BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University will officially welcome six individuals and one team into its Athletics Hall of Fame, as part of the University's Alumni B-Club/Athletic Hall of Fame Weekend Oct. 13-14, 2023. The 2023 inductees include five former student-athletes, an outstanding team and an honorary supporter.
Former Bemidji State student-athletes Drey Bradley (men's hockey), Michele (Dinius) Kirby (volleyball), Tony Kukich (men's swimming and diving), Mark Liska (men's hockey) and Kari Torgerson (soccer) will be inducted in the Athletic Hall of Fame. The 1985-86 men's hockey team will go in as the Outstanding Team. Dr. Gary Erickson will be inducted as the John S. Glas Honorary Letter Winner Award.
Established in 1978, the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame will now include: 204 individuals, 25 BSU coaches, 23 teams, 10 selected for the Alumni Coaching Achievement Award and 10 John S. Glas Honorary Letter Winners.
The Bemidji State Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes alumni, former coaches, administrators and others who have excelled at their sports and brought acclaim to the university through their accomplishments and championships. A committee of elected B-Club members selects inductees. Nominations are accepted from all interested persons.
2023 BSU Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
Drey Bradley- 1980-84/Men's Hockey
Athletic Accomplishments while at BSU:
Bradley was a four-year letterwinner and served as team captain for the 1984 undefeated NCAA Division II National Championship team. He was an integral leader throughout his career amassing a collective 110-18-2 record while a member of the Beavers including four NCHA Conference Championships, a NAIA third-place finish, NAIA National Runner-Up, a NCAA Division II National Runner-Up and the NCAA Division II title in his final season. He co-captained the 1984 team that went 31-0-0, which stands as the most games won in a season, as well as the most home games won in a season going 19-0-0. Bradley was a two-time All-American, three-time NCHA All-Conference and was selected to the 1984 All-Tournament Team at the National Championships. He was selected and participated in the American College Hockey Association All-Star Game after the 1984 National Championship Tournament. Bradley quarterbacked the 1984 team's power play that scored 77 power play goals. He collected 97 points in his 113 career games. The defenseman is the all-time individual season record holder for most points by a D man with 52 and tied for most assists with 40 in 31 games during the 1984 season. Currently ranks sixth in career points, sixth in career goals and seventh in career assists for defensemen all-time. Bradley is a member of the BSU's 50 Legends for 50 years (reserved for the 50 best players in the first 50 years of Beavers Men's Hockey. He twice attended the training camp of the New Jersey Devils of the NHL.
Michele (Dinius) Kirby- 1995-2000/Volleyball
Athletic Accomplishments while at BSU:
Dinius ranked in the top-10 of BSU volleyball career records in more statistical categories than any other player in BSU volleyball history (as long as records have been kept). Since finishing her career in 2000, she ranks second in all-time assists (4,126), fourth in all-time games played (453), serving as a four-year starter, fourth all-time in digs (1,383), fifth all-time in service aces (157), seventh all-time in block assists (251) and ninth all-time in total blocks (292). For single season records, Dinius is the all-time leader for hitting percentage in a season at .482 during the 1999 year and third for assists in a season at 1,286, also during the 1999 year. She was named First Team All-NSIC in every season of her four-year career. Dinius added several additional accolades including a member of the 1998 UW-River Falls Halloween Tournament, MVP of the 1999 Mesa State Coca-Cola Volleyball Classic Tournament where the Beavers went a perfect 4-0, top-ranked in NCAA Division II for hitting percentage during the 1999 season and is the only Beaver Volleyball player to ever be named AVCA National Player of the Week, which happened on September 13, 1999. Dinius helped guide BSU to winning seasons all four years, played in 93 of 119 match wins during Head Coach Donna Palivec's coaching career at BSU, which accounted for 78 percent of her total match wins as the second-winningest BSU volleyball coach. The team won at least 18 games over the four seasons, reaching a 21-12 season in 1997 and closing her career at 25-7. One of 50 BSU female student-athletes recognized as a member of the NCAA Era Team in 2019 as part of the BSU 50 Years of Women's Athletics Celebration.
Tony Kukich- 1980-83/Men's Swimming and Diving
Athletic Accomplishments while at BSU:
Kukich was an American College Coaches Association and NAIA All-American to conclude the 1982 and 83 seasons. He was the NAIA one-meter diving National Champion in 1983. During his senior season, Kukich went undefeated in dual meets. Narrowly missed the national championships in 1982, posting runner-up finishes both in the one-meter and the three-meter boards. Kukich placed second in the three-meter board in 1983. His one-meter (302.7) and three-meter (319.6) scores still stand as the all-time program records at BSU. Kukich was an All-Conference performer all four seasons and was a member of the conference championships teams each year at BSU. During the 1980 team that reached the NAIA National Championships, he was part of a Beaver team that finished fourth.
Mark Liska- 1981-85/Men's Hockey
Athletic Accomplishments while at BSU:
A four-year letterwinner and team captain of the 1985 team, Liska was one of the top goalies around compiling an impressive 113-17-4 record that included NAIA National Runner-Up finish in 1982 , a NCAA Division II National Runner-Up in 1983, along with NCAA Division II National Champions in 1984 and NCAA Division II National Runner-Up in 1985. Integral member of the undefeated 1984 National Champion winning team that went 31-0-0 and won the most home games with 19. Liska was part of an impressive record for the most consecutive wins in program history of 42 that stretched from Nov. 8, 1983-Dec. 13, 1984). He was a three-time First Team All-American and a three-time First Team NCHA All-Conference performer. Liska ranks fifth all-time in victories for a goalie (61), 10th all-time in goals against average at 2.760, 11th all time in save percentage at .9027, 11th all-time in minutes played in goal and 12th all-time in shutouts. He went on to play professionally for one season with the Carolina Thunderbirds of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League, where he helped lead the team to the League Championship.
Kari Torgerson- 2003-06/Soccer
Athletic Accomplishments while at BSU:
Torgerson helped build the foundation of what is now one of the most dominant women's soccer programs in the country. Following a five-win season in 2003, Torgerson and the Beavers won 10 games during the 2004 season for the first time in program history. She continued her strong play being named an All-American in 2005, which was a first for the program at that time. Torgerson finished her career as a four-time All-Conference performer, three-time All-Region and earned Player of the Year in 2005. Torgerson was one of the top goalies in the nation and is still among the leaders in program history in multiple categories. Torgerson has her name all over the Beaver Soccer program record books. She is the program leader in career saves (602), which ranks seventh in NCAA Division II. She ranks second, tied for fourth and ninth in singles season saves in program history. Her goals against average of 1.38 is sixth all-time and has the eighth-best single season GAA. Torgerson is fifth all-time in save percentage (.854) and holds the top overall single season save percentage. Her 6,710 minutes played leads the program and holds the first and second single season marks in that category. Torgerson played 78 career games in goal which stands as a program record and holds the first and second single season records. She has the second-most wins in a career at 36 and is tied for third (twice) and eighth in single season wins. Torgerson posted 19 shutouts to rank third in program history and is tied for fourth and ninth in single season records. She also has the sixth-best single season mark without allowing a goal.
Outstanding Team
1985-86 Men's Hockey
The 1985-86 Men's Hockey team went 25-9-1 on their way to winning the NCAA Division III National Championship. This followed the National Runner-Up season from the previous year. The Beavers hosted the national tournament that season in Bemidji, with nearly 15,000 fans witnessing the tournament. During the magical run to the title, the Beavers faced Elmira in a three-game series to advance. After winning the first game by a score of 4-2, Elmira came back with a 5-3 win to force a decisive third game. Bemidji State cruised to the 3-0 win in game three to advance. In the semifinals, it would be a challenge facing the defending champions Rochester Institute of Technology as the game would go into overtime before the Beavers claimed the 4-3 win to advance to the National Championship game. In the title game against Plattsburgh State, there would be 13 goals scored with BSU winning the shootout by a score of 8-5 to secure the NCAA Division III National Championship. Jim Martin, Mike Alexander and Tim Lescarbeau were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Alexander earning Most Outstanding Player honors.
John S. Glas Letter Winner Award
Dr. Gary Erickson
Dr. Erickson was instrumental in garnering community support for the Sanford Center in Bemidji. He went above and beyond to sell suites to community members and local businesses for its inaugural year. He has been a loyal donor to many needs of BSU since 1983, with the priorities of his giving going towards Beaver Athletics and Men's Hockey. Dr. Erickson attends many Beaver Athletic fundraisers throughout the year, including the Nagle, Gordy Skaar, Home-Welle, Serratore Dinner and more. Dr. Erickson is truly a champion for Beaver Athletics and is known for his love of BSU throughout the community.
