2008 NSIC Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

St. Paul, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced their 2008 Hall of Fame Inductees. The induction ceremony will be held Friday, July 25, 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: Irv St. John, Bemidji State University; Nancy Trebbensee, Southwest Minnesota State University; Randy Sullivan, Minnesota State University Moorhead; Brian Paulson, Winona State University and the 1993-94 Northern State University Women’s Basketball Team.

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 127 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 four prominent inductees and one team that are being recognized at the ninth-annual NSIC Summer Kickoff Event, at its home for the past four years, in St. Cloud, Minn.

Each NSIC school (who has been a member for the past 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.

2008 NSIC Hall of Fame Inductees

Irv St. John, Bemidji State University
A four-year letterman in baseball, track and basketball, Irv St. John is best known for his cage performance at Bemidji State. The Beavers won or tied for three conference championships during his four-year career (1951, 1952, 1954), which included three selections to the All-NIC squad. His career point total of 1,222 points ranks ninth among all-time BSU scorers. Following a stint in the service, he began a coaching career that produced six conference championships, one district trophy, two regional champs, and two state AA championships. His combined high school cage record at three schools stands at 245-118. St. John graduated from Bemidji State Teachers College in 1954 with a BS in Physical Education. He was inducted into the Bemidji State Hall of Fame in 1979. St. John was a teacher at Duluth East High School before a ten year stint as the school’s activities director. He retired in 1992 and now resides in Duluth with his wife Pat.

Randy Sullivan, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Randy Sullivan grew up in Stewart, Minnesota before attending Minnesota State University Moorhead in the early 1980s. Sullivan, a four-year letterman in football, is the Dragon’s scoring leader with 316 points and ranks third in rushing with 3,515 yards. He holds the MSUM record for longest run from scrimmage as he rumbled 95 yards for a touchdown against Kearney State in 1984. He set a single season record with 132 points in 1984 and the second highest single season rushing total with 1,406 yards that season. Sullivan helped the Dragons to a 10-0-1 finish in 1981, the number one ranking on the final regular season poll and to the their first ever NAIA Division I national playoffs. Sullivan appeared in three post season games with the Dragons and was a three time All-American. As a sophomore he was third in the nation (NAIA I) in rushing and was named All-American honorable mention. His junior year he was second in rushing and earned All-American second team honors. In his final campaign he led the nation in rushing and was a First Team All-American. That season he averaged 140.6 yards per game and was decorated with KODAK and NAIA DI First Team All-American honors. Sullivan signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons in 1984. Sullivan now resides in Maui, Hawaii where he operates a construction business.

Nancy Trebbensee, Southwest Minnesota State University
Nancy Trebbensee was born and raised in Winthrop, Minnesota and upon graduation attended Southwest Minnesota State University earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and Health. While attending SMSU Trebbensee was an active member of both the women’s basketball and softball teams. She earned NAIA All-American Honorable Mention in basketball in 1982-83 & 1983-84 and All-MAIAW in basketball in 1981 & 1982. She earned Northern Sun Conference (NSC) All-Conference in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She was an All-District 13 player in 1982-83 & 1983-84 while finishing her career with 1,496 points. A four-year starter, Trebbensee missed only one game in her career as a Mustang.
In softball Trebbensee received NSC All-Conference and All-District 13 honors in 1984. Trebbensee was honored by her Alum Mater in 1996 when she was inducted into the SMSU Hall of Honor and was named one of SMSU’s Top 30 Female Athletes (1970-2000). Trebbensee currently resides in Phoenix, Ariz. where she works as a claims adjuster for American Family Insurance.

Brian Paulson, Winona State University
Brian Paulson attended Winona State University from 1989 to 1994 where he earned a B.S. in Marketing. While at Winona State Paulson was a four-time NSIC Men’s Golf All-Conference Team member while finishing in the top three spots all four years at the NSIC Men’s Golf Championships. He won medalist honors his freshman year in 1989, was runner-up in 1990 & 1992 and finished third in 1993 (he redshirted in 1991). At the NCAA national level, Paulson earned All-American honors in the 1992-93 season as well as being selected to the Golf Coaches Association of American East/West Team. He finished in third place at the national meet that season. Paulson was also a three time NAIA All-American and finished second at the 1993-94 NAIA Men’s Golf National Championships. Paulson was a Scholastic All-American as well in 1992-93 and 1993-94.
In 1994 Paulson turned pro and played five years on the Prairie and Dakotas’ Professional Golf Tours, picking up one victory. In 2006 and 2007 he qualified for the National PGA Taylor Made/Adidas Golf Assistant Professional Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla. He is currently enrolled in the PGA of America Golf Professional Training Program and also is the Winona State Men’s Golf Assistant Coach/Swing Coach. Brian currently resides in Winona, Minn. along with his father Jerry and mother Ardyce.

1993-94 Northern State University Women’s Basketball Team
The 1993-94 Northern State women’s basketball was the most successful team in program history, going 32-1 overall and 12-0 in NSIC play. Among the many records set in the season was most wins (32), best winning percentage (97.0%) and most consecutive wins (32). After losing their first game of the season to Wayne State College, the Wolves cruised through the remainder of the year and became the NAIA Division II National Champions. This was the third straight National Tournament appearance for the Wolves and the second time in three years that Northern State took home the crown. NSU was ranked #1 in the nation the entire season and was led by head coach Curt Fredrickson.
Junior forward Julie Jensen was the scoring leader for the Wolves in 1993-94, averaging 15.2 points per game with 500 total points on the year. Jensen finished her career and remains the all-time leading scorer in NSU history with 2,058 points scored. Standing at 5 feet 11 inches, Jensen comes in at second on NSU’s career rebound chart, adding 251 boards (7.6 rpg) in 1993-94 to a career mark (1,007) that made her just one of two players in school history to notch more than 1,000 points and rebounds.
Jensen was tied with the most assists on the team with 114 dimes on the season (4th all time at NSU), averaging 3.45 per game. She also averaged 1.2 blocks per game with 40 on the season.
Jenny Seez, a junior guard, was the second leading scorer for the Wolves with 13.0 points per game. Seez had the most 3-pointers on the team with 57, shooting 40.7% on the year from long range. Nancy King was Northern’s third and final player to average double figures in scoring with 10.6 points per game. King was the leading rebounder on the team, pulling down 8.1 boards per game. She had a total of 266 boards on the season. King had a career high where she pulled down 18 boards in a single game. Paula Stolsmark and Jensen led the squad with 114 assists in the Championship season, with Barb Johnson adding 98 dimes.
Jensen and Seez were named to the All-Region and All-Northern Sun Conference teams in 1993-94. Jensen was the Player of the Year in both the region and the NSIC and made the NAIA II All-America First Team for the second straight year. For her efforts at the National Tournament, Paula Stolsmark was named to the All-Tournament First Team and was declared Tournament Most Valuable Player. Jensen made the All-Tournament Second Team.
The 1993-94 squad scored 2,758 points for an average of 83.6 points per game, which is second all-time. The Wolves held the best shooting percentage all-time at NSU, shooting 48.1% from the field. As a team, the Wolves reached the century mark with 100+ points four times on the season. The Wolves had 621 assists on the 93-94 year, averaging 18.8 assists per game, which is second all time in NSU history. The Northern State defense was also key to the success of the season. The Wolves pulled down 44.5 rebounds per game compared to their opponents low 30.2 game for a rebounding margin of +14.3. They recorded 166 blocks on the season which is also best in school history, averaging 5.03 per game. NSU held its opponents to just 37.7% from the field.
*Courtesy: NSIC Media Relations