UMD to induct nine new members into Athletic Hall of Fame

DULUTH — The University of Minnesota Duluth will induct nine new members into its Athletic Hall of Fame this fall, honoring a group of athletes and leaders whose accomplishments propelled the Bulldogs onto national and international stages.

The Class of 2025 includes Jheri Booker (women’s basketball), Bob Corran (athletic director), Kristi (Duncan) Plante (women’s basketball/softball), Chad Erickson (men’s hockey), Becky Hoffmann (volleyball), Jason Malec (baseball), Isaac Odim (football), Liz (Palkie) Kolquist (cross country/track and field) and Hanne Sikiö (women’s hockey).

The induction ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 26 at Weber Music Hall on the UMD campus.

Jheri Booker (Women’s Basketball, 2008-10)
A transfer from Tennessee State, Booker made an immediate impact during her two seasons at UMD. She was named a WBCA All-American in 2009-10 and earned multiple other national and regional accolades, including Daktronics Central Region Player of the Year and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Player and Defensive Player of the Year — becoming the first athlete in league history to win both in the same season. Booker led the NSIC in scoring and steals as a senior and scored in double figures in all 31 games that year. She became the 17th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points.

Bob Corran (Athletic Director, 1997-2003)
During his tenure as athletic director, Corran oversaw the launch of the Bulldog Club, helped implement a department-wide strategic plan and reorganization, and spearheaded the addition of women's ice hockey. Under his leadership, UMD won three NCAA national championships, six NSIC All-Sports titles and 55 total conference championships. He hired three coaches who would go on to win all 10 of UMD’s team national titles: Bob Nielson (football), Shannon Miller (women’s hockey) and Scott Sandelin (men’s hockey). Corran also hired Jim Boos, who would later earn AVCA National Coach of the Year honors in volleyball.

Kristi (Duncan) Plante (Women’s Basketball/Softball, 1991-95)
UMD’s Outstanding Female Senior Athlete in 1995, Plante was a standout in both basketball and softball. On the court, she helped lead the Bulldogs to a conference title and their first NCAA Division II playoff appearance in 1995. She graduated ranked third all-time at UMD in career assists (441). On the softball field, Plante earned NCAA Division II All-Midwest Region honors and was the 1994 NSIC RBI Champion. She was a two-year basketball starter and three-year starter in softball.

Chad Erickson (Men’s Hockey, 1988-91)
Erickson earned All-American and All-WCHA First Team honors following the 1989-90 season, during which he posted a .895 save percentage and a 3.68 goals-against average. He helped lead UMD to an 8-0-0 start and a No. 1 national ranking that year. He started 79 of the Bulldogs’ final 80 games during his career and left the program ranked among its top goaltenders in wins (38), saves (2,760), save percentage (.888) and GAA (3.80). Drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1988, Erickson played two NHL games and spent a decade in professional hockey.

Becky Hoffmann (Volleyball, 1999-2002)
Hoffmann was the first UMD volleyball player to be named to the AVCA All-America First Team and remains the only four-time All-NSIC selection in program history. She was the first two-time NSIC MVP (2001, 2002) and helped lead UMD to an 18-0 league record and No. 1 national ranking in 2002. She finished her career as UMD’s all-time leader in hitting percentage (.340), second in blocks (356) and third in kills (1,641). Hoffmann was named UMD’s Outstanding Female Athlete for 2002-03.

Jason Malec (Baseball, 1982-84)
A two-time All-NSIC pitcher, Malec led all NCAA Division II hurlers in strikeouts per nine innings (12.1) in 1984. He posted a 12-4 record, 1.39 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 109 career innings. The Proctor native played three years in the Minnesota Twins minor league system, including stints with Elizabethton and Kenosha.

Isaac Odim (Football, 2008-10)
Odim was a key contributor to UMD’s NCAA Division II national championships in 2008 and 2010. He was a 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy finalist and a multiple-time All-American. He still holds program records for single-season (1,808) and career rushing yards (4,242), rushing touchdowns (72), and all-purpose yards in a game (354), season (2,496) and career (5,593). He also excelled academically, earning CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year honors and a National Football Foundation post-graduate scholarship. Odim signed with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers as a free agent in 2011.

Liz (Palkie) Kolquist (Cross Country/Track and Field, 2006-09)
Kolquist was a five-time NCAA Division II All-American, competing in the 800 meters, distance medley relay and cross country. She twice finished national runner-up in the 800m and was a seven-time NCAA Championship qualifier. She remains a part of UMD’s outdoor 4x400m and 4x800m relay teams that still hold school records. She was named UMD’s Outstanding Senior Athlete in 2008-09.

Hanne Sikiö (Women’s Hockey, 1999-2003)
A native of Lempäälä, Finland, Sikiö helped UMD win three consecutive NCAA national championships from 2001 to 2003. She recorded eight points in six NCAA Frozen Four games, including two goals in the 2003 championship victory over Harvard. Sikiö ranks fourth in program history in points (220), third in goals (100) and fifth in assists (120). She represented Finland at the 2002 Winter Olympics and won bronze at the IIHF Women’s World Championships in 1999 and 2003.

UMD’s Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1991 and inducted its first class on Sept. 20, 1991, marking 61 years since the university’s first varsity athletic contest. With this year’s inductees, the Hall of Fame will grow to 151 members across 21 sports.