-NCC first team ... Two-time Academic All-NCC basketball first team ... 1993 Division II Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic first team ... 1994 NCC Academic At-Large first team ... Finished career with 1,279 points over 128 games at point guard for 9.9 ppg ... Set NDSU, NCC and Bison Sports Arena records with 18 assists vs. Northern Colorado (2-2-91) ... Holds the NDSU record for most steals in a season (131) ... No. 2 in single season free throw shooting (.908, 69x76) ... Holds NCC records for steals in a career (246) and season (78) ... Tied BSA single-game steals record with 9 vs. Wayne State, Neb. ... On the NDSU career charts, ranks No. 1 in steals (408) and minutes played (3,976), and tied for first in games played, No. 2 in field goal shooting (.541, 512x947) and assists (560), and No. 6 in free throw shooting (.800, 220x275) ... Also ran cross country at NDSU, placing 7th at 1993 NCC cross country meet helping the Bison win the NCAA region and league team titles ... Placed 51st at the NCAA Division II national championships as NDSU finished 8th in team standings ... The Lake City, Minn., native graduated from Lincoln High School in 1989 ... Three-year all-conference guard and all-state her senior year ... Individual state champion in the 800-meter run, and also ran on three state champion relays ... Five-time all-state and all-conference performer in track and cross country ... Inducted into Lake City High School Hall of Fame and selected Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Athletic Directors in 2006 ... Married to former NDSU men's basketball player Rob Stefonowicz ... Has two sons, Sam and Andy ... Started her teaching career at Luverne (Minn.) High School, where she taught, and coached girls' basketball and cross-country from 1994-98 ... Currently, teaches at St. Louis Park (Minn.) High School ... Also served as basketball (1998-02) and cross-country coach (1999-02) at St. Louis Park.
PAUL LENZ, Football Nose Guard (1985-88) ? Member of three NCAA Division II national championship teams in 1985, 1986 and 1988 ... First team All-American by Football Gazette in 1988...First team All-North Central Conference and MVP defensive lineman in the NCC in 1988 ... Named co-National Player of the Week after 1988 NCAA semifinal Game vs. Sacramento State ... Anchored the 1988 national championship team's defense ... Had 133 career tackles with 10 QB sacks and 26 total tackles for loss ... A native of Hutchinson, Minn., he was an all-state and all-conference fullback and linebacker ... Led Hutchinson to the school's first state championship in football as a senior ... Member of the second-place 4x100 relay team at the 1984 Minnesota Class AA state championship meet ... Lettered in football, hockey and track ... Paul and his wife, Lana (Meyer) have three children, Colton, Morgan and Payton ... His wife played volleyball at North Dakota State ... Currently working for the family owned business AG Systems, started by his father in 1965 ... Worked his way from salesman to Vice President of Sales
NADINE SCHMIDT, Women's Basketball Guard/Forward (1989-93) ? Undoubtedly, one of the top "big game" players in Division II women's basketball history ... Two-time NCAA Division II national championship tournament MVP in 1991 and 1993, all-tournament in 1992 ... Listed at No. 35 on the "50 Greatest Sports Figures in North Dakota" as selected by the staff of Sports Illustrated in January 2000 ... Kodak Division II All-America first team in 1992 ... Two-time NCAA North Central Regional MVP in 1991 and 1993, all-tournament in 1992 ... Led Bison to program's first NCAA national title in 1991, runner-up finish in 1992 and national title in 1993 ... NDSU won the 1992 & 1993 NCC championships ... Bison compiled a 115-13 record during her career for .898 winning percentage ... Two-time AWSF Division II All-American, second team in 1992, fourth in 1991 ... 1992 Kodak All-District first team ... Three-time All-North Central Conference first team ... 1993 Academic All-NCC first team ... Scored 1,558 points over 126 games played for an average of 12.4 ppg, which ranks No. 9 all-time ... Recorded two of NDSU women's basketball's "triple-doubles" with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists vs. Portland State in 1992 NCAA semifinals (3-27-92) and 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists vs. West Texas A&M (12-7-91) ... On the NDSU career charts, ranks No. 3 in assists (546), No. 4 in games played (126), No. 5 in field goals attempted (1,381), No. 6 in field goals made (624), free throws made (304) and free throws attempted (420), No. 8 in steals (196), and No. 9 in rebounding (787) ... Five-year starter for Braddock (N.D.) High School, who competed in the state tournament three times including the 1988 Class B state championship ... 1988 North Dakota Miss Basketball ... Four-time all-state and all-conference selection ... Still holds Class B state tournament records for most points scored in a championship game and most field goals made in a state tournament ... Since graduating from NDSU, she had assistant coaching stints at UW-River Falls, St. Louis Park (Minn.) High School and Cooper (Minn.) High School ... Taught P.E. and coached basketball and track at Bussey Middle School in Garland, Texas ... Currently in her ninth year as the operations manager at CompuCom and NASM Certified Personal Fitness Trainer.
AMY RULEY, Women's Basketball Coach (1979-2008) / Associate AD For Development (2008-current) ? Women's Basketball Hall of Fame head coach moved from the sidelines as head coach at North Dakota State into an associate athletic director for development position in March ... Ruley completed her 29th year as Bison head coach March 3, 2008, with a career record of 671-198, good for a .772 winning percentage. NDSU was 17-11 including a 12-6 record in The Summit League -- good for a second-place tie in the standings ... NDSU's all-time winningest coach, she was named as the head coach on the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball 25th Anniversary team ... NDSU's fourth straight NCAA title in 1996 was selected as one of the "25 Defining Moments in NCAA History.' ... A 1978 graduate of Purdue University, Ruley was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in June 2004, and the Purdue Athletic Hall of Fame in November 2004 ... She was a point guard for the Boilermakers and scored the program's first basket ... A native of Lowell, Indiana, Ruley was recognized as one of the South Shore Sports Legends in Northwest Indiana in the fall of 2007 ... Ruley recorded the 650th win of her career when NDSU defeated New Jersey Tech on Feb. 10, 2007 ... At that time, she became the 11th active Division I women's basketball coach to reach the milestone ... Ruley was inducted into the North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in June 2000, and was listed No. 8 on the "50 Greatest Sports Figures in North Dakota" as selected by the staff of Sports Illustrated in January 2000 ... The recipient of the inaugural C. Vivian Stringer Women's Coaching Award by the United States Sports Academy in 2002, Ruley has also received the Fargo Optimist Club's 2002 Friend of the Youth Award for her work with the youth in the Fargo-Moorhead community ... The 1993 WBCA Division II Coach of the Year, Ruley directed the Bison to 25 straight winning seasons (1980-05), twenty 20-win seasons and 18 NCAA playoff berths ... NDSU made nine NCAA Final Four appearances including five national titles in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 ... She coached six Kodak All-Americans (six athletes, eight awards), three NCAA National Championship Most Outstanding Players (three athletes, five awards), four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and one AIAW All-American ... The Bison also won or shared 10 North Central Conference titles.
