Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2021 will formally be inducted a week from today (Oct. 1) in Mankato.

Along with eight individuals, a "team" inductee and this year's service and philanthropic award recipients will also be recognized. This year's induction is Friday, Oct. 1 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.).

Tickets for the event are available here.

The new Hall of Fame members in the student-athlete category include women's basketball standouts Heather (Johnson) Anderson (MSU 2005-09) and Joanne (Noreen) Thomason (MSU 2005-09), men's hockey all-time leading scorer Aaron Fox (1996-2000), 14-time women's track & field All-American Brittany Henderson (MSU 2006-10) and one of men's swimming's most decorated student-athletes Marty Wahle (2005-09).

Slated for induction in the builders category are longtime boosters Chris Painter, Dan Rotchadl and Randy Zellmer.

Selected for induction in the "team" category is the wrestling team that finished second in the nation in 2007-08.

The Jim Schaffer Service Award will be presented to Minnesota State director of campus recreation Todd Pfingsten and this year's MSU Athletics Philanthropic Award recipients are Brad Koenig and Mark Koenig.

Heather (Johnson) Anderson (MSU 2005-09, women's basketball) (Student-athlete Category)
Division II Bulletin Second Team all-American as a senior in 2009 after helping lead Minnesota State to a NCAA DII national championship in 2009...Started in all of MSU's 34 games for the 2008-09 season…Led the team in scoring and three-point field goals with 557 (16.4 ppg) and 81, respectively…Established school record for career three-point field goals made at MSU with 246…Named the 2009 NCAA Central Region and Elite Eight Most Valuable Player…Named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Most Outstanding Player…Posted at least 20 points in 13 of 34 games, including a season-high 29 points against Franklin Pierce in the NCAA Championship game…Became the 15th member of the 1,000 Point Club at MSU and is fifth on the school's all-time scorers list with 1,502 points.

Joanne (Noreen) Thomason (MSU 2005-09, women's basketball) (Student-athlete Category)
Division II Bulletin Honorable Mention All-American as a senior after helping lead Minnesota State to 32-2 record and a NCAA DII national championship in 2009... 2009 NCAA DII Elite Eight All-Tournament Team and Central Region All-Tournament Team...2008-09 WBCA All-Region First Team...2008-09 All-NSIC First Team...Averaged 15.1 PPG as a senior...Had career-high 39 points in vs. Augustana (Jan. 24, 2009)...Ranks eighth in career scoring at Minnesota State with 1,335 points...Established Minnesota State single-season records with 155 free throws and 192 free throw attempts as a senior in 2008-09.

Aaron Fox (1996-2000, men's hockey) (Student-athlete Category)
Led Mavericks in scoring with 12-38--50 as a senior and led MSU to a fourth-place finish in its first year in the WCHA in 1999-2000...All-WCHA Third Team pick as a senior...Team captain as a senior, is MSU's top-scoring player for its NCAA Division I-era with 57-107--164 in 147 games played...Played briefly in International Hockey League and ECHL prior to embarking on professional playing and hockey executive career in Europe that has included stints in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia and Great Britain.

Brittany Henderson (MSU 2006-10, Track & Field)  (Student-athlete Category)
Named Minnesota State's Top Senior Female Athlete of the Year for 2009-10...14-time NCAA All-American sprinter...Four-time conference indoor track and field champion and four-time conference outdoor track and field champion...At the time of graduation held three school outdoor track and field school records (100m, 200m, 4x100m) and three indoor track and field records (60m, 200m, 4x400m)....2010 team captain...Two-time Academic All-NSIC Winter Indoor Track and Field award honoree and 2009 Academic All-NSIC Spring Outdoor Track and field recipient.

Marty Wahle (2005-09, men's swimming) (Student-athlete Category)
Five-time North Central Conference champion...2008-09 NSIC Men's Swimmer of the Year...3x NCAA qualifier...16-time All-American...Finished second in 100 back and 200 back at 2009 NCAA DII Championship...Holds nine school records (50 free, 100 back, 200 back, 200 IM, 400 IM, 4 relay records)...Named the Northern Sun Men's Swimmer of the Year in 2008-09, he was a three-time team captain...Four-time team MVP...12-time All-NCC...Only NCAA DII swimmer to qualify for 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials...Three-time Academic All-NCC...Two-time member of Dean's List...Named Minnesota State's Senior Male Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2008-09...Head swimming and diving coach at Southwest Minnesota State.

Chris Painter (Builders Category)
Long-time president of MSU Booster Club...Worked closely for several years of radio broadcasts of Maverick sports events...Very active in the community, worked for over 40 years until his death in local radio in sales and management...Helped sponsor and organize the SCC golf tournament and many other fundraising activities.

Dan Rotchadl (Builders Category)
MSU graduate and an alum of the Maverick Football program where he played on the defensive side of the ball from 1975 until 1980...Recruited by John Coatta and coached by Al Sandona, he led the Mavericks with 93 tackles in 1978 and ranked second in the Northern Intercollegiate Conference with five interceptions as a junior...  Coached football at Loyola High School 17 years, including seven seasons as head coach...His service to MSU Athletics dates back to high school when he sold popcorn at MSU Football games...Upon graduation from MSU and upon his return to Mankato,  he helped solicit for football fundraising drives in 1980s and 1990s and also began serving on the football chain gang in 1983...Then in 2000 he started handling scoreboard duties in the football press box. All of this has been done voluntarily...Schaffer Service Award recipient in 2011.

Randy Zellmer (Builders Category)
Has been associated with his involvement with Minnesota State Athletics for nearly three decades...Mankato native has been a loyal season ticket holder for multiple programs throughout the years....Avid long-distance runner has also served on support club boards and most recently he has been the President of the Hoops Club board (beginning in 2011), he was also the President of the MSU Foundation board from 2011-2013...Has been involved with many different athletic projects and fundraisers over the years.

2007-08 Wrestling Team (Team Category)
Posted second-place finish at NCAA Division II national tournament....Accrued 20-1-1 dual mark in establishing school record for wins in a season... 2008 National Duals champions with wins over Chadron State, Pitt-Johnstown, Nebraska-Kearney and Nebraska-Omaha...2008 North Central Conference champions...Five individuals won NCAA DII North Central Region championships - John Putman (133), Travis Elg/141, Jason Rhoten/157, Andy Pickar/165 and Brady Wilson (Hwt)...This team had two national individual champions in  Jason Rhoten (157) and Andy Pickar (165) and a total of seven All-Americans including Nick Smith (125/2nd), John Putman  (133/6th),  Travis Elg (141/6th), Tommy Abbott (149/5th) and Brady Wilson (Hwt/4th).

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