Augustana Athletics Names 10 as Part of 2025 Hall of Fame Class

Shaunteva Ashley was a four-year starter and one of the most dominant players in program history. She was an NSIC Freshman of the Year, three-time All-NSIC honoree, two-time All-Region player and the only player in Augustana women’s basketball history to be named Consensus All-America. The 2014-15 NSIC Player of the Year is first all-time in career free throws made (460), while ranking third in scoring (1,815) and assists (478). She was named first-team All-America by a pair of publications in 2014-15 after leading the NSIC with 21.1 points per game, 5.4 assists per game and a 2.37 assist-to-turnover ratio, all ranking in the top 20 nationally. Ashley reached a pair of NCAA Tournaments with the Vikings and helped lead them to a Final Four in 2013. 

Brittany Gaster spent four years helping build the Augustana women’s tennis program into the dominant force that it is today. She was a three-time All-NSIC First Team singles selection and two-time doubles first team selection, the first in program history to earn an All-NSIC nod. Gaster was also the first conference player of the year in program history when she was named the 2010 NSIC Player of the Year after going 15-4 in singles and 16-5 in doubles. The 2011 NSIC Senior of the Year earned three Academic All-NSIC nods and finished her career 57-24 in singles, including a 32-13 record at No. 1 singles, and 61-23 in doubles. She was on a pair of NSIC Championship teams and was a part of the first Augustana team to make the round of 16 at the NCAA Championships in 2011. 

The 2012 NSIC Pitcher of the Year, Derek Hansen earned a spot on three All-America Teams (ABCA, NCBWA and D2CCA) in 2012 including two positions on one team as a pitcher and utility player. He was also named the NCBWA Central Region Pitcher of the Year. His .363 batting average and 66 hits in 2012 led the offense while his 1.60 ERA and 103 strikeouts was tops on the pitching staff. He allowed an opponents batting average of just .181 and threw a pair of complete game shutouts that season as well. As a freshman, Hansen made a statement offensively when he hit .368 with 38 RBI and a .950 OPS. His career at Augustana concluded with him ranked fourth all-time in most games started with 32 and second all-time in strikeouts with 196 while playing just three seasons before being drafted in the 25th round by the Oakland Athletics following the 2012 season.
 

Tonia Heath enters the Hall of Fame as one of the most decorated sprinters in the history of Augustana women's track & field. Upon graduation in 2003, Heath was the program record holder in the indoor 60m, 200m, and 4x400m relay while also holding top times in the outdoor 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay, 4x200m Relay. She was an NCC Champion in the 4x100m Relay and is still in the top five in program history in the indoor 60m (2nd) and 200m (4th) and outdoor 100m (2nd), 4x200m relay (2nd), sprint medley relay (2nd) and 200m (5th). She also currently has two top 10 times in the 4x400m indoor relay, two in the 4x100m outdoor relay and two in the 4x400m outdoor relay. 

One of the most physically dominant athletes in the history of Augustana football, Josh Kayser cements his legacy. The 2002 All-NCC First Team selection was a leader on an offensive line that allowed just eight sacks, tied for the least amount of sacks allowed in program history. Kayser was a first team CCA All-Region selection and blocked for a rushing attack that averaged 150.1 yards per game. Kayser played in 19 games over his final two seasons with the Vikings and was one of the most dominant offensive tackles in the NCC. He went on to spend the 2003 season with the Sioux Falls Storm. 

A three-time All-America honor, Ryan King placed third, fourth and fifth at the national tournament from 2004-06. He was a three-time NCC Champion while earning four All-NCC honors including three times as a finalist. King was also dominant in the classroom, racking up three NCC All-Academic Team nods as well as a 2004-05 DII All-Academic First Team selection. He is ninth all-time with 112 career wins and 10th all-time in single-season wins with 34 in 2003-04. He has 48 career dual wins (fifth all-time) and has a pair of undefeated dual seasons (14-0 in 2005-06 and 12-0 in 2004-05). His 315 career takedowns is fifth all-time and his 128 takedowns in 2005-06 puts him third. 

Sara (Larson) Halverson was the 2003 NCC Most Valuable Player and an All-NCC Selection while playing in the most successful era of Augustana volleyball. She ranks third all-time with 1,565 kills and fifth with 3.52 kills per set. Halverson also ranks fourth with 1,697 digs and sixth with 3.81 digs per set. A four-year starter and three-year captain, Larson was a starter and major contributor on the 2000 National runner-up team, playing all six rotations as a true freshman. She was named to the All-North Central Region Tournament Team and the All-National Tournament team that season and finished her career as the program leader in digs.

A 1985 NCC All-Conference second team honoree, Terry Lehnen was a four-year letterwinner and starter for the Vikings. He was a team captain as a senior and finished his career as the program-record holder with 2,672 rushing yards, a record that stood for five seasons. Also a threat in the passing game, Lehnen is one of two Vikings to record over 2,500 rushing yards, 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards, with 40 years separating the two instances. He scored 10 total touchdowns in 1984 while adding eight more on the ground in 1985. He still places seventh in program history with 3,791 all-purpose yards, a number that topped the record book upon his graduation. 

Steve Thein was a four-year starter that averaged 9.6 points per game on 47.4 percent shooting for the Vikings. The 1986 graduate was the 12th player in program history to reach the 1,000 point total and currently ranks 34th all-time with 1,061 points. A 1985-86 Academic All-NCC honoree, Thein dished 324 assists (15th all-time) while wreaking havoc on the defensive end. He led the team in both assists and steals as a senior in the 1985-86 season. The defensive prowess is unquestioned as Thein is one of five in program history to have at least 95 blocks (96, sixth all-time) and 120 steals (124, 16th all-time).

A four-time All-America honoree, Jenelle Trautmann is one of the more dominant athletes in program history. She was a four-time All-NSIC First Team, 2012 NSIC Freshman of the Year, 2015 NSIC Pitcher of the Year, and earned NSIC All-Tournament Team honors twice. The program leader in games started (142), appearances (165) and strikeouts (813), Trautmann was named to all-region teams in each of her four seasons and earned 2015 D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year honors. She was an NFCA National Player of the Year finalist in 2015 after going 32-4 with a 2.37 ERA and 307 strikeouts in 223 2/3. She was also a feared hitter, holding a school-record with 75 home runs and a .746 slugging percentage while ranking second in RBI (237) and batting .367 across four seasons.