Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees - 2008

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/13/08)--- The Concordia College Athletics Department inducted two individuals and one national championship team were inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday during the annual Homecoming celebration. This year's honorees were longtime men’s hockey coach Steve Baumgartner ’82 and wrestling great Jeff Neil ’85 as well as the 1987-88 women’s basketball NCAA Division III National Championship Team.

Steve Baumgartner
Steve Baumgartner is one of the most outstanding performers ever to play Cobber hockey. He was a four-year starter at center and was a natural leader both on and off the ice. He was an attacker who could control the puck, pass and score with ease, then quickly become an effective backchecker on the opposite end of the ice. He was a player who could lift the abilities of his teammates through his own play and his ability to deliver timely assists.

Baumgartner was named to the All-MIAC hockey team each of his four years at Concordia and, in widespread recognition of his overall outstanding play, was named MIAC Most Valuable Player after his senior season in 1982.

In 1986 Baumgartner became head coach of Cobber hockey. In 2008, he retired as the all-time winningest hockey coach at Concordia, amassing more than 200 career wins. He coached the Cobbers to several postseason playoff berths, and was named MIAC Coach of the Year three times – in 1986-87, 1998-99 and 1999-00. He currently maintains his ties to organized hockey as a scout.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements as a Cobber athlete, his dedicated commitment to teaching and coaching, and his service to the sport of hockey, Concordia College is proud to induct Stephen D. Baumgartner into the Concordia College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jeff Neil
Jeff Neil was an All-American caliber performer and one of the most outstanding wrestlers in Concordia athletic history. He owns the record for most takedowns in a career, and is a three-time All-MIAC champion. He was twice selected – in 1983 and 1985 – as the most outstanding wrestler in the MIAC.

Neil was an exciting, dynamic wrestler who could take down any opponent. He often wrestled his best against nationally ranked opponents and national champions in his weight class. He was known for his fluid, freestyle moves and exceptional quickness. He is the recipient of the Carl Larson Memorial Trophy given to the outstanding wrestler in the annual MIAC finals.

After completing his fourth year of wrestling at Concordia, Neil captured his third MIAC title and finished with a 31-6 win-loss senior season record and an 88-29 overall career record. A native of Crookston, Minn., Neil majored in business administration and communication and has enjoyed a long career with medical device pioneer Medtronic Inc.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements as a Cobber athlete, his dedicated commitment to the sport of wrestling, and his service to his church and community, Concordia College is proud to induct Jeffrey S. Neil into the Concordia College Athletic Hall of Fame.

1987-88 NCAA National Championship Team
The 1987-88 Cobber women’s basketball team added emphasis to their third consecutive MIAC championship by winning the NCAA Division III National Championship in front of a packed house in Concordia’s Memorial Auditorium.

Then known as the Lady Cobbers, they rolled to the national championship with Final Four wins over UNC-Greensboro, 103-66 in the semifinal game, and a 65-57 triumph over St. John Fisher College in the championship game. They finished with a 29-2 season record and 21-1 in the MIAC.

These Lady Cobbers were an exciting team to watch, especially in big games. Their 103 points, 37-point margin of victory on 67 percent field goal shooting in the national semifinal game against Greensboro are still NCAA records.

The team was an exceptionally rare combination of deeply talented and competitive individuals who were totally dedicated to winning through teamwork. As a testament to their unselfish play, the team averaged an incredible 25.3 assists per game. The team still holds MIAC single season records for points per game (90.7), field goal percentage (54.6%), and steals (318 total or 14.5 per game).

On this team were three MIAC Most Valuable Players, five All-Americans and five individual inductees into the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame. It included the all-time career scoring leader who was named the 1988 NCAA Division III Female Athlete of the Year, and the all-time MIAC record holder for assists in a game, season and career. The depth of the team is indicative by the number of players who are still on the Cobber all-time lists in scoring, rebounding, shooting percentage and assists.

Members of the team are Barbara (Ambuehl) Oistad ‘90, Jessica (Beachy) Rahman ‘88, Cheri (Beyer) Stageberg ‘88, LaDonna (Cummings) Golden ‘89, Rebecca Ehnert ‘90, Kim Fierke ‘91, Nancy (Jacobson) Bruns ‘88, Susan (Kalpin) Empting ‘91, Patricia Kubow ‘89, MaryLee Legried ‘88, Jillayn Quaschnick ‘89, Rhonda (Schneekloth) Nudell ‘91 and Michelle (Thykeson) Cota ‘91. Julie (Hunt) Bauer ‘88 was the student manager, and Duane Siverson and Jerry Pyle coached the team.

In recognition of their outstanding achievements as Cobber athletes, Concordia College is proud to induct the 1987-88 NCAA Division III National Championship Lady Cobbers basketball team into the Concordia College Athletic Hall of Fame.