Montana Tech Hall of Fame seeking nominations

Montana Tech Athletics is seeking nominations for the Oredigger Hall of Fame. Voting for this years class will take place the first week of April.

There are several different categories available for nominations:

Student-athlete. A nominee must have competed for at least 2 years at Tech and completed their playing career at Tech. Athletes must be out of school for at least 10 years. Academics are considered, but they are not required criteria. First Team All-Americans automatically enter the Hall of Fame.

The student-athletes who are currently in the hall are an incredible group. Athletes who stamped their names not only in the Montana Tech record books but also in the NAIA. People like Collette Phillips Anderson, Mark Jensen, and Brad Huse.

Teams: Teams may be nominated for induction for outstanding accomplishments, such as conference championships or teams with national tournament wins. This category also has a ten-year ‘waiting period’ for induction, and any National Championship teams are automatically placed into the Hall after their ten-year eligibility is up.

To date, there are 11 teams enshrined in the Montana Tech Hall of Fame. Teams like the 1962 Football team, led by Hall of Fame Coach Ed Simonich. They broke a 9-year losing streak and may have saved athletics at Montana Tech.

The 1981 volleyball team led by Frontier Coach of the Year Jo Buysse. This team had four All-Conference selections, advanced to the Region 9 tournament, and finished with a 20-7 record.

The 1997-1998 & 1998 – 1999 Men’s Basketball teams led by Rick Dessing. Back-to-back Frontier Conference Championships. They were the first Men’s team to reach the NAIA National Tournament. The teams included several all-conference selections, with 3 All-American nods as well. Brian Watson was 3^rd team All-American in 98, and First Team All-American in 99. Jeff Bellach was Honorable Mention All-American in 99.

Coaches: The baseline for a coach is not only a conference championship in their given activity but also an impact on the student-athletes in the classroom, and away from campus.

We have been blessed with amazing coaches through the years at Montana Tech, coaches like Robert ‘Bob’ Green, the longest-tenured head coach in Montana Tech history, with 24 years at the helm.

Kelvin Sampson, Men’s Basketball coach from 1981-1984. Three straight 22-win seasons, and 3 straight Frontier Conference Championships.

Jo Ann Buysee, Women’s Basketball and Volleyball. Coach Buysee was the first full-time coach for both programs, guiding volleyball from 1980-1983, and basketball from 1980-1986, and again from 1987-88.

Contributors: Contributors are considered if they made a significant impact on the Athletic Department, as a volunteer, an administrator, a coach, or student-athlete.

Contributors are those who are they for everything. People who jump to help whenever asked (most of the time before they are even asked). People like David ‘Maynard’ Barrick, Mary Lee & Rod James, and Don Hawkinson. People who are synonymous with Montana Tech.

If there is an individual or a team that you think is missing, I urge you to fill out the nomination form found HERE.

The full rundown of Hall of Fame guidelines can be viewed HERE.

You can view the entire Montana Tech Hall of Fame HERE.

The committee will go through the nominations at the beginning of April, so get your nomination in ASAP.

If you would like an example of years past, you can view last year’s Hall of Fame class HERE.

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