Photo by: Carrie Snyder
2026 Bison Athletic Hall of Fame Class Set for Induction
9/21/2026 7:00:00 PM | Baseball, Football, General, Men's Track and Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Track and Field, Women's Volleyball
FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State University will honor seven individuals and two teams at the 54th annual Bison Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday, Oct. 2, at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.
The 2026 hall of fame inductees are two-time All-American and 12-time Summit League champion distance runner Laura (Hermanson) Januszewski, retired football strength and conditioning coach Jim Kramer, three-time all-conference women's basketball guard Katie (Lorenz) Johnson, All-America volleyball outside hitter Rachael (Schmieg) Hovey, former Major League Baseball pitcher Neil Wagner, football quarterback and two-time conference player of the year Steve Walker, and five-time All-America jumper Peter Wodrich.
Additionally, the 1985 and 1986 Division II national champion football teams will be recognized as the newest inductees into the Bison Athletic Hall of Champions.
Tickets to the induction ceremony and luncheon were sold out to invited guests and no additional tickets will be made available to the general public.
The hall of fame class also will be recognized at halftime of the Oct. 3 homecoming football game against Wyoming.
Here is a closer look at the inductees:
Laura (Hermanson) Januszewski, women's track and field/cross country, 2005-2009
Two-time Division I All-American in the 800-meter run during the 2009 indoor and outdoor seasons...Owns the highest Division I NCAA Championship finish in Bison women's track and field history, placing second in the 800 meters after a seventh-place finish indoors...12-time Summit League champion (six individual events, six relays) in two years as a league member...2008 Summit League Indoor Athlete of the Year...Two-time All-Summit League cross country performer...2009 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient and NCAA Woman of the Year semifinalist...Two-time Academic All-American, second team in 2008 and first team in 2009...Three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic award winner...Qualified for the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials...Eight-time indoor Summit League champion, twice in the 800 meters with times of 2:14.30 and 2:18.80, twice in the mile with times of 5:01.19 and 5:43.68, twice in the 4x400 relay, and twice in the distance medley relay...Four-time outdoor Summit League champion...Won the 800 meters (2:14.21), the 1500 meters (4:41.06) and the 4x400 relay (3:42.50) in 2009 and the 4x400 relay (3:45.32) in 2008...Set seven individual records and four relay records at NDSU...Indoors, set school records in the 300m, 600m, mile and distance medley relay, and still ranks first in the 800 meters (2:04.44 in 2009)...Outdoors, set school records in the 800m, 1500m, sprint medley relay, distance medley relay, and still holds NDSU's top times in the 4x800 relay (8:34.14 in 2008) and 4x1600 relay (19:49.83 in 2008)...Majored in marketing and management at NDSU, earned a second degree in business education from Valley City State, and completed a master's degree in education at VCSU...Worked as a business teacher at Breckenridge and Lake Park-Audubon high schools in Minnesota before spending three years as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Concordia College in Moorhead...Has served as principal of Pelican Rapids High School since 2022.
Jim Kramer, football strength and conditioning coach, 2004-2025
Head football strength and conditioning coach for the program's entire 22-year FCS era from 2004 through 2025 before retirement...Part of 10 national championship teams and 13 conference championships under four different head coaches: Craig Bohl, Chris Klieman, Matt Entz and Tim Polasek...Trained 18 NFL draft picks and 44 professional players...At the time of his retirement, NDSU had 15 players on NFL rosters, including seven offensive linemen...NDSU earned a reputation as one of the toughest, hard-nosed, physical football teams in the FCS...The Bison won 9 of 14 games against FBS opponents...His influence extended beyond physical preparation, instilling a culture of toughness and relentless work ethic that became synonymous with the Bison brand...Named FCS National Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2013 following a 15-0 season that included a win over defending Big 12 champion Kansas State and the program's third of five straight FCS national championships...Came to NDSU from the U.S. Olympic Training Center...Also coached at Northern Iowa (1997-2002), Georgia Tech (1992-1997) and Appalachian State (1990-1992)...Developed UNI's first strength and conditioning program and was the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Coach of the Year in 1998-99.
Katie (Lorenz) Johnson, women's basketball, guard, 2002-2006
All-North Central Conference honorable mention in 2003, All-NCC first team in 2004, and Division I All-Independent first team in 2005 and 2006...Finished 10th on NDSU's all-time scoring list with 1,411 career points...Averaged 12.1 points over 117 career games, starting every contest during her four-year career...Played her first two years in the NCC and was the leading scorer on NDSU's first two Division I teams...Scored a career-high 30 points in an eight-point win over Cincinnati, the first Division I opponent of NDSU's Division I era...Set NDSU records for free-throw percentage in a season (.918 in 2002-03) and career (.875)...Started all 33 games as a freshman in 2002-03 and set an NDSU single-season record averaging 34.8 minutes per game her senior year...Finished second in NDSU career history for 3-pointers made and attempted (145-421) and was second in assists per game (4.5)...Still ranks fifth in Bison career history with 523 assists and 227 steals behind four hall of famers in both categories...Led the Bison in steals all four seasons and assists her final three seasons...Three-time team captain...Earned a degree in business administration from NDSU...Worked as a sales representative for Microsoft and Monsanto/Bayer Crop Science before her current role as regional sales manager with Stine Seed Company.
Rachael (Schmieg) Hovey, women's volleyball, outside hitter, 1998-2001
2001 AVCA All-America second team...2001 AVCA All-Region and Daktronics All-Region first team...2000 and 2001 All-North Central Conference...1999 NCAA Elite Eight all-tournament team... Two-time North Central Conference Player of the Week...Part of teams that won three North Central Conference titles, played in four NCAA regionals and advanced to nationals twice, including a national runner-up finish her freshman year in 1998...Led the Bison in kills and digs her junior and senior seasons...Finished her career No. 1 in NDSU history for digs per set (3.36) and was second with 1,511 total digs, which remains the most digs by an outside hitter in school history...Also ranked seventh in kills per set (3.13) and 10th in total kills (1,408)...Still ranks fifth in digs and 13th in kills...Had a .244 career attacking percentage with 126 service aces and 169 blocks in 136 career matches...Her 4.42 kills per set as a junior in 2000 still ranks fifth-best in school history and her 530 kills that year rank 10th in Bison single-season history...Graduated from NDSU and Valley City State University with a degree in elementary education, and completed a master's degree in education at St. Mary's University in Minnesota...Has taught kindergarten and first grade classrooms for 23 years in White Bear Lake, Chaska and Carver, Minn...Spent seven years as the head varsity volleyball coach at White Bear Lake...Currently coaches her daughter's middle school volleyball teams.
Neil Wagner, baseball, pitcher, 2003-2005
First Major League Baseball player out of North Dakota State University...2004 ABCA All-Central Region relief pitcher...2004 All-North Central Conference and NCC All-Academic performer...Set NDSU records for saves in a season (12 in 2004) and career (18), appearances in a season (28 in 2004) and strikeouts per nine innings for a season (13.73 in 2004) and career (10.25)...Also set NCC single-season records for saves (9) and appearances (19) and the NCC career saves record (12)...Had an 11-4 record in 63 career appearances and struck out 120 batters in 105.1 innings...Dominated in NDSU's final year of Division II play in 2004 with a 6-0 record, 12 saves and 1.40 ERA in 28 appearances striking out 59 against just 16 walks...Got seven of his nine outs by strikeout to earn the save in the 2004 NCC championship game...21st round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 2005, the beginning of a 13-year career in professional baseball...First of only two Bison to reach the Major Leagues, making his debut in 2011 for the Oakland A's...Played three years in the majors including 46 appearances on the mound during the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays...Also spent time in the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets organizations before playing his final year with the Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan...Completed his accounting degree at James Madison University in 2021 and now works as a CPA for Yount, Hyde & Barbour in Middleburg, Va.
Steve Walker, football, quarterback, 2004-2007
2006 and 2007 Great West Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year...Five-time GWFC Offensive Player of the Week...Finalist for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the FCS Offensive Player of the Year...Named to the AFCA Good Works Team...Three-time team captain 2005-2007...Played in all 44 games during NDSU's reclassification to Division I, ineligible for the FCS playoffs...Took over as the starting quarterback the final three games of his freshman season and helped guide the Bison to a 30-6 record...Led the team to a Great West Football Conference championship in 2006 and back-to-back 10-1 seasons his junior and senior years...NDSU beat three FBS opponents Ball State, Central Michigan and Minnesota...Graduated as NDSU's career leader in passing attempts (841), completions (534), yards (7,033) and touchdowns (60)...Set single-season marks for passing yards (2,237), touchdowns (20) and passing yards per game (211.5) his senior year...Earned a business administration degree from NDSU in 2008 and has been in the insurance industry since graduating...Currently serves as vice president of institutional accounts and partner at E4 Insurance Services in Fargo...He was a 2021 recipient of Advisor Today Magazine's "40 under 40" national award for top financial professionals around the country.
Peter Wodrich, men's track and field, jumps, 1984-1988
Five-time All-American...Back-to-back third-place finishes in the NCAA indoor triple jump in 1987 and 1988...National runner-up in the outdoor triple jump in 1987...Placed sixth in the outdoor triple jump in 1988 and was eighth in the long jump...Five-time North Central Conference champion...Won the 1987 NCC outdoor triple jump...Swept the 1988 NCC titles indoors and outdoors in the long jump and triple jump...Named most valuable athlete of the 1988 NCC championship...1988 Academic All-NCC...Held the NDSU indoor and outdoor triple jump records for 39 years...Set the indoor record at 51 feet, one-half inch at the 1988 NCC meet, which still stands today...Set the outdoor record at 51 feet, 9 3/4 inches for second place at the 1987 NCAA championships, broken by Adam Dugger at the 2026 Summit League championship...Also had the second-best outdoor long jump in school history at 24 feet, 10 1/2 inches, which still ranks fifth...Obtained a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Minnesota in 1996 and completed a residency in family practice in 1999...He worked for P.S. Rudie Medical Clinic in Duluth, Minn., as a family physician from 1999 until 2025, when he transitioned to become a part-time hospitalist and rehab facility/nursing home attending physician.
1985 Football National Championship Team
North Dakota State claimed its fifth national championship with a 35-7 victory over North Alabama in the Palm Bowl in McAllen, Texas...Hall of famer Tyrone Braxton set the tone for the day taking the opening kickoff back 73 yards and the Bison scored six plays later...NDSU scored on two of its first three possessions and broke the game open in the third quarter with two touchdowns off of three UNA turnovers...The Bison won two road playoff games to get to the Division II title game...NDSU beat UC Davis 31-12 in the quarterfinals and avenged a regular-season loss at South Dakota in the semifinals, where "the pitch" from Jeff Bentrim to James Molstre led to a 68-yard touchdown that sparked NDSU in the first half of an eventual 16-7 victory...Under first-year head coach Earle Solomonson, NDSU finished 11-2-1 overall with a 10-game unbeaten streak at the end of the year...The Bison won their fifth straight North Central Conference title with a 7-1-1 record...Offensive guard Ted Hall was named NCC Most Valuable Lineman and linebacker Jim Dick was named NCC Most Valuable Back...Free safety Tom Van Voorhis and nose guard Paul Nielsen also made the All-NCC first team...Hall and Dick were Football News first team All-Americans and also earned second team honors from the Associated Press...The 1985 Bison ranked third in Division II rushing offense with 287.9 yards per game and Jeff Bentrim earned his second straight national scoring title averaging 13.8 points per game...The team included 15 future Bison Athletic Hall of Famers: Jeff Bentrim, Tyrone Braxton, Chad Stark, Len Kretchman, Doug Lloyd, Charlie Stock, Mike Favor, Yorrick "Snuffy" Byers, Matt Tracy, Ted Hall, Paul Lenz, Paul Nielsen, head coach Earle Solomonson, defensive coordinator Rocky Hager, and offensive line coach Lew Curry.
1986 Football National Championship Team
North Dakota State went back-to-back and won its third Division II title in four years with a 27-7 victory over South Dakota in Florence, Alabama, prompting USD head coach Dave Triplett to tell media "I wish they would get the hell out of Division II" after the game...The Bison went 13-0 on the season including a 50-0 quarterfinal win over Ashland and a 35-12 semifinal victory over Central State (Ohio)...Mankato State coach Dan Runkle said the Bison were better than their Division I-AA opponents Northern Iowa and Eastern Illinois...Legendary Central State coach Billy Joe regarded the Bison a Division I-A caliber team like those of the Mid-American Conference...NDSU went 9-0 in the North Central Conference, limiting opponents to just 61 points (6.8 ppg)...Quarterback Jeff Bentrim and linebacker Jim Dick were named Most Valuable Backs of the NCC, and the Bison had seven on the All-NCC first team including offensive tackle Tom Smith, offensive guard Rick Riemer, running back Chad Stark, nose guard Paul Nielsen and cornerback Tyrone Braxton...The Bison had six All-Americans...The team included 16 future Bison Athletic Hall of Famers: Jeff Bentrim, Chris Simdorn, Tyrone Braxton, Chad Stark, Doug Lloyd, Ken Clark, Charlie Stock, Mike Favor, Yorrick "Snuffy" Byers, Matt Tracy, Phil Hansen, Paul Lenz, Paul Nielsen, head coach Earle Solomonson, defensive coordinator Rocky Hager, and offensive line coach Lew Curry...Solomonson went 24-2-1 in two years as the Bison head coach before moving to the Division I-AA level as head coach of Montana State.
The 2026 hall of fame inductees are two-time All-American and 12-time Summit League champion distance runner Laura (Hermanson) Januszewski, retired football strength and conditioning coach Jim Kramer, three-time all-conference women's basketball guard Katie (Lorenz) Johnson, All-America volleyball outside hitter Rachael (Schmieg) Hovey, former Major League Baseball pitcher Neil Wagner, football quarterback and two-time conference player of the year Steve Walker, and five-time All-America jumper Peter Wodrich.
Additionally, the 1985 and 1986 Division II national champion football teams will be recognized as the newest inductees into the Bison Athletic Hall of Champions.
Tickets to the induction ceremony and luncheon were sold out to invited guests and no additional tickets will be made available to the general public.
The hall of fame class also will be recognized at halftime of the Oct. 3 homecoming football game against Wyoming.
Here is a closer look at the inductees:
Laura (Hermanson) Januszewski, women's track and field/cross country, 2005-2009
Two-time Division I All-American in the 800-meter run during the 2009 indoor and outdoor seasons...Owns the highest Division I NCAA Championship finish in Bison women's track and field history, placing second in the 800 meters after a seventh-place finish indoors...12-time Summit League champion (six individual events, six relays) in two years as a league member...2008 Summit League Indoor Athlete of the Year...Two-time All-Summit League cross country performer...2009 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient and NCAA Woman of the Year semifinalist...Two-time Academic All-American, second team in 2008 and first team in 2009...Three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic award winner...Qualified for the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials...Eight-time indoor Summit League champion, twice in the 800 meters with times of 2:14.30 and 2:18.80, twice in the mile with times of 5:01.19 and 5:43.68, twice in the 4x400 relay, and twice in the distance medley relay...Four-time outdoor Summit League champion...Won the 800 meters (2:14.21), the 1500 meters (4:41.06) and the 4x400 relay (3:42.50) in 2009 and the 4x400 relay (3:45.32) in 2008...Set seven individual records and four relay records at NDSU...Indoors, set school records in the 300m, 600m, mile and distance medley relay, and still ranks first in the 800 meters (2:04.44 in 2009)...Outdoors, set school records in the 800m, 1500m, sprint medley relay, distance medley relay, and still holds NDSU's top times in the 4x800 relay (8:34.14 in 2008) and 4x1600 relay (19:49.83 in 2008)...Majored in marketing and management at NDSU, earned a second degree in business education from Valley City State, and completed a master's degree in education at VCSU...Worked as a business teacher at Breckenridge and Lake Park-Audubon high schools in Minnesota before spending three years as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Concordia College in Moorhead...Has served as principal of Pelican Rapids High School since 2022.
Jim Kramer, football strength and conditioning coach, 2004-2025
Head football strength and conditioning coach for the program's entire 22-year FCS era from 2004 through 2025 before retirement...Part of 10 national championship teams and 13 conference championships under four different head coaches: Craig Bohl, Chris Klieman, Matt Entz and Tim Polasek...Trained 18 NFL draft picks and 44 professional players...At the time of his retirement, NDSU had 15 players on NFL rosters, including seven offensive linemen...NDSU earned a reputation as one of the toughest, hard-nosed, physical football teams in the FCS...The Bison won 9 of 14 games against FBS opponents...His influence extended beyond physical preparation, instilling a culture of toughness and relentless work ethic that became synonymous with the Bison brand...Named FCS National Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2013 following a 15-0 season that included a win over defending Big 12 champion Kansas State and the program's third of five straight FCS national championships...Came to NDSU from the U.S. Olympic Training Center...Also coached at Northern Iowa (1997-2002), Georgia Tech (1992-1997) and Appalachian State (1990-1992)...Developed UNI's first strength and conditioning program and was the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Coach of the Year in 1998-99.
Katie (Lorenz) Johnson, women's basketball, guard, 2002-2006
All-North Central Conference honorable mention in 2003, All-NCC first team in 2004, and Division I All-Independent first team in 2005 and 2006...Finished 10th on NDSU's all-time scoring list with 1,411 career points...Averaged 12.1 points over 117 career games, starting every contest during her four-year career...Played her first two years in the NCC and was the leading scorer on NDSU's first two Division I teams...Scored a career-high 30 points in an eight-point win over Cincinnati, the first Division I opponent of NDSU's Division I era...Set NDSU records for free-throw percentage in a season (.918 in 2002-03) and career (.875)...Started all 33 games as a freshman in 2002-03 and set an NDSU single-season record averaging 34.8 minutes per game her senior year...Finished second in NDSU career history for 3-pointers made and attempted (145-421) and was second in assists per game (4.5)...Still ranks fifth in Bison career history with 523 assists and 227 steals behind four hall of famers in both categories...Led the Bison in steals all four seasons and assists her final three seasons...Three-time team captain...Earned a degree in business administration from NDSU...Worked as a sales representative for Microsoft and Monsanto/Bayer Crop Science before her current role as regional sales manager with Stine Seed Company.
Rachael (Schmieg) Hovey, women's volleyball, outside hitter, 1998-2001
2001 AVCA All-America second team...2001 AVCA All-Region and Daktronics All-Region first team...2000 and 2001 All-North Central Conference...1999 NCAA Elite Eight all-tournament team... Two-time North Central Conference Player of the Week...Part of teams that won three North Central Conference titles, played in four NCAA regionals and advanced to nationals twice, including a national runner-up finish her freshman year in 1998...Led the Bison in kills and digs her junior and senior seasons...Finished her career No. 1 in NDSU history for digs per set (3.36) and was second with 1,511 total digs, which remains the most digs by an outside hitter in school history...Also ranked seventh in kills per set (3.13) and 10th in total kills (1,408)...Still ranks fifth in digs and 13th in kills...Had a .244 career attacking percentage with 126 service aces and 169 blocks in 136 career matches...Her 4.42 kills per set as a junior in 2000 still ranks fifth-best in school history and her 530 kills that year rank 10th in Bison single-season history...Graduated from NDSU and Valley City State University with a degree in elementary education, and completed a master's degree in education at St. Mary's University in Minnesota...Has taught kindergarten and first grade classrooms for 23 years in White Bear Lake, Chaska and Carver, Minn...Spent seven years as the head varsity volleyball coach at White Bear Lake...Currently coaches her daughter's middle school volleyball teams.
Neil Wagner, baseball, pitcher, 2003-2005
First Major League Baseball player out of North Dakota State University...2004 ABCA All-Central Region relief pitcher...2004 All-North Central Conference and NCC All-Academic performer...Set NDSU records for saves in a season (12 in 2004) and career (18), appearances in a season (28 in 2004) and strikeouts per nine innings for a season (13.73 in 2004) and career (10.25)...Also set NCC single-season records for saves (9) and appearances (19) and the NCC career saves record (12)...Had an 11-4 record in 63 career appearances and struck out 120 batters in 105.1 innings...Dominated in NDSU's final year of Division II play in 2004 with a 6-0 record, 12 saves and 1.40 ERA in 28 appearances striking out 59 against just 16 walks...Got seven of his nine outs by strikeout to earn the save in the 2004 NCC championship game...21st round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 2005, the beginning of a 13-year career in professional baseball...First of only two Bison to reach the Major Leagues, making his debut in 2011 for the Oakland A's...Played three years in the majors including 46 appearances on the mound during the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays...Also spent time in the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets organizations before playing his final year with the Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan...Completed his accounting degree at James Madison University in 2021 and now works as a CPA for Yount, Hyde & Barbour in Middleburg, Va.
Steve Walker, football, quarterback, 2004-2007
2006 and 2007 Great West Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year...Five-time GWFC Offensive Player of the Week...Finalist for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the FCS Offensive Player of the Year...Named to the AFCA Good Works Team...Three-time team captain 2005-2007...Played in all 44 games during NDSU's reclassification to Division I, ineligible for the FCS playoffs...Took over as the starting quarterback the final three games of his freshman season and helped guide the Bison to a 30-6 record...Led the team to a Great West Football Conference championship in 2006 and back-to-back 10-1 seasons his junior and senior years...NDSU beat three FBS opponents Ball State, Central Michigan and Minnesota...Graduated as NDSU's career leader in passing attempts (841), completions (534), yards (7,033) and touchdowns (60)...Set single-season marks for passing yards (2,237), touchdowns (20) and passing yards per game (211.5) his senior year...Earned a business administration degree from NDSU in 2008 and has been in the insurance industry since graduating...Currently serves as vice president of institutional accounts and partner at E4 Insurance Services in Fargo...He was a 2021 recipient of Advisor Today Magazine's "40 under 40" national award for top financial professionals around the country.
Peter Wodrich, men's track and field, jumps, 1984-1988
Five-time All-American...Back-to-back third-place finishes in the NCAA indoor triple jump in 1987 and 1988...National runner-up in the outdoor triple jump in 1987...Placed sixth in the outdoor triple jump in 1988 and was eighth in the long jump...Five-time North Central Conference champion...Won the 1987 NCC outdoor triple jump...Swept the 1988 NCC titles indoors and outdoors in the long jump and triple jump...Named most valuable athlete of the 1988 NCC championship...1988 Academic All-NCC...Held the NDSU indoor and outdoor triple jump records for 39 years...Set the indoor record at 51 feet, one-half inch at the 1988 NCC meet, which still stands today...Set the outdoor record at 51 feet, 9 3/4 inches for second place at the 1987 NCAA championships, broken by Adam Dugger at the 2026 Summit League championship...Also had the second-best outdoor long jump in school history at 24 feet, 10 1/2 inches, which still ranks fifth...Obtained a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Minnesota in 1996 and completed a residency in family practice in 1999...He worked for P.S. Rudie Medical Clinic in Duluth, Minn., as a family physician from 1999 until 2025, when he transitioned to become a part-time hospitalist and rehab facility/nursing home attending physician.
1985 Football National Championship Team
North Dakota State claimed its fifth national championship with a 35-7 victory over North Alabama in the Palm Bowl in McAllen, Texas...Hall of famer Tyrone Braxton set the tone for the day taking the opening kickoff back 73 yards and the Bison scored six plays later...NDSU scored on two of its first three possessions and broke the game open in the third quarter with two touchdowns off of three UNA turnovers...The Bison won two road playoff games to get to the Division II title game...NDSU beat UC Davis 31-12 in the quarterfinals and avenged a regular-season loss at South Dakota in the semifinals, where "the pitch" from Jeff Bentrim to James Molstre led to a 68-yard touchdown that sparked NDSU in the first half of an eventual 16-7 victory...Under first-year head coach Earle Solomonson, NDSU finished 11-2-1 overall with a 10-game unbeaten streak at the end of the year...The Bison won their fifth straight North Central Conference title with a 7-1-1 record...Offensive guard Ted Hall was named NCC Most Valuable Lineman and linebacker Jim Dick was named NCC Most Valuable Back...Free safety Tom Van Voorhis and nose guard Paul Nielsen also made the All-NCC first team...Hall and Dick were Football News first team All-Americans and also earned second team honors from the Associated Press...The 1985 Bison ranked third in Division II rushing offense with 287.9 yards per game and Jeff Bentrim earned his second straight national scoring title averaging 13.8 points per game...The team included 15 future Bison Athletic Hall of Famers: Jeff Bentrim, Tyrone Braxton, Chad Stark, Len Kretchman, Doug Lloyd, Charlie Stock, Mike Favor, Yorrick "Snuffy" Byers, Matt Tracy, Ted Hall, Paul Lenz, Paul Nielsen, head coach Earle Solomonson, defensive coordinator Rocky Hager, and offensive line coach Lew Curry.
1986 Football National Championship Team
North Dakota State went back-to-back and won its third Division II title in four years with a 27-7 victory over South Dakota in Florence, Alabama, prompting USD head coach Dave Triplett to tell media "I wish they would get the hell out of Division II" after the game...The Bison went 13-0 on the season including a 50-0 quarterfinal win over Ashland and a 35-12 semifinal victory over Central State (Ohio)...Mankato State coach Dan Runkle said the Bison were better than their Division I-AA opponents Northern Iowa and Eastern Illinois...Legendary Central State coach Billy Joe regarded the Bison a Division I-A caliber team like those of the Mid-American Conference...NDSU went 9-0 in the North Central Conference, limiting opponents to just 61 points (6.8 ppg)...Quarterback Jeff Bentrim and linebacker Jim Dick were named Most Valuable Backs of the NCC, and the Bison had seven on the All-NCC first team including offensive tackle Tom Smith, offensive guard Rick Riemer, running back Chad Stark, nose guard Paul Nielsen and cornerback Tyrone Braxton...The Bison had six All-Americans...The team included 16 future Bison Athletic Hall of Famers: Jeff Bentrim, Chris Simdorn, Tyrone Braxton, Chad Stark, Doug Lloyd, Ken Clark, Charlie Stock, Mike Favor, Yorrick "Snuffy" Byers, Matt Tracy, Phil Hansen, Paul Lenz, Paul Nielsen, head coach Earle Solomonson, defensive coordinator Rocky Hager, and offensive line coach Lew Curry...Solomonson went 24-2-1 in two years as the Bison head coach before moving to the Division I-AA level as head coach of Montana State.
Players Mentioned
Jumps
/ Men's Track and FieldSunday, September 20
Tuesday, September 15
Friday, September 11
Friday, September 11
