HOMECOMING 2022

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MINNEAPOLIS -- As part of Augsburg University's Homecoming week, six women will be inducted into the college's Athletic Hall of Fame, and one other will be honored with an award for athletic department excellence, during the 2022 Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony, to be held on Thursday, Oct. 6 at the Foss Chapel.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Title IX and the beginning of Augsburg women's intercollegiate athletics, the 2022 Athletic Hall of Fame class will be the first made up entirely of female student-athletes. Inductees into the 49th class of the Athletic Hall of Fame are: Annie Annunziato '04 (Hockey), Tonnisha (Bell) Russell '06 (Track & Field), Angela (Bergeson) Lawrence '06 (Cross Country, Track & Field), Melynda (Kleewein) Belde '05 (Hockey/Softball/Soccer), Melissa Lee '04 (Softball/Basketball) and Millie Suk '06 (Soccer). In addition, former Augsburg instructor, coach and administrator Joyce Pfaff '65 will be honored with the Legend of Augsburg Athletics Award.

The Oct. 6 ceremony will celebrate Augsburg's 50 years of women's intercollegiate athletics and Title IX by naming a group of 20 female athletes from the 2010s as an "All-Decade Team," extending a legacy of Auggie all-decade squads started during the 40th anniversary of women's intercollegiate athletics in 2012. In addition, the Homecoming weekend will feature the dedication of the renovated women's locker room in Si Melby Hall in honor of Augsburg Hall of Famer Patricia Piepenburg '69 on Friday, Oct. 7 during the Augsburg All-School Reunion.

The six inductees bring the total number of Athletic Hall of Fame members to 345, along with one team. In addition, 14 individuals have been honored with the department's Distinguished Athletic Service Award, 10 individuals have earned the department's Excellence in Coaching Award, and two individuals have earned the Legacy of Augsburg Athletics Award.

2022 Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame Class

Annie Annunziato '04 (Hockey) -- Played 2 seasons of hockey at Augsburg, teams were 27-21-5 with 2 MIAC playoff appearances in her time … Named an AHCA All-American from the West Region in 2003-04 … All-MIAC in both 2002-03 and 2003-04 … MIAC Player of the Week 3 times in her career … In 53 career games at Augsburg, scored 40 goals (5th in school history) with 50 assists (4th in school history) for 90 points (4th in school history) … 15 career power-play goals and 4 shorthanded goals are both tied for most in school history … Had plus-34 plus-minus rating … Scored 23 goals with 31 assists for 54 points, with 8 power-play goals and 4 shorthanded goals, in 2002-03 … Scored 17 goals with 19 assists for 36 points, with 7 power-play goals, in 2003-04 … Played her first 2 years at Manhattanville (N.Y.) … Her combined college career stats (104 games): 62 goals with 91 assists for 153 points.

Tonnisha (Bell) Russell '06 (Track & Field) -- 2006 co-Senior Athlete of the Year … One of the most decorated track & field athletes in school history … As of 2021, still holds three school records -- indoor 55-meter dash (7.08 seconds), indoor long jump (5.50m/18-feet-0.5) and outdoor 200-meter dash (24.38 seconds), setting six individual and two relay records during her career … Five-time NCAA All-American (2003 indoor 55-meter dash, 6th; 2005 indoor 55-meter dash, 6th; 2006 indoor 55-meter dash, 2nd; 2006 outdoor 100-meter dash, 4th; 2006 outdoor 200-meter dash, 5th) … Became first Augsburg track athlete since 1998 to claim multiple All-American honors at a single championship meet in 2006 … Qualified for all eight NCAA track championships in her career in 11 events … Won 11 MIAC championships (six indoor, five outdoor) and earned All-MIAC honors 15 times (nine indoor, six outdoor) … MIAC Athlete of the Week eight times … Earned MIAC Indoor Most Outstanding Performance honors twice … In 2006, named MIAC Outstanding Female Indoor Track Athlete and USTFCCCA Division III Central Region Women's Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

Angela (Bergeson) Lawrence '06 (Cross Country/Track & Field) -- In cross country, earned All-MIAC honors with 12th-place finish at 2005 MIAC Championships, All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors with 17th-place finish at 2004 MIAC Championships … Earned NCAA All-Central Region honors in both 2004 (18th at NCAA regional) and 2005 (30th at NCAA regional) … Personal best time of 23:23 in 6,000 meters set in 2004 … In track and field, still a part of six Augsburg school records (outdoor 800-meter run, 2:12.76; outdoor 3,200-meter relay, 9:21.51; outdoor distance medley relay, 12:27.69; outdoor 3,520-yard relay, 9:44.61; indoor distance medley relay, 12:05.92; indoor 1,500-meter run, 4:46.17) … Two-time NCAA national championships qualifier (outdoor 800-meter run, 2006; indoor distance medley relay, 2004), earning All-American honors as part of 2004 relay … Five-time All-MIAC and five-time All-MIAC Honorable Mention performer in track … Three-time MIAC Athlete of the Week in track … Part of two conference-champion relays in 2004.

Melynda (Kleewein) Belde '05 (Hockey/Softball/Soccer) -- In hockey, All-MIAC defender in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05, All-MIAC Honorable Mention in 2001-02 … Played in 103 career games, finishing with 11 goals and 66 assists for 77 points … Currently 6th in school history in career points (most by a defender) and 2nd in assists ... Teams went 49-45-10 in her career, with appearances in the MIAC playoffs her last 3 seasons … Had 21 assists in 2004-05, ranking 10th among NCAA D-III players nationally in assists per-game (0.81) … In softball, played 4 seasons as an outfielder and catcher, finishing with a .178 career batting average (31-of-174) with 25 runs scored … Hit career-best .263 (20-of-76) in 2005, scoring 12 runs … Also played soccer in 2002 season, with 1 goal and 1 assist in 9 games.

Melissa Lee '04 (Softball/Basketball) -- Honor Athlete in 2004 … All-MIAC in 2004, All-MIAC Honorable Mention in 2003 and 2002 … NFCA All-Midwest Region in 2002 … Considered one of the top third basemen in program history … Four-year starter, starting all 141 of her career games … Had .296 career batting average (121 of 409) with 50 runs scored, 21 doubles, 5 triples, 40 RBI, 31 walks, 14 stolen bases, .372 slugging percentage and .357 on-base percentage … 367 career assists is a school record … Had .962 career fielding percentage, with 23 errors in 601 chances … Hit .361 (35-of-97) in 2002 and .320 (33-of-103) in 2004 … 9 career hit by pitch (tied-6th in school history) … Also played basketball for 2 seasons … Health and physical education major with 3.50 GPA, Academic All-MIAC 3 times and NFCA Scholar-Athlete Award 3 times ... Has served as an HPE instructor and athletic department administrator at Augsburg since 2004 ... Augsburg softball assistant coach from 2004 to 2016, head coach since 2017.

Millie Suk '06 (Soccer) -- Senior Honor Athlete in 2006 … All-MIAC all four years of her career … NSCAA All-West Region third-team in both 2004 and 2005 … Played in 67 career games, setting then-school records for total points (93, now 4th in school history) and goals (38, now third), along with 17 assists (t-14th) … 16 game-winning goals in career … 12 goals-2 assists--26 points in 2002, 8G-5A--21P in 2003, 9G-4A--22P in 2004, 9G-6A--24P in 2005 … MIAC Player of the Week three times in career … voted Team MVP on offense in 2003 and Auggie Award in 2005 … Team captain her junior and senior year … Member of teams that went 40-21-11 in her career, with MIAC playoff appearances in 2004 and 2005 … Academic All-MIAC in 2003, 2004 and 2005 … CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2005 (1st team) and 2006 (2nd team).

LEGEND OF AUGSBURG ATHLETICS AWARD Joyce Pfaff '65 -- Inducted into Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991 … Received Augsburg Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009 … Member of Women's Recreation Association while an Augsburg student … Began a 43-year teaching career in Health and Physical Education at Augsburg in 1966, became Augsburg's first women's intercollegiate athletic director in 1972, serving until 1988 … Served as Augsburg's first volleyball and gymnastics coach, and led the establishment of basketball, softball, tennis, track & field, cross country and soccer as women's varsity intercollegiate sports … Also taught unique sailing course in the Virgin Islands with her husband, Doug, during winter interim … Taught and developed a fitness center at United International College in Zhuhai, China in 2008-09.