(UND Athletics)
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND Athletics) – University of North Dakota Director of Athletics Bill Chaves and UND Letterwinners Association President Brian Westlund announced Friday the UND Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The group will be honored on Friday, Sept. 19 at the Alerus Center.
Rob Stiles (Wrestling/Men’s Golf, 1970-2008), Mark Murdock (Men’s Track & Field, 1994-98), Dave Hudson (Men’s Hockey, 1966-70), Jodie (Schwartz) Jones (Women’s Swimming/Diving, 1989-93), Liz (Kaler) Olson (Women’s Golf, 2002-06), Randy Harles (Football, 1981-84) Kelly Howe (Football, 1996-99) and Theresa LeCuyer (Women’s Basketball, 1999-01) will be inducted as individuals, while the 2000-01 women’s basketball team will be enshrined in the team category.
Additionally, South Dakota high school cross country coaching legend Forrest Flaagan will receive the Tom Clifford Award, and benefactors Dan, Jolene and Tommy Mikkelson will be recognized with the Honorary Letterwinner Award.
The 50th annual Athletics Hall of Fame event will take place with a dinner and induction ceremony on Friday, September 19 from the Alerus Center. The Class of 2025 will also be recognized the next afternoon during UND’s home football contest against Valparaiso at halftime.
This year’s eight inductees bring the total number of individuals in the UND’s Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame to 296, with the team total at 48.
UND Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Inductees are listed in alphabetical order
Randy Harles, Football
1981-84
Harles was a force on the defensive side of the ball for the Fighting Sioux, striking fear into whoever he lined up against.
He totaled 13.5 sacks over his four seasons with UND, which placed him second in program history at the time of his graduation and remained in the top-10 for over three decades after his playing career was finished. Harles earned multiple All-NCC selections and was selected as an All-America First Team honoree as a senior.
Harles helped the Sioux total four straight winning seasons, including a decade-high eight victories in 1984.
Kelly Howe, Football
1996-99
Another force on the defensive side of the ball, Howe roamed the secondary for UND for four seasons and was one of the best defensive backs in program history.
Howe intercepted opposing quarterbacks 17 times over his career to sit atop the record books at UND while also ranking eighth in UND history with 32 pass breakups. In 1999, Howe picked off seven passes to rank tied for fourth for the most INTs in a single season at NoDak to earn four-different All-America First Team selections.
He was a three-time All-NCC honoree, helped UND reach the postseason twice and capture the NCC title in 1999.
Dave Hudson, Men’s Hockey
1966-70
Hudson was a prominent figure on the ice in the early years of North Dakota men’s hockey, serving as the youngest team captain in program history in 1969-70.
Limited to just three seasons due to freshman being ineligible to play varsity hockey, Hudson scored 40 goals and added 33 assists for 73 points in 92 career games to help the Fighting Sioux advance to two NCAA Frozen Fours and an appearance in the 1968 title game.
Hudson played over 400 games in the NHL following his collegiate career, accumulating 183 points.
Liz (Kaler) Olson, Women’s Golf
2002-06
Kaler was one of the most prolific golfers in UND history, earning All-NCC accolades and finishing top-10 at the conference tournament in each of her four seasons.
She advanced to the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships twice, the only golfer at UND to do so, while also becoming only the third women’s golfer in NCC history to place in the top-20 at the national tournament multiple times.
Olson helped UND capture the NCC team crown for the first time in program history in 2005, finishing second as an individual.
Theresa LeCuyer, Women’s Basketball
1999-01
In just two seasons, LeCuyer put her name all over the record book for the prestigious UND women’s basketball program, helping continue a tradition of dominant bigs for the Fighting Sioux.
She accumulated over 1,000 points and nearly grabbed 500 rebounds in just 63 games, averaging a whopping 16.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest to earn back-to-back All-NCC and All-North Central Region selections.
Her senior year was a special one, as she was named WBCA National Division II Player of the Year and NCC Most Valuable Player while also being selected as an All-America First Team honoree by three-different publications after averaging 17.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game to help UND reach the national title game for the fourth time in the last five years.
Mark Murdock, Men’s Track & Field
1994-98
Murdock dominated for the North Dakota track & field program, earning multiple conference and national accolades in the shot put.
He is a four-time All-America selection, earning two indoors and another pair outdoors. Murdock became the second UND student-athlete to earn a podium finish at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in the shot put, placing second in 1995 before a sixth-place finish in 1997.
Murdock also shined outdoors in the same event, placing sixth in 1995 and eighth in 1998 at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. His throw in 1995 remains the best at a national championship by a UND men’s thrower.
Jodie (Schwartz) Jones, Women’s Swimming and Diving
1989-1993
Schwartz shined in the pool for the Fighting Sioux, earning 11 All-America selections across multiple events and relays.
She teamed up to break the NCAA Division II record and win the national championship in the 200-meter medley before winning another national title in the 400-meter medley in 1990.
On the individual side, Schwartz earned top-eight finishes at the NCAA Division II Championships five times over three events, including a runner-up finish in the 200-meter breast in 1992.
Rob Stiles, Wrestling/Men’s Golf
1970-2008, 2011-12
One of the longest-tenured coaches in UND athletics history, Stiles put his stamp on two programs during his illustrious career.
Stiles began his career at UND in 1970 in the wrestling room, where he served as the wrestling coach from 1970-1985 and helped the program to its first winning season before taking over as the men’s golf coach from 1985-2008 and returning for an interim season in 2011-12.
As the men’s golf coach, Stiles helped the Fighting Sioux win four straight NCC team titles from 1996-99 while also guiding Greg Melhus to an individual conference crown in 1997 – the first by a UND men’s golfer since 1983.
2000-01 Women’s Basketball Team
A dominant team in one of the most dominant eras of North Dakota women’s basketball, the 2000-01 Fighting Sioux finished with a 29-4 overall record and a 15-3 mark in NCC play to capture both the regular season and tournament conference crowns.
Headlined by fellow inductee Theresea LeCuyer, the Fighting Sioux rolled through the postseason to advance to their fourth NCAA Division II National Championship game in the last five years before falling in overtime to finish as national runners-up.
The 29 wins are the fifth-most by a UND women’s basketball team in program history.
Honorary Letterwinner Award
The Letterwinners Association Honorary Award is given upon official action by the Letterwinners Association to persons who, in the opinion of the committee, have contributed significantly to the furtherance of UND Athletics.
Dan, Jolene and Tommy Mikkelson, Benefactors
The Mikkelson family’s impact can be felt across all of UND athletics, spreading their generous gifts across all areas. Dan, Jolene and Tommy will be the second generation of honorary letterwinners in the family joining Dan’s father Fritz Mikkelson.
Dan and Jolene, both graduates of UND, have made a gift to UND athletics every year since 1991, spreading their treasure across multiple programs for scholarships and endowments.
Their son, Tommy, can often be found in the stands encouraging the crowd to get loud or showing off his stellar dance moves at all UND sporting events. He is an athlete with North Dakota Special Olympics, where he is able to have frequent interactions with UND student-athletes.
Thomas J. Clifford Award
The Clifford Award, established to honor former UND President Thomas J. Clifford, recognizes the UND alumni who serve as athletics coaches at the high school or collegiate level and have been notably successful in their sport
Forrest Flaagan, Cross Country
One of the most decorated prep coaches in the state of South Dakota, Flaagan served as a head coach for cross country for over three decades.
He began his tradition of winning early in his career, coaching Spearfish HS to two state titles in girls cross country in 1983 and 1984 before taking over at Rapid City Stevens HS from 1988-2010. While with the Raiders, Flaagan won 19 state cross country titles, including 10 straight years on the boys side, to set records in South Dakota.
Flaagan was the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1999 while earning finalist honors two other times. He was inducted in the NHSACA Hall of Fame in 2009 and the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
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