North Dakota Athletics announces 2024 Hall of Fame Class
GRAND FORKS (UND Athletics/KVRR) – University of North Dakota Director of Athletics Bill Chaves and UND Letterwinners Association President Brian Westlund announced Wednesday the UND Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024. The group will be honored on Friday, Sept. 28 at the Alerus Center.
Mike Voelker (1976-79, football), Dave Tippett (1981-83, men’s hockey), Katie Richards (1996-00, women’s basketball), Mike Olson (1989-90, men’s swimming and diving), Lance Behm (1988-91, men’s swimming and diving), Heidi (Evans) Greenwood (2003-08, women’s track & field/cross country, volleyball), Dick Clay (1985-2018, track & field/cross country), Carol (Gambucci) Sween (1976-80, women’s tennis) and Todd Johnson (1990-95, men’s basketball) will be inducted as individuals, while the 2000 women’s cross country team will be enshrined in the team category.
Additionally, current Colorado School of Mines head volleyball coach Jamie (Skadeland) Magalei will receive the Tom Clifford Award, and major benefactor Kris Engelstad will be recognized with the Honorary Letterwinner Award.
The 49th annual Athletics Hall of Fame event will take place with a dinner and induction ceremony on Friday, September 28 from the Alerus Center. The Class of 2024 will also be recognized the next afternoon during UND’s football contest against Murray State as part of the Homecoming festivities.
“We are honored to celebrate the outstanding achievements and lasting legacy of these incredible athletes and contributors,” said Westlund. “This year’s inductees have truly exemplified excellence and have significantly contributed to the proud tradition of UND athletics. We look forward to recognizing their remarkable accomplishments in September.”
This year’s nine inductees bring the total number of individuals in the UND’s Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame to 288, with the team total at 47. Fans are encouraged to explore the all-new UND Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame virtual display here to read bio information and more on all the previous inductees.
UND Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Class is listed in alphabetical order
Lance Behm, Men’s Swimming and Diving
1988-91
Behm shined in the pool during one of the brightest eras for the North Dakota men’s swimming and diving program, garnering multiple accolades from 1988-91.
Over his career, Behm earned 10 All-America selections and captured the NCC crown in the 100-yard freestyle before qualifying for the NCAA Division II Championships in the 50-yard freestyle. At the NCAA’s, Behm finished fourth in the 200-medley relay, fifth in the 200-yard freestyle and 400-medley relay, while also placing sixth in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
His Fighting Sioux won the NCC team title every year in which he competed while also helping the program to its best finish at the NCAA Championships until 1995 at sixth.
Dick Clay, Track & Field/Cross Country
1985-2018
The name Dick Clay has become synonymous with the North Dakota track & field/cross country programs over the last four decades, serving as the longest single-sport tenure of any coach in school history.
Clay coached more than 80 individual All-America performers during his time at UND and won a total of five NCC team titles while taking his teams to 12 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. At those postseason appearances, Clay saw his teams garner seven top-5 finishes, including the 2000 women’s team placing second.
Clay also guided two UND women to individual national championships, with Maria Crep (1994) and Heidi Evans (2008) each winning the crown. He was named NCAA DII National Coach of the Year in 2000, while earning regional coaching honors that same season and NCC Coach of the Year three times.
Heidi (Evans) Greenwood, Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country, Volleyball
2003-08
Evans put her stamp across multiple sports at North Dakota, earning nine different letters during her athletic career with the Fighting Sioux between women’s track & field, cross country and volleyball.
She was a four-time All-America honoree during her standout track career, building towards a memorable 2008 season that saw her become one of the best in program history. Evans shattered school and conference records the 1500-meter record en route to an NCC crown and becoming the eighth individual national champion in UND track and field history.
The Roseau, Minn., native also won the 3000-meter NCC title and played four seasons as an outside hitter for the Fighting Sioux volleyball team.
Carol (Gambucci) Sween, Women’s Tennis
1976-80
The Gambucci name is legendary in the tennis world and Carol helped create that legacy during her time at North Dakota, as she becomes the first women’s tennis player to be inducted into the UND Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame.
A member of the first women’s tennis team at North Dakota, Gambucci helped begin a tradition of winning for the program by helping UND capture four conference titles, including a perfect 17-0 season in 1977-78. She led the Sioux to two AIAW Region VI Tournaments and was part of the longest unbeaten streak in program history at 37 matches.
She won a pair of conference doubles championships at the No. 1 court and was a runner-up on the No. 2 singles court in her rookie season. Gambucci was inducted into the North Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018.
Todd Johnson, Men’s Basketball
1990-95
Johnson was a dominant force on the court for the Fighting Sioux during the early 1990’s, helping the squad to the NCAA Division II Tournament in each of the four seasons he played.
He currently ranks eighth all-time in program history with 1,672 points, fourth in program history with 904 rebounds and third with a .571 field goal percentage to earn three All-NCC selections and an NCC All-Freshman Team honor.
Johnson shined in his senior campaign, garnering All-America honors after averaging a double-double over the entire 1994-95 season and helping the Sioux win their last nine regular season games to clinch a share of the NCC regular season crown and advance to the national tournament.
Mike Olson, Men’s Swimming and Diving
1986-90
Olson left his fingerprints all over the record book for the North Dakota men’s swimming and diving program, earning seven All-America selections during his final two years in the pool.
He set a new NCC record in the 100-yard backstroke en route to being named the NCC Male Swimmer of the Year in 1990 and helping the Fighting Sioux win yet another conference crown.
Olson’s relay teams garnered multiple NCAA accolades, finishing among the top-8 in the 200-medley (2x), 400-medley, 200-yard free (2x) and 400-yard free (2x) – often teaming up with fellow inductee Lance Behm.
Katie Richards, Women’s Basketball
1996-00
The late-Katie Richards is widely regarded as the one of the best players to put on a basketball uniform at North Dakota, helping the Fighting Sioux reach four NCAA Tournaments, win two NCC crowns and three straight Division II National Championships during her four seasons.
Richards finished with 1,512 points to sit 13th all-time on the career scoring list at UND, her 769 rebounds place her just outside the top-10 in program history while also ranking seventh in three-point field goal percentage and eighth in three pointers made on the all-time career list.
She was an All-NCC selection in each of her final two seasons, exploding for a career-best 18.0 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per contest as a junior to earn All-America honors and help the Sioux win their third straight national crown.
Richards passed away unexpectedly on November 2, 2023 at the age of 45. She served on the UND Letterwinners Association up to the time of her passing.
Dave Tippett, Men’s Hockey
1981-83
Tippett was a force down the middle for the Fighting Sioux hockey program during his two seasons, playing in 79 games and helping win the fourth NCAA title in program history.
The center finished his UND career with 28 goals and 59 assists for 87 points, earning All-WCHA Second Team honors in 1982-83 after sitting second on the team in assists (31) and points (46). Tippett was a valuable member of the 1981-82 squad that captured the WCHA regular season crown and rattled off four straight wins by a 18-6 margin in the NCAA tournament to win the school’s fourth national title in men’s hockey.
Tippett enjoyed an 11-year NHL playing career, appearing in over 700 games and tallying 267 points while also representing Canada on the international level at the 1984 and 1992 Winter Olympics. Following his playing career, Tippett coached 17 seasons in the NHL, where he sits 17th all-time with 648 wins and made 10 postseason appearances.
Mike Voelker, Football
1976-79
Voelker patrolled the secondary for the UND football team from 1976-79 and would often come up with the big defensive play when it was needed most.
He currently ranks tied for fourth in program history with 15 career interceptions, including a whopping six in 1977 to sit tied for seventh all-time at UND for the most in a single season. Voelker was a three-time All-NCC selection, including earning All-America honors as a rookie in 1976.
Voelker was instrumental in a major turnaround during his career, culminating in an NCC title on a crucial interception by Voelker in the clinching game and the program’s second NCAA Division II playoff appearance in 1979.
2000 Women’s Cross Country Team
Clay’s 2000 women’s cross country team was one of the best in program history, capturing the best finish by the program at the national championships and tying for the second-best finish by an NCC program in history.
After narrowly missing out on the conference title, UND turned in an incredible performance at the NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country Championships, finishing second to post the second-best finish by an NCC program ever and the first runner-up placement since 1984.
Three UND runners earned All-America honors that season, the most in a single-season in program history, while Becky Leppard became UND’s highest individual finisher at the championships that year by placing second.
Honorary Letterwinner Award
The Letterwinners Association Honorary Award is given upon official action by the club’s Executive Committee to persons who, in the opinion of the committee, have contributed significantly to the furtherance of UND Athletics.
Kris Engelstad, Benefactor
Engelstad’s philanthropy can be felt throughout the entire athletic department at North Dakota, as she has continued to upload the Engelstad Family Foundation’s legacy of impact throughout the community.
Serving as Trustee and CEO since the foundation launched in 2002, Engelstad has worked to improve all factors of being a student-athlete at North Dakota. She has provided funds for multiple facility upgrades to both the Ralph Englestad Arena and Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, ensuring some of the top facilities for the men’s hockey, soccer, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball programs, while also providing summer scholarships for the football program over the last decade and helping implement and support mental health services on campus for student-athletes since 2020.
Engelstad has been awarded multiple awards for her philanthropy across both Nevada and North Dakota.
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.
Jamie (Skadeland) Magalei, Volleyball
Skadeland has left her mark on the sport of collegiate volleyball during her outstanding playing and coaching career, serving as a head coach for nearly two decades.
She is currently entering her 17th season as the head coach at Colorado School of Mines, where she has amassed a 354-122 overall record to rank among the top-25 all-time in NCAA Division II for wins. Under Skadeland’s direction, Mines has won six RMAC regular season titles, five additional tournament crowns and reached 13 straight NCAA tournaments. She also coached first All-America selection in program history, as well as multiple national and conference honors.
While at North Dakota, Skadeland starred as a setter for the Sioux to earn All-NCC honors as both a junior and a senior. She helped UND reach the national tournament in 2002 and 2003, the first appearances in program history. Skadeland currently ranks eighth all-time in career assists (2,791), fourth all-time in single season helpers (1,417) and is one of only 20 members of the 1,000-dig club (1,086).
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