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Class of 2022 Teton Athletic & Booster Club Hall of Fame Inductees
Posted: Nov 03 2022
WILLISTON, N.D. – Williston State College will induct one team, two individual members in the Teton Athletic Hall of Fame and one member into the Teton Booster Club Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 6pm, in the Donn Skadeland Gym at Williston State College. The Hall of Fame induction will be in conjunction with the Celebration of 50 Years of Teton Women’s Basketball celebration.
Team-1972-1973 Women’s Basketball:
The 1972-1973 Women’s Basketball team was the first-ever Women’s Basketball team to compete for the Tetons. In the fall of 1972, Laurie Gunlikson Bartz and Penny Johnson Slagle approached Athletic Director Phil Rabon and asked if he would consider starting the program. Rabon agreed to coach the team.
Most of the players had never played organized basketball with only a couple having one year of high school experience. The team finished their inaugural season with a record of 6-6. Regardless, this first season was the catalyst for getting the Teton Women’s Basketball program going. It was also the spark in Rabon’s mind of beginning the first Girls’ Basketball Camp in North Dakota. This camp helped recruit the state’s best players, and propelled Teton Women’s Basketball to eight National Tournament appearances in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
The 1972-1973 Women’s Basketball team were true pioneers for UND-W.
1972-1973 Team Members: E. Joan Hanson, Jan Fougner Gathman Tucker, Debbie Monger Johnson, Thora Hanson, Blanche Ledahl, Susan Tveit, Becky Opsal Zylstra, Carol Brandt, Laurie Gunlikson Bartz, Cyndy Gefroh Sparrow, Becky Stockdill Vogt, Eve Baldwin Hennessy, Mary Ann Coon, Mary Bertelson Persson, Penny Johnson Slagle.
Women’s Basketball Individual Players:
Angie Nedberg (Grand Forks, ND) 1993-1995. As a freshman during the 1993-1994 season, Nedberg lead the Tetons to the 1994 NJCAA Division I National Tournament and a 28-6 overall record. She averaged 20 points per game, was named the Conference and State MVP, as well as being named All-American. She followed with a sophomore season that saw her become the school’s career scoring leader and repeat as an All-American selection.
Laura Big Crow (Pine Ridge, SD) 2004-2006. Big Crow led the Tetons in scoring both her freshman and sophomore seasons, helping lead the Tetons to a 43-15 overall record during her seasons. She averaged 22 points and 9 rebounds per game as a sophomore and was named the Conference MVP, All-Region, and Third Team All-American. She went on to become a two-time Honorable Mention All-American at Mayville State after graduating from Williston State College.
Teton Booster Club Hall of Fame:
Polly Vinger. Polly ran concessions for Williston State College when The Well was built in 2003, and continued to oversee the busy operation for 19 years, before retiring at the end of last year’s sports season. She was recruited by Terry Olson and remains one of the best “recruits” he ever had! Olson believed that The Well was the best sports venue, and therefore deserved to have the best concessions and best concessions crew around. Polly delivered on both.
Her hard work expanded from the normal basketball and volleyball home games to include all home hockey games when the Tetons added hockey in 2010. She was a tremendous leader and had a crew of concessions workers that she included as “family.” Working with Polly in the concessions included hard work exemplified by speed and efficiency, coupled with smiles and lots of laughs. Some of Polly’s’ crew trademarks were the best popcorn and Taco-in-a-Bag, but they paled in comparison to the service Polly provide our faithful Teton fans for almost 20 years.
Tickets for the 50 Years of Teton Women’s Basketball celebration are $20 and can be purchased by calling the WSC Foundation office at 701.572.9275. This event is open to the public. For more information on this event, please contact Hunter Berg at hunter.berg@willistonstate.edu or 701.572.9275.
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