On Saturday, April 2, the recently formed SDIC Hall of Fame will hold its' second Hall of Fame ceremony.
Three former men's basketball players from South Dakota Mines will be inducted into the Hall of Fame with Jim Benjamin '86, Dave Becker '87, and Derek Knapp '93 as 3 of the 14 total inductions in the 2022 class.
The SDIC has a storied 83-year history that South Dakota Mines was a significant part of as a founding member who was a member through the entire existence of the SDIC from 1917-2000.
Myron Moen is on the board of the SDIC Hall of Fame board and has a knack for South Dakota basketball history, initially starting the High School Basketball Hall of Fame in the state in 2010, which is now on display at the Sanford Pentagon. "We just wanted to find a way to protect all the basketball history from the SDIC," said Moen. "This board and many others felt the need to organize the new SDIC Men's Basketball Hall of Fame and give credit to other players who were just as talented and maybe better than some who have previously been recognized."
Benjamin, Becker, and Knapp certainly fit the bill.
Benjamin, a 2006 inductee into the South Dakota Mines Hall of Fame scored 2,348 points in his career, 2nd on the all-time scoring list was also named SDIC MVP, All-NAIA District Selection, and an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American. Benjamin became the first player in school history to score 2,000 points and tally 1,000 rebounds in his career and was the all-time leading rebounder upon his induction. During his time, South Dakota Mines had one of the most successful stints in school history, compiling a 75-36 record and winning two SDIC Championships from 1983-1986.
Becker sits in 7th on the all-time scoring list at South Dakota Mines, holds the single-season record for assists with 247, held the career assist record for a few years with 618, was a two-time All-SDIC First Team selection, and was a member of three SDIC championship teams. Becker was inducted into the South Dakota Mines Hall of Fame in 2017.
Last, but certainly not least is Derek Knapp who had a knack for getting to the free-throw line, still sits on top of the institutional record books in free throws made in a career, a single season, and career attempts with 617, 197, and 753. Knapp sits in 4th on the all-time scoring list with 1,860 points and was an All-NAIA District and All-Conference selection.
Congratulations to these individuals on their induction into the SDIC Hall of Fame.
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 11 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
