Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

The Tribe Gets A Little Bit Bigger

The Tribe of Viking Hall of Fame, one of the greatest honors an Augustana Alumni can receive is being inducted into this ever so exclusive club. The eligibility for nomination comes in five year integrals,and the voting takes place with a nine-person committee and goes through numerous rounds of voting until 6 students and an honorary inductee are named.  Students from the classes of 2005-2009 were considered, and being inducted is a privilege many can only dream of.
 
But dreams came true for class of 2005’s Tom Anthony, a cornerback for the vikings who led college football with 13 interceptions in his senior season. Dreams also came true for 2006’s Rick Harrigan, a Vikings Basketball star. Class of 2007’s Meghan Voiland-McMillan, of the Vikings Track and Field squad, and Samantha Knox, a former softball and volleyball superstar. Of 2008, only baseball hero and multiple record breaker Marc Blakely was inducted, Blakely has many baseball records, including the most winningest player in the colleges prestigious history. As with 2008, only one player from the class of 2009 was inducted, track star David McMillan, now husband to track legend and fellow inductee, Meghan Voiland-McMillan. 
 
The only non-All-American of the 2019 Hall of Fame is Samantha Knox, but she received academic All-American as was a star on more than team. Dave Wrath, Associate Director of Athletics/ Media & Alumni Relations, mentioned the number of honors awarded to this years inductees, saying “there’s some gravitas in there… certain years are better than others, this happens to be a very good class”.
 
The voting is a rigorous process and made up of 300 very qualified nominees voted on by 9 committee members that have “some sort of vested interest in Augustana Athletics”. But then speaking on the fairness of the voting, Mr. Wrath said “when somebody comes up that a committee member knows, they’re sometimes reluctant to talk about them to keep the voting fair”. 
 
The Class of 2019 inductees to the Tribe of Vikings are impressive to say the least, and the inductees are deserving of entering the annals of history at this incredible school and living forever in the minds of students past, present, and future.
 

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The Tribe Gets A Little Bit Bigger