BHSU alumni, athletic teams to be inducted into Hall of Fame

Black Hills State University will induct two teams and six alumni into the Yellow Jacket Hall of Fame during the 2017 Swarm Week homecoming celebration Sept. 5-9.

The recipients will be honored during the Hall of Fame Banquet to be held Friday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Jacket Legacy Room of the David B. Miller Yellow Jacket Student Union, BHSU Campus, in Spearfish. Tickets for the Banquet must be purchased in advance by contacting the BHSU Alumni Office at 605-642-6385. Seating is limited. Tickets are $30 per person.

The 2017 Yellow Jacket Hall of Fame inductees include:
1980 Volleyball Team standing, left to right, head coach Lea Totton, Patty (Middleton) Gehrig, Susie (Seppala) Carr, Mary Kloepfer, Michele (Conger) Schmidt, Chris Haines, and manager Marlene Kelly.  Kneeling, left to right are, Fay Wicks, Jodi (McIntire) Schmidt, Karen Russell, Janice (Hanson) Curry, Kathy Harju, Michele (Cliff) Batz, and Dee Welsch.

The 1980 volleyball team ended the season with a 35-14 mark and at one point in the season were 30-3. The Jackets placed second in both the State AIAW and SDIC tournaments. Team members included head coach Lea Totton, Michele (Cliff) Batz, Susie (Seppala) Carr, Janice (Hanson) Curry, Patty (Middleton) Gehrig, Chris Haines, Kathy Harju, manager Marlene Kelly, Mary Kloepfer, Karen Russell, Michele (Conger) Schmidt, Jodi (McIntire) Schmidt, Dee Welsch, and Fay Wicks.  


1981 Volleyball Team standing left to right, Karen Russell, Sharla (Dower) Douglas, Connie Mogensen, Marcia (Withey) Moon, Kathleen Regel, Chris Haines, Patty (Middleton) Gehrig, Kim Kahler, Janice (Hanson) Curry, and Rose Lopez. Kneeling, left to right are, Nancy Booth, Lehtitia (Moilanen) Weiss, Kathy Harju, head coach Lea Totton, Susie (Seppala) Carr, Mary Kloepfer, and Suzanne Schleper.

The 1981 volleyball team finished the season with an impressive 34-9 record and placed second in the state AIAW Division III Tournament. The Jackets were 14-0 in conference play and were SDIC Champions. Team members included head coach Lea Totton, Nancy Booth, Susie (Seppala) Carr, Janice (Hanson) Curry, Sharla (Dower) Douglas, Patty (Middleton) Gehrig, Chris Haines, Kathy Harju, Kim Kahler, Mary Kloepfer, Rose Lopez, Connie Mogensen, Marcia (Withey) Moon, Kathleen Regel, Karen Russell, Suzanne Schleper, and Lehtitia (Moilanen) Weiss.

Randy Graves, Athlete - Track and Field, Conroe, Texas

Randy Graves, Class of 1972, won the high hurdles in the AAU State Championship in 1969. In 1971 and 1972 he won SDIC Championships in the high hurdles and won the 120 hurdles in 1972 with a conference record time of 14.3 which lasted until the conference disbanded in 2000. He also ran on the mile relay team for three years and were SDIC Champions in 1970 and the 4 x 100 relay team for four years which set a school record time of 42.2. The Jackets were SDIC team champions in 1970 & 1972.

Matthew R. Henkener, Athlete - Baseball and Football, Hahira, Ga.

Matthew Henkener, attended, was a first team all-conference baseball player as a first baseman in 1979 and 1981 and honorable mention in 1980. He was 11th in batting average in the SDIC in 1980 with a .333 average and led the SDIC in 1981 with a batting average of .589. Matt was also a first team all-conference performer in football in 1980 and 1981 as an offensive guard ad an Honorable Mention All-American in 1981.

Leo (Chico) Her Many Horses, Coach, Lander, Wyo.

Chico Her Many Horses, Class of 1982, coached the Wyoming Indian cross country teams to 20 state championships in 1982, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Randy Mink, Athlete - Track and Field, Gettysburg, S.D.

Randy Mink, Class of 1970, had five individual outdoor track school records (440 yards intermediate hurdles, 330 yard intermediate hurdles, 400 meter, 800 meter and the mile) four indoor school records (400, 600, 880 and the mile relay), five outdoor relay records (400, 800, mile, mile medley and two mile) and the outdoor fall decathlon record with 6556 points. He set a BHSU and state record in the 400 Intermediate Hurdles in 1970 with a time of 52.7.

Jessie Palczewski-Longbrake, Athlete - Cross Country and Track and Field, Dupree, S.D.

Jessie Palczewski-Longbrake, Class of 2003, was a four time individual All-American in indoor and outdoor track with her highest placing being second indoors in the 3000 meters in 2003. She was also third in the 10K in 2002, third in the 5000 and fifth in the 10k in 2003 (all outdoor). She was also on an All-American Distance Medley Relay team in 2003 and placed third in cross country individually in 2002. Jessie held five BHSU records (outdoor 5000 meter and steeplechase, indoor 3000 meter, mile run and 5000 meter run). The Jackets placed third as a team in 2002 in cross country.

Wade Wilson, Athlete - Football, Gillette, Wyo.

Wade Wilson, Class of 1985, rushed for 825 yards, scored seven touchdowns and averaged 94.5 yards per game in SDIC as a running back in 1983 leading the Jackets to a SDIC Championship. He was a first team All-SDIC and a First Team All-District 12 football player in 1983 as well as an Honorable Mention All-American.

For a full listing of BHSU Swarm Week events, visit www.BHSU.edu/SwarmWeek