2005 Hall of Fame Inductees

Michele (Cliff) Batz

Michele (Cliff) Batz attended BHSU from 1977-1981 and graduated with a degree in physical education. She was a four-year letter winner during her incredible volleyball and track and field career. All-conference honors were given to Michele for the four years she participated in volleyball as a setter. She helped her team compile an amazing score of 25-1 during her junior year. The highlight for Michele was being crowned South Dakota State Volleyball Champions in 1980. During her senior year, she accomplished a first-place finish in the conference tournament, with a record of 35-14 and a second-place finish in the state tournament.

Batz was a sprinter for BHSU, but by the time she left, she had become a quarter-miler. She was also a major part of the 400-meter relay team, the 800-meter medley relay team and the 1600-meter relay team that set new school and conference records. She was a member of the first conference track meet set for women, which was held at BHSU in the spring of 1981.

Upon graduating, Batz taught and coached at Reedsville High School in Wisconsin. In 1987, she left teaching to become aquatics director for the Zion Park District in her hometown of Zion, Ill. She is a certified aerobics instructor, yogafit instructor and water aerobics instructor. Recently she returned to teaching physical education to elementary students and has been recognized as an outstanding teacher by the school board. Batz currently writes her own weekly fitness column for the News Sun in Waukegan, Ill. A year ago, she wrote her first book.

Joe Davis

Joe Davis, Class of ’81, had an extraordinary basketball career at BHSU, finishing with 1,590 points, 745 rebounds and 361 blocked shots--an NAIA record for blocks. The NAIA All-American center was named Newcomer of the Year in 1990-1991. He was also named to the All-Conference second team his freshman year. For each of the following three years, he was named to the All-Conference first team. In 1992-1993 he was named to the NAIA All District 12 team. He was named the team’s most valuable player and SDIC player of the year in 1993-94. He also earned NAIA division two, third team All-American status.

After graduating from BHSU with a degree in business administration, Davis began working for Green Tree Financial in Rapid City. He is currently working for CompuCom as a desktop support engineer and is the telephone site administrator in Rapid City.

Greg Deville

Greg Deville, Class of ’77, was the starting catcher all four years he spent at BHSU. In 1977, Deville earned the top spot in the SDIC in batting average with a .514 batting average.

He was the area three NAIA batting championship in 1975 and also received the Rawlings-Adirondack “Big Stick” award and the Stan Musial sportsmanship award that year. He was named to the all-district team in 1976 and the All-SDIC team in 1976 and 1977. He had a .377 batting average and had 29 RBI in 1976. Deville was named to the honorable mention All-SDIC team in 1974 when he had a .487 batting average in SDIC in 1974. He recorded an incredible fielding percentage of over .990 for all four years.

Deville is now senior vice president of operations support services for Beech Street Corporation in Lake Forest, Calif. Early in his career he coached basketball at Spearfish High School.

Ron Erion

Ron Erion, Class of ’75, was inducted as a baseball player. He was named to the All-SDIC First team in 1973 and in 1974 as an outfielder. In 1973 he batted .385, which was third in individual batting in the SDIC. During the 1974 season he had 54 hits and 10 doubles. Erion had a batting average of .365 that year.

After graduating from BHSU, he stayed in Spearfish for a few years to manage a bowling alley. He then moved to southern Ohio where he coached and taught for four years. Erion later returned to Spearfish as a high school teacher and coach. He stayed with the Spearfish School District for 14 years and spent the last five years there as athletic director and assistant principal. He also coached the BHSU baseball team in 1982. In 1995, Erion moved to Casper, Wyo., to take a position as associate commissioner for the Wyoming High School Activities Association. In January of this year, he resigned from that job and is now working as an independent insurance adjuster.

In addition to his degree from BHSU, Erion also completed a master’s degree in education and an athletic administration certificate.

John Nicholas

John Nicholas, Class of ’62, was a head coach for 26 years at three Wisconsin high schools. All together his teams won 13 regional and seven sectional tournaments and advanced to the state tournament seven times. Coach Nicholas’ teams won 442 games and lost 177 for a 71 percent winning average.

Nicholas was a member of the Federation of Wisconsin High School Coaches Association and the National Basketball Coaches Association. He has served on the executive board and as chairman of the player selection committee for the WBCA and hosts the annual Northwest Basketball Clinic. He also chairs the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Nicholas was chosen as an assistant coach in the all-star game in 1987 and was head coach in the 1988 game.

In the mid-sixties, Nicholas was one of the first coaches in the state to use a match-up zone  defense. Though his coaching style changed to meet the challenge of today’s game, his philosophy, which was designed to enable team members to achieve their maximum potential, remained constant: “Always be the best person, the best student, and the best player that you can be.” 

Nicholas retired from coaching in 1992 and in 1993 was inducted into the Wisconsin High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He then worked as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire until 2003.

Bob and Linda Albert

Bob and Linda Albert were inducted as contributors to the continued success of Black Hills State. The couple has been consistent and generous supporters of Yellow Jacket athletics. In the past six years they have contributed more than $25,000 to athletic scholarships.

The Alberts’ both attended BHSU in the late 60s and early 70s. Bob earned an education degree in 1976 with Linda returning to BHSU to earn her degree in 1982. After teaching and coaching for several years, they relocated to the Denver, Colo., area where they now own and operate Greenleaf Construction and Timberco Manufacturing.

The Alberts are involved in many community and charitable activities including participating in Habitat for Humanity, the Children’s Hospital, the BHSU Foundation, Volunteers of America, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and other groups.