UW-Oshkosh Unveils Largest Hall of Fame Induction Class
The UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame will welcome its largest class of new members when 10 individuals are inducted Sunday, November 7.
The 2021 induction class features former student-athletes Blaine Felsman (football, wrestling), Ayla (Mitchell) Helland (cross country, track & field), Greg Henschel (soccer), Willy Kaul (cross country, track & field), Erin (LeRoy) Klump (swimming & diving), Terri (Schwamb) Kruse (track & field), Richard Schroeder (baseball), Rob Stoltz (football, baseball), current sports information director Kennan Timm, and former student-athlete and coach Ted Van Dellen (basketball).
This year's honorees will join the 211 individuals who have been selected to the previous 46 induction classes.
The ceremony for the new inductees will be held at the Culver Family Welcome Center (625 Pearl Avenue) on the UW-Oshkosh campus. The event includes a social at 9:15 a.m., breakfast at 10 a.m. and program at 10:30 a.m. Michael Patton, the public address voice of the Titans, will emcee the event.
Tickets for the induction ceremony are $25 (aged 5 and older) and can be purchased at uwosh.universitytickets.com. Tickets will be sold until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 3. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the event.
This year's induction class will also be recognized at halftime of UW-Oshkosh's football game against UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, November 6, at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. Kickoff for the contest is 1 p.m.
Blaine Felsman was a multiple award winner in both football and wrestling at UW-Oshkosh from 1974 until 1978.
On the football field, the Waupun High School graduate played center and received All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team recognition when the Titans shared the league championship with UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls in 1976. He was named to the All-WIAC Second Team in 1977.
Felsman earned a pair of All-America citations and one conference title on the wrestling mat. He finished second in the heavyweight division at the 1976 WIAC Championship before winning the category at the league meet in 1977. Felsman obtained All-America honors with his fifth- and fourth-place finishes in the heavyweight division at the 1977 and 1978 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championships, respectively.
Following his 1978 UW-Oshkosh wrestling season, Felsman had professional football tryouts with the Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
Felsman is currently an assistant coach for the UW-Oshkosh wrestling program. He previously had been a physical education teacher and wrestling coach at Berlin and Oshkosh West high schools as well as a wrestling official for both the National Collegiate Athletic Association and Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Felsman received a bachelor's degree from UW-Oshkosh in 1981 and a master's degree from Holy Family College (Silver Lake College) in 1998.
Ayla (Mitchell) Helland transferred from the University of Minnesota and quickly became a standout performer at both the conference and national levels for the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country and track & field programs from 2007-09.
The New Richmond High School graduate totaled three All-America awards and two conference titles in cross country while compiling two national titles, five All-America citations and six conference championships in track & field. Helland won NCAA Division III titles in 2009 for the indoor mile and outdoor 5,000-meter runs.
In cross country, Helland was named the 2008 and 2009 Division III Midwest Region Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The WIAC additionally selected Helland as both its Athlete and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2009.
During the 2009 track & field season Helland was named the USTFCCCA's Division III Indoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as the Division III Midwest Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Helland earned Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America in both 2009 and 2010. She was also chosen as the female winner of UW-Oshkosh John Taylor Senior Scholar-Athlete Award in 2009.
Helland, who was selected to the WIAC's All-Centennial Team in both women's cross country and women's track & field in 2012, received her bachelor's degree from UW-Oshkosh in 2010.
Greg Henschel helped elevate the UW-Oshkosh men's soccer program to national prominence during his four seasons as a Titan from 1991-94.
Henschel earned a pair of NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region awards from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as UW-Oshkosh compiled a 61-11-7 record while competing in three postseason tournaments and advancing to one Final Four.
The Brookfield East High School graduate was a major contributor during his first season at UW-Oshkosh by totaling six goals and eight assists. The Titans tallied a 14-2-3 record in 1991 and advanced to the second round of their first Division III postseason appearance.
Henschel led UW-Oshkosh with 10 goals and 27 points during a 1992 season that featured the Titans posting a 13-3-1 record. The following year he collected All-Midwest Region First Team honors after pacing the Titans with his 46 points, 18 goals and 10 assists. UW-Oshkosh registered a 16-4 record in 1993 while advancing to the quarterfinal round of the Division III Championship.
The 1994 season was record breaking for both Henschel and UW-Oshkosh. Individually, Henschel picked up his second straight All-Midwest Region First Team award by establishing school records with his 21 goals and 50 points. As a team, the Titans etched an unbeaten 18-0-3 record while making their second consecutive Division III postseason visit and first trip to the Final Four.
Henschel concluded his career as UW-Oshkosh's leader in goals (55), points (143) and matches played (73). He currently ranks second of the Titans' all-time career list in both goals and points.
Henschel graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1996 and went on to play minor league professional soccer. He later became the head men's and women's soccer coach at UW-Whitewater from 1999-2011 and the head women's soccer coach at UW-Milwaukee from 2012-14. Henschel guided the UW-Whitewater men to 164 wins and 11 Division III postseason appearances and the Warhawk women to 126 victories and one Division III tournament.
Henschel was selected to the WIAC's All-Centennial Men's Soccer Team in 2012.
Big-time success is what Willy Kaul achieved as a member of the UW-Oshkosh men's cross country and track & field programs from 2004-09.
Kaul earned a pair of All-America awards in cross country with his fourth- and second-place finishes at the NCAA Division III Championship in 2006 and 2008, respectively. He was the WIAC champion in 2008 and the league's runner-up in 2006.
Competing on the indoor track, Kaul won Division III 5,000-meter run titles in 2008 and 2009. He also was a member of the Titans' 2007 and 2009 distance medley relay teams that were crowned national champion. Kaul owns six Division III All-America indoor citations, three in both the 5,000-meter run and distance medley relay.
In WIAC competition, Kaul is the holder of five league titles – two in the 3,000-meter run and one apiece in the mile run, 5,000-meter run and distance medley relay. He was named the Outstanding Track Performer at the 2000 WIAC Indoor Championship.
Outdoors, Kaul became the first person in UW-Oshkosh history to earn four All-America performances in the same running event when he won the 10,000-meter run at the 2009 Division III Championship. Kaul's 2009 appearance at the national meet also included an All-America finish in the 5,000-meter run. He additionally was a three-time WIAC outdoor champion in the 3,200-meter relay.
Kaul was a member of UW-Oshkosh track & field teams that won Division III indoor and outdoor titles in 2009. The Milwaukee Lutheran High School graduate is the current owner of four UW-Oshkosh track & field records.
The USTFCCCA selected Kaul as its Division III Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2009, Division III Midwest Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in both 2008 and 2009, and Division III Midwest Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2009.
Kaul, who was named to the WIAC's All-Centennial Men's Track & Field Team in 2012, graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 2011.
Erin (LeRoy) Klump enjoyed a tremendous diving career as a member of the UW-Oshkosh women's swimming and diving program from 1999-2002.
The Oshkosh North High School graduate accumulated five NCAA Division III All-America awards while diving to three WIAC titles.
Klump was a three-time Division III Championship participant in both the 1- and 3-meter diving. She finished 13th off the 3-meter board at the 2000 national meet, fourth in 2001 and third in 2002. Klump placed 10th off the 1-meter plank at the 2001 Division III Championship and second in 2002.
In WIAC Championship competition, Klump was the 3-meter champion in 2001 and both the 1- and 3-meter first-place finisher in 2002.
Klump is the owner of a pair of UW-Oshkosh 3-meter diving records (6 & 11 dives). She also holds the UW-Oshkosh Albee Hall record for 11 dives of the 3-meter diving competition.
During her final season of competition at UW-Oshkosh, Klump also served as the head girls diving coach at Oshkosh North High School.
Klump graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 2003.
A member of five national championship teams, Terri (Schwamb) Kruse enjoyed a highly celebrated career as a member of the UW-Oshkosh women's track & field program from 2004-08.
UW-Oshkosh won NCAA Division III indoor and outdoor titles during Schwamb's first season at the school. The Titans then captured national indoor championships in 2005 and 2006 before winning the 2007 national outdoor championship at the Oshkosh Sports Complex.
Schwamb also helped UW-Oshkosh win the 2004 WIAC outdoor championship and the 2006 league indoor title.
Individually, Schwamb was named the USTFCCCA's 2007 Division III Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year after winning the 20-pound weight throw at both the conference and national championships. She also earned All-America honors in the 20-pound weight throw at the 2005 national indoor meet.
Outdoors, Schwamb had the joy of winning national hammer throw titles at the 2007 and 2008 Division III championships hosted by UW-Oshkosh at Oshkosh Sports Complex. Schwamb acquired the first of her three All-America awards in the hammer throw at the 2005 national outdoor meet.
The Little Chute High School graduate also won outdoor hammer throw titles at the WIAC championships in 2007 and 2008.
Academically, Schwamb was named the USTFCCCA's 2007 Division III Track/Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, an Academic All-American by CoSIDA in 2007, and the WIAC's 2008 Outdoor Track & Field Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Schwamb, who was named to the WIAC All-Centennial Women's Track & Field Team in 2012, earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from UW-Oshkosh in 2008 and 2016, respectively.
Richard Schroeder is the ultimate example of commitment to the game of baseball.
Schroeder was an infielder for the UW-Oshkosh baseball team from 1968-70 and helped the Titans to a 63-24 record and a WIAC championship each year.
Schroeder compiled a .288 batting average during his three seasons at UW-Oshkosh with nine doubles, six triples, four home runs, 54 runs scored and 28 runs batted in. The Waterloo High School graduate received All-WIAC First Team and NAIA All-America Honorable Mention recognition in both 1968 and 1969.
Following UW-Oshkosh's 1970 season Schroeder was selected in the 23rd round of Major League Baseball's Amateur Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Schroeder, the second Titan to ever be drafted by an MLB team, played 62 games that summer in the Giants' minor league system before retiring.
Schroeder then went into coaching and was a graduate assistant at the University of Arizona when the Wildcats won the 1976 NCAA Division I College World Series. Over the next few years Schroeder was an assistant baseball coach at De Anza College and the head baseball coach at Caruthers High School in California.
Schroeder has spent the past 40 years as a professional baseball scout for a variety of MLB teams, including the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers.
In 2016, Schroeder was named MLB's West Scout of the Year and was inducted into the Scouting Wing of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. The 1972 UW-Oshkosh graduate was also inducted into the National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame in 2019.
UW-Oshkosh has had plenty of highly decorated pass receivers in the 125-year history of its football program, but when forming a list of the school's best, Rob Stoltz's name is near the top.
Stoltz appeared in 39 UW-Oshkosh football games from 1992-95 and caught 155 passes for 2,691 yards and 24 touchdowns. He established records in all major single season and career receiving categories during his playing career and currently ranks second for the Titans in career receiving yards and third in both career receptions and career receiving touchdowns.
Stoltz's best season with the Titans was in 1996 when he earned All-WIAC First Team accolades and was named the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association's WIAC Player of the Year after catching 69 passes for 1,179 yards and 10 touchdowns. Stoltz had 100 or receiving yards in seven of UW-Oshkosh's 10 games that season, including 206 yards on 11 receptions against St. Ambrose University (Iowa).
The Greendale High School graduate also received All-WIAC honors as a Second Team selection in 1994 and a First Team pick in 1995.
Stoltz played professional football in Germany during the 1997 and 1998 seasons and led the Franken Knights in every receiving category both years.
Exceptional in the classroom, Stoltz was recognized as a Burger King Football Scholar-Athlete of the Week prior to the Titans' 1996 game against UW-La Crosse. Stoltz was the first WIAC football player to receive the award and UW-Oshkosh was presented a $10,000 scholarship in his name.
Stoltz was also named an Academic All-American by CoSIDA and the WIAC's Football Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1996. He was selected as male winner of UW-Oshkosh John Taylor Senior Scholar-Athlete Award in 1997.
Stoltz played one season of baseball at UW-Oshkosh and was the Titans' starting centerfielder on their NCAA Division III national championship team. He started all 45 games for the Titans and helped the team to a 41-4 record by hitting .307 with four home runs, nine doubles, 37 runs scored and 29 runs batted in.
Stoltz, a 1999 UW-Oshkosh graduate, recently retired as the head football coach at Greendale High School. His 20-year tenure coaching the Panthers included 159 wins, a .742 winning percentage, 15 consecutive WIAA playoff appearances, 11 conference titles and a pair of trips to Madison for the state championship final.
Kennan Timm's 37 years as UW-Oshkosh's sports information director have extended well beyond the coordination of the publicity for the school's 19-sport athletics program.
Timm has served as the host media relations director for the finals of 31 NCAA Division III Championships as well as over 50 Division III regional tournaments.
In 2007, Timm became the first sports information director in Division III history to host two different national championships on the same weekend when UW-Oshkosh hosted the finals for both baseball and men's and women's outdoor track & field. He also duplicated the task in 2008.
Following the retirement of UW-Oshkosh Director of Athletics Allen Ackerman in 2010, Timm became the local committee chair for the Division III Baseball Championship that was held in Appleton from 2000-18.
Timm has organized and chaired three major fund-raising activities at UW-Oshkosh, including the Titan Extravaganza Party which has raised nearly $300,000 for the athletics department since 1992. A Titan Getaway Raffle he created brought in over $57,000 from 1991-97.
Since arriving on the UW-Oshkosh campus for the 1985-86 academic year, Timm has been in charge of publicizing one of the most successful athletics programs in Division III history. UW-Oshkosh has captured 31 Division III titles during Timm's tenure, including three during the 1995-96 academic year.
Timm began his sports information career as a student assistant at UW-La Crosse. He was named the school's full-time sports information director in 1983 and served in that capacity for the following two years. Timm's tenure at UW-La Crosse included the promotion of four NCAA Division III championship teams. He also served on the school's Wall of Fame Committee and helped form the L-Club, the major fundraising organization of UW-La Crosse athletics.
The Oshkosh West High School graduate was a member of the wrestling media relations staff at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles (Calif.) and worked three years as a radio/television spotter in the press box for Green Bay Packer preseason and regular season football games. Timm has been the official statistician for the Wisconsin High School All-Star Football Classic since 1985 and the official scorer the WIAA state baseball tournament in Appleton since 1998.
Timm, a winner of 18 publication awards from CoSIDA and the NAIA, has seen seven of his former student assistants continue in the sports information profession. Among them are former University of Minnesota Associate and UW-Platteville Sports Information Director Becky Bohm, former UW-La Crosse Sports Information Director Todd Clark and current St. Norbert College Sports Information Director Dan Lukes.
Timm, a 1990 graduate of UW-La Crosse, was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 2012. He was also named the winner of CoSIDA's prestigious Warren Berg Award in 2009.
When Ted Van Dellen accepted the challenge in May 1990 of leading a UW-Oshkosh men's basketball program that he played for, he immediately rolled up his sleeves and went to work.
Van Dellen definitely went to work as he restored the pride of Titan Nation by guiding a basketball program that won only 113 games in the 11 seasons before his appointment to 358 victories and five NCAA Division III postseason appearances in the 22 years (1991-2012) that followed.
Van Dellen, who owns the sixth-most coaching victories in WIAC history, compiled a 358-225 record (.614 winning percentage) while leading UW-Oshkosh to 17 winning seasons.
From 1996-2009, Van Dellen led the Titans to a 267-114 record and 14 straight winning seasons. UW-Oshkosh captured the 2002 WIAC championship and qualified for the Division III national tournament in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2003. The Titans placed second in the conference standings in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2007.
UW-Oshkosh made its first NCAA postseason appearance in 1996, as Van Dellen was named WIAC Coach of the Year and College Sports magazine's Division III Coach of the Year after guiding the Titans to a 23-4 record.
Following an 18-9 campaign in 2001, the Titans compiled records of 24-6 in 2002 and 25-7 in 2003. UW-Oshkosh advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2002 and the Elite Eight in 2003.
Van Dellen coached four Division III All-America award winners during his tenure at UW-Oshkosh and 16 players to a total of 25 All-WIAC First Team selections.
Prior to becoming UW-Oshkosh's head coach, Van Dellen was an assistant men's basketball coach with the Titans from 1985-90. He also taught and coached boys basketball and girls softball at Amherst High School from 1979-84.
Van Dellen played basketball at UW-Oshkosh from 1975-78 and was the starting center on Titans' 1978 WIAC championship team. The Berlin High School graduate totaled 642 points and 380 rebounds during his 66-game UW-Oshkosh career, including 20 points and 20 rebounds against Carthage College during the 1976-77 season.
Van Dellen earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from UW-Oshkosh in 1979 and 1990, respectively.
The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to pay tribute and give deserved acknowledgement to former athletes, coaches and friends of the University. It is also intended to enhance school tradition by honoring those people who have exhibited exceptional ability or given distinctive recognition to the UW-Oshkosh athletics program while on campus or since graduation.
The first UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held April 28, 1974, at The Pioneer Inn & Marina in Oshkosh. The five inductees were Edward Boguski, Ed Hall, Burton Karges, Robert Kolf and Robert Williams.
Four venues have hosted UW-Oshkosh's Hall of Fame induction ceremony – The Pioneer Inn & Marina (1974-2001), Hilton Garden Inn (2002), UW-Oshkosh's Reeve Memorial Union (2003-13) and UW-Oshkosh's Culver Family Welcome Center (2014-Present).