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MINNEAPOLIS --Â As part of its Homecoming week, Augsburg College will induct nine former student-athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Thursday (9/26) evening at the college's Hoversten Chapel. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Christensen Center, with the ceremony to follow at 7 p.m. at the Hoversten Chapel.
Inductees are: Dave Carlson '93 (men's basketball), Stan D'Andrea '83 (wrestling), Ron Eggerichs '88 (men's hockey/baseball), Paul Elliott '83 (football/men's hockey), Trudy Fairbanks '85 (women's basketball/softball), Gary Kroells '93 (wrestling), Emily Miller '00 (women's hockey/softball), Dan Nayman '83 (baseball/football/men's hockey) and Jodie West Bourgerie '99 (softball).
In addition, retired athletic administrator Dr. Paul Grauer and retired campus pastor Rev. Dave Wold will receive Distinguished Athletic Service awards, and Augsburg alums Jim Fischer '70 and Thanh Pham '97 will receive Augsburg Alumni Excellence in Coaching awards. Fischer coached cross country and track and field at the University of Delaware for 30 years and is currently the cross country coach at Delaware Technical and Community College, and Pham coached the University of St. Thomas volleyball team to the NCAA Division III national title last season.Â
For more information on the Hall of Fame event, contact the Augsburg athletic office at 612-330-1249 or the Alumni and Parent Relations office at 612-330-1085.
Here are biographies of each of Thursday's honorees.
DAVE CARLSON '93 – Carlson was one of the top men's basketball players in school history, finishing his career with 1,540 points in 99 career games, the fourth-most in program history. Carlson was a three-time All-MIAC honoree and earned Academic All-MIAC distinction twice. He was named an NCAA Division III All-West District selection in his senior season. Carlson is ranked in the top 10 in school history in eight different statistical categories. Carlson graduated with a degree in psychology, and was named a 1993 co-Senior Honor Athlete.
STAN D'ANDREA '83 – D'Andrea was a standout wrestler for the Auggies in the early 1980's. He was a two-time MIAC champion at 126 pounds and earned NAIA All-American honors in 1983 after finishing fourth at the national meet. His Auggie teams finished fifth nationally in NAIA competition in 1981, seventh in 1982 and third in both NAIA and NCAA Division III competition in 1983, while winning MIAC team titles three times. D'Andrea was an NWCA Scholar All-American and graduated with a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. D'Andrea went on to earn his Ph.D in Chemistry from Colorado State University. He was employed by Bristol-Myers Squibb for 22 years as a chemistry principal scientist and is currently a private investor in biotech stocks. D'Andrea and his wife Susan have four children -- Melissa, Rachel, Zachary and Alexa – and live in Wallingford, Conn.
RON EGGERICHS '88 – Eggerichs was a two-sport letterwinner during his collegiate career, playing on the Augsburg men's hockey and baseball teams. On the ice, Eggerichs earned All-MIAC first-team honors twice, was twice named MIAC Player of the Week, and led the MIAC in scoring during the 1986-87 season. Eggerichs currently ranks in the top 20 in school history points (131), goals (57) and assists (74). In his baseball career, he was a member of the 1987 MIAC championship team and teams that twice participated in the NCAA Division III national playoffs. A business management major, Eggerichs went into business with his father and brother manufacturing motorcycle windshields. He has coached youth hockey and baseball for 18 years through the Blaine program. Eggerichs and his wife Wendy have four children – Michael, Luke, Brett and Marissa – and live in Ham Lake, Minn.
PAUL ELLIOTT '83 – Elliott was a two-sport athlete at Augsburg, participating on the football and men's hockey teams. Elliott, who started every game of his career as a defensive end in football, served as team captain during the 1982 season. He made history when he became the first Augsburg student-athlete to earn CoSIDA Academic All-American honors. He also earned Academic All-NAIA District 13 honors in 1980 and 1981. Elliott also participated in hockey for one season. A business marketing major, Elliott has held management positions in various industries, including retail, car rental, cosmetic sales, office building consulting, horse ranch ownership and healthcare. He has also coached youth baseball and soccer and has served as charter president for Special Olympics Minnesota. Elliot and his son Chasce reside in St. Charles, Mo.
TRUDY FAIRBANKS '85 – Considered one of the top women's basketball players in school history, Fairbanks played three seasons of basketball and one season of softball after transferring from Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Fairbanks was a two-time All-MIAC honoree and still holds the Augsburg and MIAC record for most steals in a single game (11). She is the Augsburg school record-holder for most steals in a career (236) and her name appears in the school record books for top-marks in 17 different statistical categories. Fairbanks earned majors in both physical education and elementary education and taught physical education for many years before her current position teaching third grade in Rosemount, Minn. Fairbanks has two daughters -- Cassie an Augsburg graduate and Chelsea a current Auggie -- and resides in Lakeville, Minn.
GARY KROELLS '93 – Kroells was a standout wrestler for the Auggies in his in the early 1990s. Transferring to Augsburg after competing his first two seasons at Division I Drake (Iowa), he was a two-time MIAC champion, two-time All-American and two-time NCAA Division III national champion at 158 pounds for the Auggies. He was a member of the 1992 NCAA national runner-up team and the 1993 NCAA national championship team. He was named the Midwest Sports Channel Division III Athlete of the Year in 1993 and was named as Augsburg's co-Senior Honor Athlete. In 2005, he was inducted into the NWCA Division III Wrestling Hall of Fame. A criminal justice/sociology major, Kroells went on to become a police officer at the West Hennepin Police Department, serving the communities of Maple Plain and Independence. He currently serves a patrol sergeant and serves as the second in command of the department. He has coached youth wrestling for the past four years, with his teams making three state tournament appearances. Kroells and his wife Amy have two boys – Tanner and Tyson – and reside in Delano, Minn.
EMILY MILLER '00 – Miller was a two-sport letterwinner during her collegiate career, playing on the Augsburg women's hockey and softball teams. On the ice, Miller was the first Augsburg women's hockey player to appear in 100 career games (including games against club opponents). She earned All-MIAC honors twice and was named to the AWHCA Division III All-America second team. Miller was a member of two MIAC championship teams and was a part of the 2000 team that competed in the first Division III national tournament (AWCHA) in Boston, Mass. A defender, she is currently ranked in the top 15 in school history in points (43), goals (17) and assists (26). During her softball career, Miller earned NFCA All-Midwest Region second-team honors and is currently ranked in the top 15 in school history in doubles (22) and RBI (56). A business management major, Miller went on to work for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office and is currently a licensed peace officer. Since graduating, she has volunteered as an assistant coach for both Augsburg's women's hockey and softball teams and has coached with the St. Paul United High School girls' hockey team. Miller currently resides in St. Paul, Minn.
DAN NAYMAN '83 – Nayman was a three-sport athlete during his Auggie athletic career, playing on the baseball, football and men's hockey teams. In baseball, he was a four-year starter in center field, while batting leadoff. He finished his career with a .373 batting average, currently ranking seventh in school history, while adding 40 stolen bases (sixth in school history), including five steals of home. Nayman earned All-MIAC and All-MIAC honorable mention honors, while being a member of two MIAC runner-up teams. In football, he was a wide receiver and kickoff returner, and played both forward and defense on the hockey team that won the MIAC and NAIA national titles in the 1980-81 campaign. Nayman graduated with a degree in political science and went on to form a band with his brothers called the "Nayman Brothers." He is currently an attorney and runs Downey & Associates, Inc., an information technology and executive search firm. He has remained active in both playing and coaching since his time at Augsburg. Nayman and his wife Kim have four children – Frankie, Gracie, Billy and Eddie -- and reside in Winnetka, Ill.
JODIE WEST BOURGERIE '99 – Bourgerie was a standout infielder for the Augsburg softball team in the late 1990s. She earned All-MIAC honors in 1999, was a two-time MIAC honorable mention selection, and was named to the NFCA All-Midwest Region third team in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She currently ranks in the top 10 in school history in seven different statistical categories. Bourgerie was a Dean's List honoree, member of the Tri Beta honor society, a Regent Scholar, Joyce Pfaff Academic Award-winner and campus ministry member. She earned Academic All-MIAC and CoSIDA Academic All-District honors in 1999, and earned NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors in both 1998 and 1999. She was named Augsburg's co-Senior Honor Athlete in 1999. After graduating with a degree in biology, she has worked for EMSL Analytical Inc., an environmental testing firm and since 2005 has been the microbiology lab manager for the Twin Cities location. Bourgerie is a Hennepin Country Master Gardener and is married to Augsburg alumnus Jon Bourgerie '96. The couple has two children – Eadaoin and Aleck -- and reside in St. Louis Park, Minn.
AUGSBURG ALUMNI EXCELLENCE IN COACHING AWARDS:
JIM FISCHER '70 – Fischer was a member of the cross country and track and field teams and was a member of student government, the senior class vice president and an intramural participant during his time at Augsburg. Fischer graduated with a degree in health and physical education and went on to a distinguished career in coaching spanning more than 30 years. As the director of running programs and track and field and cross country coach at the University of Delaware from 1982 to 2012, he led the Blue Hens to five conference titles and 12 runner-up finishes, earning America East Coach of the Year honors five times. In 2013, he was named head coach for the newly instituted cross country program at Delaware Technical and Community College. Prior to coming to Delaware, he coached at Concordia-Moorhead and the University of Minnesota. Fischer is a member of the Concordia-Moorhead Athletic Hall of Fame (as an assistant coach for the Cobbers' NAIA national championship football program in 1981) and Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. He has been active in public service, involved with the Special Olympics and Leukemia Society Team in Training efforts. Jim and his wife Christine have two children – Jonathan and Laura – and reside in Newark, Del.
THANH PHAM '97 – Pham was a member of Augsburg's nationally successful wrestling program and served as an assistant volleyball coach under Hall of Fame coach Marilyn Pearson Florian during his college years. Pham was named Augsburg's head coach in 1999, and served as co-head coach with Ryan Dehnel in 2000. In 2003, Pham was named head coach at MIAC rival St. Thomas. In 11 seasons with the Tommies, his teams have won nearly 300 matches, won seven MIAC titles and advanced to the NCAA national tournament eight times, with a winning percentage of nearly 82 percent. In 2012, the Tommies won the NCAA Division III national championship, going 40-1 en route to the title, the first for an MIAC school in volleyball. He has earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors three times and has coached five MIAC Players of the Year, including current Augsburg head coach Jane Becker. Pham and his wife Stefanie have one son, Tae.
AUGSBURG DISTINGUISHED ATHLETIC SERVICE AWARDS:
DR. PAUL GRAUER – A 1965 graduate of Concordia College (Neb.), Grauer was a team captain and two-time all-conference football player, who earned team MVP and Lutheran All-America honorable-mention honors in 1964. Prior to his time at Augsburg, Grauer served as a coach and professor at Concordia Junior College in Oregon, Augustana of South Dakota and Concordia-St. Paul. As a coach, instructor and an administrator, Grauer served the Augsburg community from 1979 until his retirement in 2010. He served as head men's and women's track and field coach from 1979 to 1992, coaching athletes who won eight individual national titles and set two NCAA Division III national meet records. He served as Augsburg's sports information director for four years, as men's athletic director from 1998 to 2007, and as assistant athletic director from 2007 to his retirement in 2010. He also served as an instructor in the health and physical education department as well as on numerous college, MIAC and NCAA committees throughout his time at Augsburg. Grauer and his wife Judy have three sons -- Walter, Doug and Jeff, -- and reside in St. Paul, Minn.
REV. DAVE WOLD – A St. Olaf graduate, Wold came to Augsburg in 1983, serving as campus pastor until his retirement at the end of the 2012-13 school year. For three decades, Wold has served as the voice of numerous Augsburg athletic events, including football, men's basketball and wrestling. Since the 1990s, he has also led the "World Famous Bunch of Guys Chorus." The Bunch of Guys frequently perform the National Anthem at Augsburg evnets and have also performed at numerous Augsburg chapel services over the years. Wold was one of the guiding lights behind Augsburg's Advent Vespers services and has brought many groups to campus through the Augsburg church basketball league. Wold has provided spiritual guidance to many Augsburg athletic teams, student-athletes and coaches during the past 30-plus years. Dave and his wife, Cathy, have three children -- daughters Becca and Rachel and son Nick -- and nine grandchildren -- and live in Arden Hills, Minn.