Augustana University Athletics will induct seven individuals into the 2019 Augustana Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, September 20th at the Holiday Inn City Centre in the Starlite Room. The event begins with the social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner served at 6:30 p.m. For tickets to the Augustana Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, please register online or call 605.274.5420.
Nate White '00, Angie Hummel '06, Chris (Sandvig) Dummermuth '75, Shannon Poppinga '01, Ashley (Holiday) Fjeldheim '08, Matt Holmlund '02 and Jeff Lukens '80 represent the 2019 Augustana University Athletics Hall of Fame class.
Nate White was named to the All-North Central Conference team in 2000 and to the Academic All-NCC team in 1999 and 2000. White ended his career fifth on Augustana's career chart for 3-point field goals (168) and is second in career free-throw percentage (.862). He led the 1999-2000 team in scoring with 15.7 points a game. He had 61 assists, 30 steals, shot 45-percent from the field, 43-percent on 3-pointers, and 84 percent from the free-throw line. White was a second-team choice on the Argus-Leader All-College squad, second-team Lutheran Brotherhood All-America, and was the FCA Male College Athlete of the Year.
White graduated from Augustana with a bachelor of science in government/international affairs. He started his career at WilmerHale law firm, in Washington, D.C., before joining the Sanford Health team in Sioux Falls. He was named Sanford's chief operating officer in 2012 and in July of 2018 White was named the executive vice president of Sanford's new medical center based in Fargo.
As a four-year starting setter, Angie Hummel had countless career accomplishments. She started out as the North Central Conference Freshman of the Year in 2002 and was named to the All-North Central Conference Team in each of the next three years. In 2005, she was named the North Central Conference Setter of the Week four times in the first five weeks. She was a two-time All-Academic NCC choice in 2004 and 2005. Hummel was the Augustana Honor Athlete for 2005 and also won the NCC's Ruth Marske Award the same year. On Augustana's career lists, she is third in assists (4,478), third in assists per set (11.57) and eighth in attack percentage (.298).
Hummel, a native of Lakefield, Minnesota, excelled in the classroom as well. She maintained a 3.6 grade point average throughout her career and was named to the Augustana dean's list seven of nine semesters. She currently works as a Mental Health Therapist at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.
Chris (Sandvig) Dummermuth transferred to Augustana from Utah State her sophomore year. Since Augustana had no women's tennis team, she joined the men's team. She often partnered with her future husband Dave Dummermuth in doubles. "My biggest college win was teaming with Randy Kochenderfer at #1 doubles and pulling an upset over the Wynn brothers of the University of North Dakota in 1973," Chris said. The Vikings finished 18-3 and 2nd place in the conference.
Dummermuth's biggest impact has come has a head coach for high school tennis around Sioux Falls. After five years at Sioux Falls Washington, she began coaching Sioux Falls Lincoln's boys team in 1987. She guided the Patriots to eight state championships. From 1987 to 2005, Lincoln won 299 dual matches including a string of 78 straight wins. She was named South Dakota's high school tennis coach of the year seven times. She was inducted into the South Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998, the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 2010, and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2012. In 1985 the South Dakota Sportswriters Association named her the state's Female Independent Athlete of the Year. Dummermuth taught in the Sioux Falls Public Schools from 1976 to 2010. She received the Augustana Alumni Coach of the Year Award in 1991. Dummermuth has served as the Director of the S.D. Girls State Tournament for the past 18 years.
One of Augustana's best-ever defensive backs, Shannon Poppinga was selected to the All-North Central Conference first team in 1999. Other honors included first-team Daktronics All-Region in 1999, Associated Press Little All-America third team in 1999, All-America Farm Team (first team) in 1999, and the Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America third team. He played for the Sioux Falls Storm (indoor football) from 2001-2009. He held Storm records for interceptions, pass breakups, field goal return touchdowns and field goal return yards and was second in all-time tackles. Poppinga ended his professional career with four world championships with the Sioux Falls Cobras and Storm. Poppinga's #10 Jersey has been retired by the Sioux Falls Storm
Also a member of the 2013 Harrisburg High School Hall of Fame, Poppinga was a two-time first-team All-State selection. As a head coach over the decade, Poppinga has helped the Gregory Gorillas and Roosevelt Rough Riders to state titles. He currently serves as an assistant under his brother, Jayson, at O'Gorman High School.
As a shot blocker, Ashley Holiday has no equal in the history of Augustana's women's basketball program. She is the University's career leader in rejections with 310, which also ranked top-13 in NCAA DII history at the time. She is also sixth in rebounds (835), seventh in field goal percentage (.511), and 20th in scoring (1,249 points). Holiday appeared in 122 games and twice was recognized as an All-North Central Conference first-team choice, 2006-07 and 2007-08. She was chosen to the All-NCC tournament team in 2005-2006. She started all 32 games in 2005-2006.
A native of Hayti, South Dakota, Ashley graduated with a bachelor of arts in nursing. She continued her education at Mount Marty College, earning a master of science in nursing. She most recently worked as a family nurse practitioner in the Twin Cities.
One of the most dynamic wide receivers in Viking history, Matt Holmlund graduated Augustana as the school record for most receptions in a season (104), receiving yards for a season (1,365), career receptions (282), career receiving yards (3,522) and career touchdown receptions (35). A two-time Associated Press Little All-America first-team pick in 2000 and 2001, Holmlund also earned All-America honors from the Don Hanson Football Gazette All-America first team in 2000 and the second team in 2001. The 2001 Midwest Region Candidate for the Harlon Hill award, he also earned multiple Daktronics All-Region honor and was a two-time North Central Conference first-time selection.
Holmlund started his professional career with the Sioux Falls Storm, where he won four titles playing indoor football and currently lives in Waconia, Minnesota with his family.
One of the most dominant field athletes during the 1980s at Augustana, Jeff Lukens won the shot put at the 1979 and 1980 North Central Conference outdoor track and field championships. Starting in 1979, Lunkens threw 54-feet, 7-1/2 inches for the league title, and followed up with another league title in 1980.
Lukens earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Augustana and has spent more than 35 years teaching in the Sioux Fall Sioux district. One of the most influential mathematics and science teachers in the nation, Lukens has been National Instructor for Texas Instruments for 17 years. He has shared his knowledge in presentations and workshops around the country. In 1988 he was named the recipient of the Ole Odney Award, which goes to an Augustana alumnus who is involved in coaching and teaching. In 2001, Lukens earned the Dr. John Harris Teacher of the Year for the Sioux Falls Public School. Lukens currently works as Science Instructor at Teachers Teaching with Technology/Texas Instruments in Sioux Falls.
Augustana is also recognizing three alums that have made significant contributions to Viking athletics.
The Ole Odney award goes to Scott Underwood '98, who has excelled as a head football coach. Currently the head coach at St. Cloud State, Underwood has won more than 70 games in 10 years, including three trips to the NCAA playoffs.
David 'DJ' Johnson '85 will be named the 2019 winner of the Lefty Olson award. DJ is one of the most successful basketball players in the region, having already been inducted in four Hall of Fames, including Augustana in 1996. DJ scored 1,202 points in just two seasons as a Viking.
The Lefty Olson Award, renamed in 1993, honors L.A. "Lefty" Olson, who taught and coached at Augustana from 1931-1968. It recognizes individuals for contributions of time, service, and financial support given to Augustana athletics.
The Milt and Clara Harvey award goes to Steve Dronen '80. Dronen graduated from Augustana in 1980 with a degree in Business Administration and has now spent over four decades in the construction industry where he owns and operates Restoration Systems Inc.
Recipients of the Milt and Clara Harvey award are cited for outstanding contributions of time, service, and financial support to Augustana Athletics. Milt and Clara Harvey were Augustana employees and generous supporters.
The team award for 2019 goes to the 2009 men's and women's Augustana Cross Country teams, who both won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Championships. Head coach Tracy Hellman was named the league's Coach of the Year in 2009.