Papendick, John
1978 Bridgewater/1984 SDSU graduate. Life-long SD sports journalist/historian who wrote his first newspaper story in 1975. Aberdeen and Mitchell sports departments he led always took a statewide approach to its coverage. Three-time SD Sportswriter of the Year, Heisman Trophy voter, Distinguished SDSU Alumni, SD Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, SDHSAA Distinguished Service, and more than […]
Mueller, Kent
1976 Freeman/Dakota Wesleyan/1985 USD graduate. Wherever he went in life, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Mueller made an impression, a difference and history as an athlete, teacher and coach. He recently made a state record 17th high school football state championship appearance in 2025 as an assistant coach for champion Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy. Mueller’s teams have won 14 […]
Jackson, Mylo
1929 Ardmore (Fall River County, SD) High School/1934 Northern State graduate. Won seven state titles and eight Eastern South Dakota Conference titles in coaching three sports at Aberdeen Central (head track coach for three seasons, head football coach for 18 seasons and head boys’ basketball coach for 13 seasons). His boys’ track teams were the […]
Fylling, Jeff
1974 Lennox/1978 Augustana graduate. For almost 50 years, Jeff Fylling painted pictures of Augustana football and basketball teams for radio audiences. Through his voice, he created some of the best sports images in state history. On Sept. 3, 1984, Fylling called his first game as the Voice of the Vikings’ football team as Augustana defeated […]
French, Barry Alden “Bear”
1940 SF Washington/1947 Purdue graduate. Born in Chamberlain. Served four years in WWII and returned to Purdue to get his degree while playing pro football and teaching at a vocational school. Injuries shortened the pro career of this versatile offensive and defensive lineman who played in 49 NFL games from 1947-52 with Baltimore Colts and […]
Freidel, Dan
1980 Armour/1984 Augustana graduate. Freidel was a four-year varsity performer in multiple sports and one of the centerpieces of Armour’ High School’s statewide dominance athletically in the 1970s and 1980s. At a time with no prep football playoffs, the running back/linebacker helped the Packers go 30-4 in his four years. He earned All-State and All-Conference […]
Dorman, Jim
Jim Dorman, a 1970 graduate of Castlewood High School and a 1975 graduate of South Dakota State University, has devoted more than four decades to education-based athletics as an athlete, coach, administrator and statewide leader. A four-sport standout at Castlewood, he was a three-time all-conference football player and a member of the school’s 1970 State […]
Blumhardt, Howard
1946 Bowdle/1950 USD graduate. Blumhardt — “The Bowdle Blaster” — earned eight letters in three sports at USD in Football, Track, and Basketball, but it was on the football field where he made his biggest impact. He was a four-year starter as a bruising, pile-driving fullback. Some newspapers claimed many opponents would bounce off him […]
Rehn, Ruth
The Lyons High and 1966 South Dakota State grad was an assistant executive director for the S.D. High School Activities Association for 34 years, starting in 1974. During her tenure, South Dakota added basketball, volleyball, cross country, and competitive cheer and dance for high school girls, and she was the overseeing administrator for all the […]
Richards, Hobe
Born Aug. 9, 1923 in Aberdeen. 1941 Aberdeen Central HS grad. 1949 Northern State grad. An outstanding golf teacher, many of his students went on to become state champions. Richards won the 1943 state match-play title. Seven times he won the South Dakota Open, which was the biggest medal-play tourney in the state at that […]