SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Three former Augustana student-athletes, who distinguished themselves in various competitions, will be inducted into the Augustana Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 5 during Viking Days 2012.
The inductees represent the finest in Augustana track & field, football, wrestling, and women's basketball. They are Brian Wolf, Lee Pulse, and Sara Yager Junkermeier. Also to be honored are Erika Paladino-Hazlett (Ole Odney Award), Jeff McCarron (Lefty Olson Award), and Lee and Karen Larsen (Milt and Clara Harvey Award).
In addition, members of Augustana's 1982 women's tennis team will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their North Central Conference championship. Ted Kessinger, who graduated from Augustana in 1963 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010, will also be recognized.
Induction activities begin at 6 p.m. with a social hour at the Holiday Inn City Centre Starlite Room. Dinner will be served at 7. For reservations contact
Beth Bornhoft at (605) 274-5420, or bbornhoft@augie.edu
Reservations are required and available through the Athletic Club Office. Advance tickets are $35/adults, $15/children 10 & under. Tickets are $40 at the door.
Brian Wolf, track & field, 1982
Wolf twice won the NCC decathlon championship, setting the school record with 7,111 points in 1982. He qualified for the 1981 and 1982 NCAA meets in the decathlon and 400 intermediate hurdles and scored points in both events, both years. Wolf won the 400 intermediate hurdles at the 1982 NCC meet in 52.79 seconds and in 1981 with a time of 52.89. After college he placed fifth at the National Indoor Pentathlon Championships. He went on to set the American record for fastest single run in U.S. bobsled history and was the national bobsled two-man champion in 1987. He won five gold medals at the World Fire Fighter Games in 1996 and was an Ironman Triathlon finisher at age 50.
Lee Pulse, football/wrestling, 1994
Pulse was as impressive on the mat as he was on the football field. He competed at heavyweight and between 1992-1994 became a three-time All-America with fourth-, second-, and third-place finishes in national competition. He was named the Vikings' most valuable wrestler following the 1992 season. In football, he shares the school record for sacks in a game (3) and for a season (8). He was named the NCC defensive player of the week after registering a dozen tackles and two quarterback sacks in a 20-7 win over the University of North Dakota. Pulse was named to the Academic All-NCC football team in 1993 and was selected to the all-conference second team.
Sara Yager Junkermeier, basketball, 1999
Yager is the 12th leading scorer in Augustana women's basketball history with 1,309 points. She is also among the leaders in single-game scoring efforts with 35 points against Morningside College in 1998. She is tied for second place for most field goals in a game (16). She is third in career rebounds (885) and third in blocked shots (149). She is tied for third for most blocks in a game (8) against Valley City State in 1997-98. Yager was named to the All-NCC team in 1998 and to the All-Academic NCC team the same year. She was named NCC Player of the Week for February 23, 1998.
Erika Paladino-Hazlett graduated from Augustana in 1997 and coached volleyball at Sioux Falls Lincoln High School for 14 seasons. She played four years at Augustana, where she helped the Vikings to a pair of NCC championships, was named NCC defensive player of the Year in 1996, and graduated magna cum laude. She was named Greater Dakota Conference coach of the year in 2000 and 2003, and in 2000 and 2007 was named LHS coach of the year. In 2004 her team won the state championship and repeated in 2010 and 2011. She guided the Patriots to runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2005. Her teams won three conference championships, and qualified for the state tournament 12 consecutive years. Paladino-Hazlett was named the 2011 South Dakota High School Coaches Association volleyball coach of the year. The Odney Award recognizes significant achievements in the recipient's profession.
Jeff McCarron is the owner and director of Pacesetter Sports. He began working in basketball camps in 1976 and created Pacesetter in 1980. He has been a basketball camp clinician and the director of all Pacesetter activities for the past 30 years. Since starting Pacesetter, McCarron has helped provide over 3,500 programs for more than 250,000 young athletes. He has also been the publisher of Minnesota Basketball News since 1994. McCarron was a member of Minnesota's last single-class state high school basketball championship team with Sherburn in 1970 and was a member of the Minnesota Gophers' Big Ten basketball championship team in 1972. He played two seasons for Augustana, 1973-74 and 1974-75. Recipients of the Olson Award have demonstrated significant lifetime service or achievement in athletics or athletic administration.
Lee and Karen Larsen of Sioux Falls, both graduates of Augustana, have been Athletic Club/Booster Club members since 1978. They have generously supported the annual Athletic Club Auction as contributors and volunteers, and Lee serves on the Athletic Club board of directors. The Larsens have contributed to capital projects including the Elmen Center, the Elmen Center Enhancement Project, and Kirkeby-Over Stadium. They funded the player banners that hang in the Sanford Practice Gym, and the keepsake softball/baseball bats for the student-athletes who have set records in those sports. They own a suite in Kirkeby-Over Stadium, hosting friends and Viking supporters each game day. Lee has personally raised thousands of dollars for Augustana athletics and in 2002 spearheaded the WEBS Weight Room effort as part of the Elmen Center Enhancement project by contacting and encouraging alumni to contribute. The Harvey Award recognizes contributions of time, service, and financial support rendered to Augustana athletics.
