RAPID CITY, S.D. --- South Dakota Mines along with the Hardrock Club has announced the individuals and teams who will be inducted into the Hardrock Club Hall of Fame.

The class of 2023 will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on homecoming weekend, scheduled for Sept. 16 prior to the football game against Colorado Mesa.

The inductees to the 2023 Hall of Fame are as follows:

1991 Volleyball Team:
Under the leadership of head coach and Hall of Famer Barb Felderman who was named SDIC Co-Coach of the Year, the Hardrockers went 24-24 on their way to winning a share of the SDIC. After undergoing several injuries, South Dakota Mines found their way and persevered to win the Western Sub-District title. Middle blocker, LaDonna Blecha, two-time All-SDIC defensive specialist B.J. Simpson, four-time All-SDIC, SDIC MVP, and two-time All-District 12 member Laura Gronewald were the leaders of the team. The entire roster including coaches listed below:

Barb Felderman – Head Coach
LaDonna Blecha
Julie Christensen
Sheri Fling
Laura Gronewold
Karen Janovy
Trish Langley
Katie Lidke
Leah Novicki
Cherine Peterson
Jody Russ
B.J. Simpson
Barb Spriggs
Jean Wortmann

Stacie Vedvei – Women's Basketball:
Vedvei finished her career, averaging 15.9 points per game. She was a three-time all-conference selection, being named to the first team after the 03-04 and 04-05 seasons and a second team member in 02-03. During her time, the Hardrockers won two DAC-10 championships and qualified for the national tournament on two separate occasions in the 2001-02 and 2004-05 seasons.

1968-69 Tennis Teams:
In 1967 and 1968 an already solid South Dakota Mines tennis program became even stronger by the addition of seasoned junior tournament player Bob OBrien (won five state age group championships in six years), and transfer Bob Westby, who was an NAIA District 12 Singles Finalist in 1965 and 1966 while at Northern State College (Now, Northern State University).

1968 Team:
Bob Westby
Bob Obrien
Mike Hohn
Dan Young
Gary Quinn
Doug Hartman
Ron Jeitz
Alan Jones
Coach: Bob Hunt

Coach Bob Hunt's South Dakota Mines team finished the 1968 tennis season with a dual-meet record of five team wins with only one loss and started to show their team depth by placing 2nd overall at the SDIC Tournament, where OBrien won the #2 Singles, Doug Hartman won the #3 Singles, and Dan Young / Mike Hohn placed 2nd in the Doubles.

The deep Hardrocker team then finished off the 1968 season by winning the NAIA District 12 Team Championship for the first time ever, where Westby placed 2nd in the Singles, OBrien placed 3rd in the Singles, Westby/OBrien placed 2nd in the Doubles, and Young/Hohn placed 3rd in the Doubles.

They didn't stop there. In 1969, with their #1 and #2 in Westby and OBrien returning, in addition to Doug Hartman, Mike Hohn, and Gary Quinn among others. In 1969 they again placed 2^nd in the SDIC with another deep team performance, with Westby winning the #1 Singles, Hartman 3^rd in #2 Singles, Gary Quinn 3^rd in #3 Singles, and OBrien/Mike Bray 3^rd in Doubles.  Coach Clare Ekeland's strong 1969 team then repeated their 1968 NAIA District 12 Team Championship feat, with Westby winning the Singles title, Doug Hartman placing 3^rd in the Singles, and OBrien/Westby winning the Doubles. This was the first time in school history that any team had won back-to-back NAIA District 12 Championships.
 
1969 Team:
Bob Westby
Bob Obrien
Gary Quinn
Mike Bray
Doug Hartman
Coach: C.J. Clare Ekeland

Bob OBrien – Tennis:
Bob OBrien earned tennis letters at South Dakota Mines for four years (1967 through 1970). He was known primarily as a Doubles player, partnering with Bob Westby to place 2^nd at the NAIA District 12 Doubles Tournament in 1968 and winning it in 1969, but he also had success as a Singles player, finishing third at the NAIA District 12 Championship in 1967 and 1968 and winning an SDIC #2 Singles Championship in 1968. Westby and OBrien were the first South Dakota Mines players in any sport to qualify for the NAIA National Tennis Tournament in Kansas City.

OBrien was a true student/athlete:

Achieved #2 rank in graduating Mechanical Engineering department.
Sigma Tau honorary engineering fraternity
Who's Who Among Students in American Universities
President of Delta Sigma Phi social fraternity

Bob Westby – Tennis:
Bob Westby began his career at Northern State, where he was an NAIA Singles Finalist in both 1965 and 1966, the SDIC #2 Singles Champion in 1965, and an SDIC #1 Singles Finalist in 1966.

After transferring to South Dakota Mines in the fall of 1966, he sat out a year due to transfer rules. During the 1968 season, he advanced to the finals of the NAIA District 12 Tournament in both Singles and Doubles, contributing heavily to the first-ever South Dakota Mines Team Championship at that marquee event. Then in 1969 he won the NAIA District 12 Championships in both Singles and Doubles along with the SDIC Singles Championship #1 division.

Also in 1969, Westby qualified for the NAIA National Tennis Tournament, advancing to the third round in Singles. Westby and OBrien also qualified for the Doubles tournament, the first players from South Dakota Mines to ever to do so.

Mark Kenner – Football: 
A four-year starter on the defensive line, Mark Kenner broke through and received All-SDIC honors in 1972 and 1973 along with an All-District 12 Honorable Mention nod in 1973. He was a big part of the 1974 SDIC Conference Championship team.

Wayne Larsen – Football: 
Larsen joined the team as a tight end in 1972 from Colome, S.D., and he made a mark early in his career, receiving All-District 12 and All-SDIC honors as a sophomore. That year he led the team with 28 receptions for 385 yards and four touchdowns. He followed that up with a 24-351-3 TD receiving line in his junior season. In his final season, he had 19 receptions, 248 yards, and two touchdowns. Larsen helped lead the program to two SDIC championships and an 11-6-1 record in his final two seasons.

Bob & Beck Miesen – Builders:
Graduate of South Dakota Mines, Bob in 1961 as a civil engineering major, and Rebecca, his wife are members of the Senior lifetime giving society at South Dakota Mines, having given over $100,000 back to the institution with much of it dedicated to athletics following Bob's football career at South Dakota Mines where he was All-Conference once as well as a four-time letterman and co-captain. Bob was the recipient of the Guy E. March Medal Award from the institution in 2016. The March Medal is awarded annually to a graduate who exemplifies the spirit of electrical engineering alumnus Dr. Guy March through positive interaction with students, the institution, and South Dakota Mines alumni. In addition, Miesen served on the board of the alumni association for two years in the '80s and was again elected to serve on the board in 2015.

The Hall of Fame banquet will take place, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 prior to the football game against Colorado Mesa. The nominees will then be honored at halftime of the game.

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.