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Zimbra: [email protected] https://zclustb.mnstate.edu/zimbra/public/frameOpenerHelper.jsp?id=3&a... NSIC Announces 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees For Immediate Release Thursday, July 9, 2009 NSIC Media Relations Full NSIC Release St. Paul, Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced their 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees. The induction ceremony will be held Friday, July 31, at the Best Western Kelly Inn at the NSIC’s ninth annual Summer Kickoff event. A social hour will begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the ceremony at 7:00 p.m. The class of 2008 includes: Lee Ahlbrecht , Bemidji State University; Linda Larson , University of Minnesota Duluth; Dean Bowyer , Minnesota State University, Mankato; Frank Mosier , Minnesota State University Moorhead; Henry Schneider , Northern State University; Jeff Loots , Southwest Minnesota State University and David Ludy , Winona State University. Founded in 1986, the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC, former men’s conference) Hall of Fame was established to recognize and honor those who made significant contributions to the conference, to create favorable publicity and public relations for the league and to help preserve the history of the NIC, its member institutions, student-athletes, and other significant individuals affiliated with the league. For the first two inductions (1986 and 1990) each selection hailed from the NIC. In 1992-93, the Northern Sun Conference (NSC, former women’s conference) and the NIC merged, creating the current Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). After annual inductions since 2000, today’s NSIC Hall of Fame now boasts 134 members and one team. The 23-member Class of 2000 was the first to include standout female student-athletes in the former NSC. The 2000 inductees entered the Hall at the inaugural NSIC Summer Kickoff Event in Becker, Minn. The distinguished class of 2001 was enshrined in Willmar, Minn., as the conference moved the annual Summer Kickoff Event. This year’s NSIC Hall of Fame includes seven prominent inductees that are being recognized at the tenth-annual NSIC Summer Kickoff Event, at its home for the past five years, in St. Cloud, Minn. Each NSIC school (who has been a member for at least ten years or more) is asked to submit one candidate per institution for induction into the Hall. Each of the selectees are derived from individuals who have been affiliated with the NSIC, NIC, NSC and their member institutions. In order to be eligible for the NSIC Hall of Fame, candidates must have made their contributions in the following areas: 1) former student-athletes, 2) administrator/coach, 3) official/supervisor/coordinator, 4) contributor/supporter, and 5) team. Other worthy candidates that do not fall into the above categories are also considered. The conference provides two plaques, one of which will go to the inductee and one to the institution represented. A history of each inductee will be kept in the league office and each institution will prominently display the plaques of their respective NSIC Hall of Fame inductees. 2009 NSIC Hall of Fame Inductees Lee Ahlbrecht, Bemidji State University Lee Ahlbrecht is a 1966 graduate of Bemidji State University who returned in 1968 to begin an exemplary coaching career for the Beaver. In 23 years of coaching (1968-1991) his swim teams compiled a 150-49 record. He coached 151 All-Americans, four national champions and seven Olympic trial qualifiers. He had 56 student- athletes go on to become coaches. His teams finished in the top 20 nationally every year, including 12 top ten finishes and four fourth place finishes. In 1980 & 1990 he was honored by both the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) as the National Swimming Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Minnesota State Swimming and Diving Coaches’ Hall of Fame in 1996 and then to the Bemidji State University Hall of Fame in 2000. Ahlbrecht was also an active member in the American Red Cross for 30 years as a volunteer as a Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard instructor from 1968 until 1998. He was also the World Games Diving Committee Member in 1978-79 and was the NAIA President of the Swimming & Diving Coaches Association in 1984. Linda Larson, University of Minnesota Duluth 1 of 3 7/10/2009 2:20 PM Zimbra: [email protected] https://zclustb.mnstate.edu/zimbra/public/frameOpenerHelper.jsp?id=3&a... Linda Larson, University of Minnesota Duluth Linda Larson was a major driving force behind the growth and elevation of UMD women’s athletics as an administrator and a multi-sport coach. Larson coached volleyball in 1976-1981 and basketball from 1976-1980 and also coached one year of softball in 1977. In six seasons with the Bulldogs volleyball team, Larson guided her team to three straight AIAW Division II National Tournament appearances, including a fifth-place finish in 1980. The team captured five consecutive Minnesota AIAW state volleyball championships and three Northern Sun Conference titles from 1979-1981. Larson went 110-85 during her six year basketball coaching tenure and finished out the 1982-83 season with a 20-10 mark while placing second in the NSC race. With all her success in athletics, Larson continued to impress others by becoming the Women’s Athletic Administrator at UMD from 1975-2002. Larson was involved several committees such as NCAA II Regional Softball and Soccer committee, and became one of the original members of the Northern Sun Conference in 1977. In 1999 Larson received the President’s Award for Outstanding Service to the University of Minnesota system. Larson became the first to receive the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award given annually to a UMD faculty/staff member in 2002. In 2007 Larson was inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame. Larson retired from UMD in June 2002 following a 27-year career. Dean Bowyer, Minnesota State University, Mankato Dean Bowyer is a native of the small northwest town Ada, Minn. He received his B.S. degree in physical education and elementary education from Mayville State in 1966 and his Master’s from Mankato State in 1971. Prior to working on his master’s, Bowyer coached basketball and football at Barnesville, Appleton, and Benson High Schools. He also played professionally in the Baltimore Orioles organization for three seasons and was an all-conference and all-district football player at Mayville State, where he also played baseball and basketball. Bowyer was inducted into the Mayville State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984 and built a 74-51 record in four years as head coach at Minot State prior to joining MSU in 1977. He completed his collegiate coaching career in 2008 with a 1064-538-7 overall record in 32 years. He ranks fifth on the NCAA Division II all-time coaching wins list and led the Mavericks to 20 NCAA postseason appearances. Led by Bowyer, Minnesota State (formerly Mankato State) captured Northern Intercollegiate Conference baseball championships in 1979, 1980 and 1981. The Mavericks made three NCAA postseason tournament appearances during that time (1978, 1979 and 1980) and captured two NCAA regional titles (1979 and 1980). MSU went 3-0 in regional action in 1979 and went on to post a fourth-place finish at the NCAA national tournament. The 1980 team earned the regional title with a 4-1 mark and then went 2-2 at the national tournament to finish third nationally. Bowyer was a two-time NCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year during this time (1979 and 1980) and guided the Mavericks to a 123-57-2 won-loss record in four seasons in the NIC (1978-81). He also was a graduate assistant coach with the 1971 MSU baseball team that captured the NIC and NCAA regional championships and went on to post a fourth-place finish at the national tournament. Frank Mosier, Minnesota State University Moorhead Frank Mosier is one of the most celebrated wrestlers in the rich tradition of Minnesota State University Moorhead. A native of Washington, Pa., Mosier captured the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) 167-pound championships in 1964 and the 177-pound title in 1967. He placed fourth in 1966. He helped the Dragons claim their lone NAIA Team National Championship in 1964. He won the NIC Conference Champion at 167 pounds in 1964 and 1967. Mosier earned his undergraduate degree from MSU Moorhead and Master’s Degree from West Virginia University. He was elected to NAIA Hall of Fame in 1984 and enshrined in the Dragon Hall of Fame in 1990. Mosier was the co-founder of The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, NJ Chapter in 1999 & is still its only President, serving from 1999-2009. Henry Schneider, Northern State University Henry Schneider, a native of Farmington, Minn., attending Northern State University and participated in football and track. He still holds multiple NSU track records in both the indoor and outdoor venues. He was captain of the NSU track team in 1989, 1990, 1991, and team MVP in 1989 and 1990. In 1991 he was vot ed Clark Swisher 2 of 3 7/10/2009 2:20 PM Zimbra: [email protected] https://zclustb.mnstate.edu/zimbra/public/frameOpenerHelper.jsp?id=3&a... NSU track team in 1989, 1990, 1991, and team MVP in 1989 and 1990. In 1991 he was vot ed Clark Swisher Outstanding Male Athlete. In 2000 he was voted the NSU male track athlete of the century. He was honored by his alum mater in 2006 when he was enshrined in the NSU Hall of Fame. During four years of indoor and outdoor track competition in the NSIC Schneider was a 18-time all-conference performer, a 12-time conference champion and a 3-time conference meet MVP (indoor 1989, 1990, and outdoor Co-MVP 1989).