WAYNE, Neb. -- Former Wayne State All-American and NCAA National Champion thrower Katie Wilson is one of seven athletes selected as inductees for the 2022 Northern Sun Conference Hall of Fame announced Wednesday morning by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota.  Following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, this year’s NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet is set for Tuesday, July 12 at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Moorhead, Minnesota as part of the NSIC’s annual Summer Kickoff Event.

The 2022 NSIC Hall of Fame class includes:  Maggie McNamara of Concordia-St. Paul, Jim Kapitan from MSU Moorhead, Amanda (Madden) Mahlke of Northern State, Link Steffen from Southwest Minnesota State, Matt Schneck of St. Cloud State, Katie Wilson from Wayne State and Ben Barrone of Winona State.

Wilson, a native of Glenwood, Iowa, was a standout thrower for the Wayne State women’s track and field team from 2005-09.  She helped WSC to three straight runner up finishes at the NSIC Indoor Championships, winning two NSIC indoor shot put titles (2005, 2006) and five conference titles in the outdoor season (2005 shot put), 2008 discus and hammer throw and 2009 shot put and discus.

Wilson was a four time All-American at WSC, highlighted by the 2008 outdoor national title in the shot put that made her the first female NCAA national champion in school history.  Other All-American honors included 2006 indoor shot put (5th), 2008 indoor shot put (4th) and 2008 outdoor discus (5th). 

Wilson held school records in five events and was the 2005 NSIC Outdoor Newcomer of the Year and 2006 NSIC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year.  She is currently a fifth grade teacher and assistant volleyball/track and field coach at Glenwood High School in Iowa. 

Katie Wilson becomes the seventh individual from Wayne State College to be inducted into the NSIC Hall of Fame, joining Dustin Jones (baseball) in 2019, volleyball player Emily (Schroeder) Jones in 2018, retired baseball coach John Manganaro (2016), softball/soccer standout Sarah (Herrick) Wagenfuhr (2015), baseball pitcher Brady Borner (2012) and the late Pete Chapman (athletic director) in 2006.

Founded in 1986, the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC - the former men’s conference) Hall of Fame was established to recognize and honor those who made significant contributions to the conference, to create favorable publicity and public relations for the league and to help preserve the history of the NIC, its member institutions, student-athletes, and other significant individuals affiliated with the league.  For the first two inductions (1986 and 1990) each selection hailed from the NIC.  In 1992, the Northern Sun Conference (NSC - the former women’s conference) and the NIC merged, creating the current Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).  After annual inductions since 2000, the NSIC Hall of Fame now boasts over 200 members and one team.

Each NSIC school (who has been a league member for at least ten years) is asked to submit one candidate per institution for induction into the Hall.  Each of the candidates are derived from individuals who have been affiliated with the NSIC, NIC, NSC and their member institutions.

In order to be eligible for the NSIC Hall of Fame, candidates must have made their contributions in one of the following areas: 1) former student-athletes, 2) administrator/coach, 3) official/supervisor/coordinator, 4) contributor/supporter, or 5) team. The conference provides two plaques; one of which will go to the inductee and one to the institution represented.  A history of each inductee will be kept in the league office and each institution will prominently display the plaques of their respective NSIC Hall of Fame inductees.