General | 10/6/2015 1:49:00 AM

         Mankato, Minn. ---  The Minnesota State Athletics Hall of Fame class  for 2015 will be formally inducted this Friday in Mankato.

Along with six individuals, a "team" inductee and this year's service and philanthropic award recipients will also be recognized. This year's induction is Friday, Oct. 3 with the formal induction ceremony taking place at the Hall of Fame Induction Dinner held in MSU's CSU Ballroom (registration at 6:00 p.m., program starts at 7:00 p.m.).

Those interested in attending the Dinner may register for the celebration by calling 507.389.3235 or 888.234.3796 or online at http://alumni.mnsu.edu/hof.  The dinner price is $25.00 per person.

The new Hall of Fame members in the student-athlete category include men's cross country/track & field All-American Gordon Cookshaw (MSU 1973-77), women's hockey stand-out Shari (Vogt) Dickerman (MSU 2000-04), women's volleyball icon Jennifer (Blendermann) Nelson (MSU 1999-2002) and wrestling national champion Matt Petsinger (MSU 1997-2001).  

Slated for induction in the builders category are former faculty athletics representative Ron Hybertson (1991-2000) and former women's soccer coach Chris Miskec (1996-2007).

Selected for induction in the "team" category is the men's track & field team from 1975-76.

The Jim Schaffer Service Award will be presented to Rod Mitchell and this year's Minnesota State Athletics Philanthropic Award recipient is Bron Scherer.

Note:  Additional information regarding the Minnesota State Athletics Hall of Fame is available online at http://msumavericks.com/hof.aspx

Gordon Cookshaw ('77, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field) (student-athlete category) --- Four-year letterwinner in cross country and track and field...Two-time All-American - placed 15th at 1974 national cross country championship and placed second in 3,000m steeplechase at 1975 NCAA Division II national outdoor track and field championship...Helped lead MSU to 1976 and 1977 North Central Conference indoor TF championships and and 1977 outdoor NCC team title...MSU cross country team captain in 1975 & 1976, track captain 1976 & 1977...Established school records for two mile (indoors), 1500m (outdoors), 3000m steeplechase and was member of record-setting 4x1-mile relay...Swan River, Manitoba native represented Canada at the Montreal Invitational Track Meet in 1975.

Shari (Vogt) Dickerman ('04, Women's Hockey) (student-athlete category)  --- 2004 Jofa Division I All-America Second Team (first and only Maverick women's hockey player to earn honor)...Two-time All-WCHA First Team pick (2002-03 and 2003-04)...2003-04 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award (top women's college hockey player in United States)...Holds both school and WCHA record for career saves with 3,590...Ranks second on school's single-season saves list (1,103 in 32 games played in 2003-04)....15 wins  in 2002-03 season is second as is career total of 26 victories...Named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week eight times during course four-year career and was USCHO.com National Defensive Player of the Week four times...Four-time Minnesota State Most Valuable Player...Recipient of 2003-04 Minnesota State Women's Athletics Medal of Honor as school's top senior female athlete...Member of U.S. national team that competed at 2006 Four Nations Cup....Named to preliminary roster for U.S. for 2007 IIHF Women's World Championship.

Jennifer (Blendermann) Nelson ('03, Women's Volleyball) (student-athlete category) ---  Four-year letterwinner and starter named NCAA Division II All-American Third Team as a senior in 2002...Two-time All-Region pick (2002 and 2001)...Three-time North Central Conference Player of the Week...Named Minnesota State's Medal of Honor recipient as the school's top senior female athlete  in 2002...Three-time team captain...Two-time team co-MVP ...Ranks second on Minnesota State's all-time list for career assists (4,367), season assists (1,414 in 2002) and assists in a match (78 vs. Minnesota Duluth in 1999)...Helped lead Mavericks to two NCAA tournament appearances (2002 and 2001)...Six-time member of MSU Dean's list...Maverick Achievement Award winner as a senior scholar-athlete...SAAC secretary from 2000-2003...Lakeville South High School coach 2006-2012 (section coach of the year in 2012).

Matt Petsinger ('03, Wrestling) (student-athlete category) -- Four-year letterwinner was a four-time All-American (one of only eight MSU wrestlers to be a four-time All-American)...Won NCAA Division II title at 157 lbs., as a senior in 2001...Went 43-3 as a senior with 26 pins...Ellendale, Minn., native finished third at nationals as a junior, sophomore and freshman...2001 North Central Conference champion (157 lbs.)...Two-time team captain stands tied for fourth on Minnesota State career wins list with 120-26 mark...Owns school record for career pins with 84...Named 2000-01 Minnesota State Senior Male Athlete of the Year...2000-01 MSU wrestling team MVP...Three-time North Central Conference Wrestler of the Week...Maverick Achievement Award recipient as a senior scholar-athlete.

Ron Hyberson (Faculty Athletics Representative) (builders category) --- Served as Minnesota State faculty athletics representative (FAR) for ten years from 1991-2000...During years of service as school's FAR, served on several committees in the North Central Conference...Served as school's FAR during time in which the men's hockey program re-affiliated from NCAA DIII to DI and gained entrance to the WCHA...Minnesota State added women's hockey and women's soccer during his career... Also served as official scorer at MSU basketball games...Biolology professor began his career at MSU in September 1963-1966 and again in 1970 before retiring on December 18, 2000.

Chris Miskec (Women's Soccer Coach) (builders category) --- Led Minnesota State to five North Central Conference women's soccer championships and a 142-77-10 (.42) mark in 12 seasons with the program...142 wins ranks 33rd all-time in NCAA Division II...Led Mavericks to three NCAA appearances (first three postseason appearances in program history)...Coached two NCAA All-Americans and 25 all-region players, as well as six academic all-region players and two academic All-Americans... Had three NCC Most Valuable Players and a pair of NCC Freshman of the Year....Named 2000 NSCAA/Adidas Division II Central Region Coach of the Year, and in 2000, 2003 and 2005, garnered NCC Coach of the Year accolades.

Men's Track & Field  1975-76 (team category) --- MSU won 1976 North Central Conference outdoor title with 98 points (North Dakota State was second with 47)...James Everet won 60-yard title with a 6.1 for NCC record...Peter Pratt won long jump (24-0) and triple jump (50-3)...Joe Roscoe won 880 and 1000 (only time this double was accomplished in history of NCC)...MSU placed in 14 events (11 firsts, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, 3 fourths and 1 fifth)...Coached by Hall of Fame coaches Chuck Petersen and Bud Myers, this squad included four All-Americans - Gordy Cookshaw (finished 15th at NCAA cross country meet in 1974, second in 3000m steeplechase in 1975), Foster Dorsett (finished fifth in outdoor 880-yard dash in 1975), Peter Pratt (finished fifth in outdoor long jump in 1976 and third in 1977, won national championship in outdoor triple jump in 1976) and Cevin Petersen (finished third in outdoor pole vault in 1975).