CSP announces 2025 Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame inductees

Four different decades of graduate classes will be represented among the 10-member class

7.14.25

By: Josh Deer & Ben Diers

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Concordia University has announced the Athletic Hall of Fame induction class of 2025. The 10 new members in the 21st Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame class include: the late Bill Brooks (Football & Golf), Mike Cullen (Track & Field & Football), Kyle Dalton (Baseball), Edwin Doepel (Football), Esther (Jandrich) Fleigle (Track & Field), Johnny (Sedlock) Love (Football & Baseball), Mandy (Horazdovsky) Padjen (Volleyball), Megan (Graham) Stine (Volleyball), Valerie (Olson) Verley (Volleyball), and Anika Whiting (Basketball).

This year’s class represents seven different sports and three multi-sport athletes. The group features four selections from football with three of those individuals recognized as multi-sport athletes, while three will enter the Hall of Fame from volleyball with two selections each from baseball and track & field.

The 2025 Concordia St. Paul Athletic Hall of Fame class will be officially inducted at the Athletic Hall of Fame brunch during Homecoming 2025 weekend on Saturday, October 4 at 9 a.m. on the St. Paul campus at the Buenger Education Center (BEC). Tickets to the brunch are limited but available on the CSP homecoming registration website.

The 10 new members represent the 21st induction class to the Athletic Hall of Fame, dating back to its origination in 1992. The Hall of Fame now has 171 members.

Concordia began sponsoring four-year college athletics in 1967-68, competing as a junior college and high school (academy) from its founding in 1893 until that time. Until 1999, CSP was known as the Comets and competed as members of the NAIA before its transition to NCAA Division II membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), starting in the 1999-2000 academic year through the present day.

MEET THE 2025 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CLASS

After being recruited by Concordia Head Coach Jim Braun in his hometown of Berlin, Wisconsin, Bill Brooks attended Concordia from 1980-84 where he was the starting quarterback on the Comet football team for three seasons. Brooks also competed as a member of the CSP golf team in 1983 and 1984.
Brooks' leadership under center led the Comets to an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) championship in 1982. He was named to the all-conference squad in both 1982 and 1983, also leading the conference in passing yards in 1983.
Despite playing in an era that placed less emphasis on the passing game, Brooks held every major Concordia passing record at the time of his graduation with many of his career statistics still ranking in the top 15 in program history more than four decades later. Throughout his four years with the football team, Brooks accounted for 30 total touchdowns (21 passing, nine rushing), tied for the 15th most in school history, and 2,861 passing yards, 13th most in program history.
After earning his bachelor's degree in business from Concordia in 1984, Bill began his career at McGregor Sand Knit in Berlin, Wisconsin before transitioning to a sales role with Alliance Laundry Systems/UniMac, eventually working his way up to the title of North America Sales Manager before his retirement in May 2022.
Bill was also active in the Berlin community, dedicating 36 years of his busy life to the Berlin Fire Department, serving as Captain. He used his position in the laundry industry to ensure fire departments nationwide had the right laundry machines for cleaning personal protective equipment to help keep fellow firefighters safe. He was also an active member of St. John Lutheran Church where he served in many organizations. His passion was serving on the Board of Trustees.
One of his greatest achievements of his time at Concordia-St Paul was meeting Amy Meyer, the love of his life. They met in 1984, married on April 23, 1988, and raised two amazing young men together, Steven and Michael. His family brought him his greatest pride and joy. As a devoted father, he taught his sons, the value of kindness, generosity, and laughter. Then becoming a grandfather, he was the best around, showering his two beautiful granddaughters, Everly and Hallie, with affection, love, and endless amusement. Bill went to his eternal home on November 12, 2024 at the age of 62, due to an undiagnosed blood clot in his lung. He will forever be missed and loved.
Career Awards/Honors
1983 All-Upper Midwest Athletic Conference First Team selection
1982 All-Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Second Team selection
1983 team captain
CSP Records
9th - pass attempts (561)
t-11th - passing TDs (21)
13th - pass completions (247)
13th - passing yards (2961)
t-15th - TDs responsible for (30)
Career Stats
2,961 career passing yards
21 career passing touchdowns
9 career rushing touchdowns
A two-time All-NSIC performer and the first All-American in Concordia's NCAA Division II program history, Mike Cullen is one of the most accomplished throwers ever to compete for Golden Bear track & field.

The Green Bay, Wisconsin native was recruited to Concordia as a defensive lineman in the football program, spending three years with the football team including a redshirt season in his first year on campus. But it was track & field where he made an immediate impact in his first season in the navy and gold, breaking the school record in the indoor shot put with a mark of 14.65 meters in his very first collegiate meet in 2011.
Cullen continued to improve in each season after missing the 2012 campaign due to an injury which ultimately led to the end of his football career, but didn't stop him from improving his school record in the indoor shot put to 15.10 meters in 2013 and 15.93 meters in 2014.
After honing his craft in the prior four seasons, Cullen capped off his career on a high note in 2015 when he captured the NSIC title and All-NSIC Honors in the indoor shot put with a new school record toss of 17.03 meters. He would go on to became the first USTFCCCA All-American in program history with an 11th-place finish in the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships, earning second team honors. He also earned All-NSIC honors in the outdoor shot put with a third-place finish at the conference championships.
Across his four seasons of competition, Cullen scored at the conference meet in five of his eight opportunities.
After earning his bachelor's degree in criminal justice and communication from Concordia in 2015, Cullen began working for the Eau Claire Police Department in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 2016. In that role, he has had the opportunity to be a part of several specialties including the Tactical Response Team, Crisis Intervention Team, Force Options Team, Peer Support and Less Lethal. In 2025, he was promoted to the title of sergeant. He has also served as a school resource officer, track and field coach, and football coach at Eau Claire North High School. Michael is engaged to his fiancé, Mariah, and is set to get married in May of 2026.
Career Awards
2015 USTFCCCA Second Team All-America
2015 USTFCCCA All-Region in the indoor shot put
2015 NSIC Champion in the indoor shot put
2015 All-NSIC in the indoor shot put
2015 All-NSIC in the outdoor shot put
NSIC Field Athlete of the Week (2/24/15)
CSP Records
1st - indoor shot put (17.03m, 55' 10.5")
1st - outdoor shot put (at time of graduation) (16.06m)
Career Personal Bests
Indoor shot put - 17.03 meters (current CSP record)
Weight throw - 16.79 meters
Outdoor shot put - 16.06 meters (CSP record at time of graduation)
Discus - 42.84 meters
Hammer throw - 48.51 meters
Javelin - 47.13 meters
A four-year starter and key member of Concordia teams that competed in three NSIC Tournaments, Dalton is one of the most decorated hitters in the history of Golden Bear baseball.
The Minnetonka, Minnesota native immediately made his presence known in his first season at Concordia, starting all 44 games at second base and batting .369 with 55 hits, 31 runs and 14 RBIs. In year two, Dalton once again started all 36 games at second base, hitting .333 with 41 hits, 19 runs and 12 RBIs while helping the Golden Bears reach the NSIC Tournament for the first time since 2008.
Dalton took a massive leap forward in his junior campaign, moving into a utility role where he started 23 games in center field, two in left field, and 17 at second base. In that season, he slashed .436/.478/.497, logging 71 hits , 38 runs, 25 RBIs in 163 at bats. He had new career-highs of eight extra-base hits and hit his first career home run. He led the NSIC in batting average and ranked eighth in all of Division II, earning a Daktronics All-America First Team selection.
Dalton had another strong year in his senior season, starting all 44 games with a .358 average, 58 hits, 33 runs and 14 RBIs with a career-high 12 extra-base hits (nine doubles, three triples) to help Concordia to its third straight NSIC Tournament appearance.
After graduating with his bachelor's degree in English literature from Concordia in 2015, Dalton spent time coaching at Northstar Baseball in Eagan, Minnesota where he worked with young baseball players to instill in them the love for the game that he experienced while at CSP. He now works at Triple Diamond Sports in Burnsville, Minnesota where he is responsible for the scheduling, oversight, and fulfillment of sports card breaks.
Dalton resides in Cottage Grove, Minnesota with his wife, Christina, newborn son, and goldendoodle, Phoenix.
Career Awards
2014 Daktronics All-America First Team
2014 Daktronics All-Central Region First Team
2014 ABCA All-Central Region Second Team
2014 NCBWA All-Central Region Second Team
2014 All-NSIC First Team
2015 NCBWA Preseason All-America First Team
NWBCA Central Region Player of the Week (3/6/13)
Two-time NSIC Player of the Week (3/6/13, 4/28/14)
CSP Records
3rd - career hits (225)
5th - career at bats (597)
5th - career games started (166)
6th - single-season hits (71, 2014)
7th - single season average (.436, 2014)
9th - career runs scored (121)
10th - career batting average (.377)
10th - career total bases (259)
10th - career assists (241)
t-10th - career stolen bases (23)
Career Stats
.377 batting average
.434 on-base percentage
.434 slugging percentage
225 hits
21 doubles
5 triples
65 RBI
57 walks
23 stolen bases
241 assists
A three-year starter as a defensive lineman on the Comet football team, Edwin Doepel was a key contributor on Concordia's first-ever conference championship squad in 1976.
Doepel started his first game at Concordia in his sophomore season of 1973, making an immediate impact with 97 total tackles, a fumble recovery, and a blocked kick in his debut season.
After taking a year off in 1974, Doepel returned to the team in 1975 where he led the Comets in tackles, sacks, and fumble recoveries to earn his first all-conference nod. In his senior season in 1976, Doepel tallied 110 total tackles, three fumble recoveries, and four sacks to secure his second straight all-conference selection and propel Concordia to its first-ever conference title.
After earning his bachelor's degree in elementary education from Concordia in 1977, Doepel attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri where he obtained a Master of Divinity degree in 1981. Later in 1981, Doepel was installed as the first resident Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Since 1996, Doepel has been instrumental in the development of several new churches, including Crossroads Community Church of the Fox Valley and Resurrection Church of the Fox Valley.
Doepel also served in the Army as a chaplain for 15 years and was deployed to the Middle East for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990. While there, he helped build two sand chapels, one in Kuwait and one in Iraq, where numerous soldiers came to Christ. For this and other service in the theater, he was awarded the Bronze Star.
Following his retirement in 2021, Doepel now serves as a Police Chaplain with the Aurora PD and as a volunteer staff person at Bedrock Church in Sarasota, Florida. Doepel and his wife, Ruth, were married in 1977, have three children and nine grandchildren.
Career Awards
Two-time Little College All-American (1975, 1976)
Two-time All-UMAC First Team (1975, 1976)
1975 All-Mississippi River Conference First Team
1975 All-Lutheran Team
Statistics
1976 season - 110 total tackles, 30 solo tackles, 80 unassisted tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 sacks
One of the most successful pole vaulters in Concordia's history, Esther (Jandrich) Fleigle earned three all-conference selections and an all-region nod while qualifying for the NCAA Championships two times across her four-year career.
After competing in the multi-events in her first season on campus, Fleigle shifted her focus to the pole vault in her sophomore campaign. She found immediate success in that event, placing second at the NSIC Indoor Championships and third at the NSIC Outdoor Championships to secure two All-NSIC selections.
She capped off her career in 2015 with another All-NSIC nod, placing third at the outdoor championships and qualifying for the national meet after also qualifying in the indoor season. Fleigle still holds the Concordia records in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault, setting both marks in her senior campaign.
After graduating in 2015, Fleigle began her career as a special education paraprofessional for Mounds View Public Schools. She eventually went on to found Fleigle's Athletics, a year-round track & field training and competing club. There, she specializes in the vertical jumps, with some of her athletes going on to participate in state, regional, national and one International competition. She is also a freelance artist where she participates in community art events and hosts small group community art classes.
Career Awards
Two-time NCAA Division II Championships competitor
2015 All-NSIC outdoor pole vault
2012 All-NSIC indoor pole vault
2012 All-NSIC outdoor pole vault
Four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic
2013-14 CSP Top 4 Award
CSP Records
1st - indoor pole vault (3.80m, 12' 5.5")
1st - outdoor pole vault (3.81m, 12' 6")
Career Personal Bests
Indoor pole vault - 3.80 meters (CSP record)
Outdoor pole vault - 3.81 meters (CSP record)
A five-time all-conference selection across two sports, Johnny (Sedlock) Love was a standout student-athlete on both the football and baseball fields at Concordia.
A middle linebacker and nose guard on the football team, Love earned all-conference honors in four consecutive seasons from 1981-1984. On the baseball team, Love was named All-Conference in 1984.
Love's 371 career total tackles still rank second in program history more than four decades later, with his 249 solo tackles ranking first in program history. His 28 tackles for loss rank 14th in school history. He also recovered four fumbles and brought down six interceptions throughout his career, including two that were returned for touchdowns.
The record books from the baseball program during Love's playing career aren't available, but the All-UMAC performer recalls leading the team in home runs in each of his two seasons on the team including breaking Roger Lind's 1981 single-season home run record of 12.
Following his graduation in 1986, he was an assistant football coach in 1986 and the head baseball coach in 1987 before he began a seven-year career as a professional wrestler including stints with the PWA, AWA, NWA, Calgary Stampede, and an extended European tour. Throughout his career, Love worked alongside wrestling legends including Baron Von Raske, Mad Dog Vachon, The Shiek, and Kenny "The Sodbuster" Jay. Love purchased Los Campeones Gym with his business partner in 1990 and retired from wrestling in 1993 to focus on running the gym.
After selling the gym following more than 20 years of ownership, Love became the horse racing handicapper for the Minneapolis Star Tribune with his picks for Canterbury Park, the Triple Crown, and the Breeders' Cup appearing in the paper from 2011-2020.
Love is now retired and resides in Chandler, Arizona with his wife of 32 years, Shawn. Together, the pair have two sons, Nico and Julian.
Career Awards/Honors
Four-time All-UMAC selection (Football, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
1984 All-UMAC selection (Baseball)
CSP Records
1st - career solo tackles (249)
t-1st - career interception return TDs (2)
2nd - career total tackles (371)
t-10th - career fumbles recovered (4)
11th - career assisted tackles (122)
14th - career tackles for loss (28)
broke Stan Tischer's single-season tackles record in 1983
broke Stan Tischer's single-game tackles record in 1983 with 20-plus
Career Stats
371 total tackles
249 solo tackles
122 assisted tackles
28 tackles for loss
6 interceptions
4 fumble recoveries
The founding member of Concordia's now eight-member 1,000-kill, 1,000-dig club, Mandy (Horazdovsky) Padjen was an instrumental part of the program's transformation into an NCAA Division II volleyball powerhouse.
An outside hitter for the Golden Bears, Padjen achieved instant recognition in her first season on the court as she was named NSIC Freshman of the Year and an All-NSIC Honorable Mention in 2000 after leading the team in both kills (343) and digs (345). In her sophomore season in 2001, Padjen ranked second on the team with 357 digs while adding 201 kills, fourth most on the team.
In 2002, Padjen once again led the team with 422 digs and added 254 kills, earning All-NSIC First Team honors while helping the Golden Bears to a 24-9 overall record and 13-5 mark in NSIC play.
Padjen helped the program reach new heights in her senior campaign in 2003, tallying 576 digs and 322 kills to earn All-NSIC First Team honors and propel the Golden Bears to their first of 11-straight NSIC regular season titles, the program's first NCAA Region Championship before finishing as Division II national runner-up, reaching the national championship match while finishing 32-4 overall.
After graduating from Concordia in 2004, Padjen spent nearly 20 years working as a math teacher and data specialist for Wayzata Public Schools. She now operates her own business as a design consultant and renovation specialist, helping clients transform their spaces into both functional and beautiful environments. She has also served as a youth volleyball coach at MN Select for more than 10 years, including coaching her own daughter for the past five years.
Padjen resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota with her husband George, daughter, Mia, and puppy, Hazel.
Career Awards
2003 NCAA National Championship All-Tournament Team
Two-time All-NSIC First Team (2002, 2003)
2000 NSIC Freshman of the Year
2000 All-NSIC honorable mention
Three-time NSIC All-Academic
CSP Records
5th - career digs (1700)
7th - career digs per set (3.84)
8th - career service aces (133)
10th - career attack attempts (3279)
17th - career kills (1120)
17th - career service aces per set (0.30)
18th - career points (1352)
20th - career sets played (443)
Career Statistics
1120 kills
2.53 kills per set
1700 digs
3.84 digs per set
74 assists
133 service aces
156 total blocks
One of the most dominant defensive specialists in the history of Concordia volleyball, Megan (Graham) Stine helped CSP win four consecutive NSIC titles was a crucial component in the rise of Golden Bear volleyball.
Stine immediately earned a spot as Concordia's starting libero in her freshman season of 2003, tallying 486 digs (3.74 per set), 32 assists, and three service aces in a season that saw the Golden Bears clinch their first-ever NSIC title and reach the NCAA Division II Championship match for the first time in school history. As a sophomore, she once again led the team with 503 digs (4.26 per set) in a year where the Bears claimed another NSIC regular season crown while also winning the NSIC Tournament for the first time.
Stine's upward trajectory continued in her junior season of 2005, tallying 588 digs (4.67 per set) to help Concordia claim NSIC titles in both the regular season and conference tournament yet again, en route to a second NCAA Region Tournament title and Elite Eight appearance. She finished her career on a high note in 2006, logging 637 digs (4.86 per set), a mark that still stands as the third highest in a single-season in program history nearly two decades later.
With Stine leading defensive efforts, Concordia produced a 134-15 record in her four years, including four NSIC regular season championships, two NCAA regional championships, two appearances at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and a national runner-up finish while finishing each season ranking No. 7 in the nation or better in the final poll. CSP produced three-straight perfect NSIC seasons and went 61-1 in her four years in conference play.
After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from CSP in 2007, Stine remained at Concordia where she went on to earn a Master of Arts in Education in 2013.
Stine has worked as a middle school language arts teacher for 18 years, with all but one of those years at Wayzata West Middle School. She currently teaches seventh grade language arts, where she is responsible for delivering engaging and standards-based instruction that enhances students' reading, writing, speaking/listening, and critical thinking skills. She resides in Golden Valley, Minnesota with her husband, Paul, and daughter, Etta.
Career Awards
2006 AVCA All-Region Second Team
2006 Daktronics/D2CCA All-Region Second Team
2006 CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District
Two-time NSIC Libero of the Year (2004, 2005)
Three-time All-NSIC First Team (2004, 2005, 2006)
CSP Records
2nd - career digs (2214)
3rd - career digs per set (4.38)
3rd - single season digs (637 in 2006)
5th - career sets played (505)
6th - career matches played (144)
6th - single season digs (588 in 2005)
19th - career service aces (104)
Career Stats
2214 digs
4.38 digs per set
104 service aces
88 assists
22 kills
A four-year starting outside hitter for the Golden Bears, Valerie (Olson) Verley was a key force in Concordia’s early success at the NCAA Division II level and helped lay the foundation for the program’s rise to national prominence.
Verley was quick to make an impact as a freshman, tallying 251 kills (2.59 per set) and 229 digs in her first season at Concordia. In her sophomore season, Verley logged 317 kills (2.38 per set) and 155 digs while helping the Golden Bears win the NSIC and advance all the way to the NCAA national championship match, both program firsts.
Verley and the Golden Bears sustained their success in the following years as Concordia once again won the NSIC and reached the NCAA Tournament in both 2004 and 2005. As a junior, Verley finished with 324 kills (3.34 per set) and 87 digs. In her final season, she put together a career year with 439 kills (3.57 per set) and 130 digs while leading Concordia to another region championship and Elite Eight appearance.
During her tenure, the Golden Bears produced four-straight 20-plus win seasons, a 118-21 overall record, 56-6 NSIC record with three conference championships and a pair of perfect league records, two region championships and a national runner-up finish.
After graduating from Concordia in 2006, Verley went on to obtain her master's degree in recreation management from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2007. Her first full-time job brought her back to CSP where she worked as the assistant athletic director for compliance. She later transitioned to a role with the City of Eden Prairie Parks & Recreation Department where she held various positions for more than 14 years. Recently, she co-founded a property management business, Verlstad LLC, where she works as a project manager.
Verley met her husband, Kyle, a former running back on the Concordia football team, while they were both student-athletes at CSP. The pair resides in Shakopee, Minnesota with their two sons, Weston and Ellis.
Career Awards
Two-time AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention (2004, 2005)
2005 All-NSIC First Team
2004 All-NSIC Honorable Mention
2005 NSIC All-Tournament Team
2006 NSIC Female Honor Student-Athlete of the Year
CSP Records
6th - attack attempts (3431)
9th - kills (1331)
12th - points (1474.5)
15th - solo blocks (47)
t-17th - sets played (450)
18th - kills per set (2.96)
Career Stats
1331 kills
2.96 kills per set
.248 hitting percentage
597 digs
1.33 digs per set
214 total blocks
22 assists
13 service aces
A four-time All-NSIC selection and Concordia's all-time leader in made field goals, Anika Whiting finished her career as one of the most impactful players in the history of Golden Bear women's basketball.
Whiting proved to be a four-year starter for the Golden Bears, garnering an All-NSIC Second Team nod in her freshman season after averaging 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. She took a major step in her sophomore campaign in the 2012-13 season, earning NSIC Player of the Year and Daktronics All-America Honorable Mention honors after averaging 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game to lead the Bears to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
In her junior campaign, she put together one of the strongest individual seasons in program history as she set the school record with 655 points while pulling down a career-high 267 rebounds to earn All-NSIC First Team and NCAA All-Region Second Team honors. Her individual success also propelled Concordia to one of its most successful seasons ever as the Golden Bears reached the NCAA Elite Eight for the first and only time in school history, winning the NCAA Central Region Tournament championship.
Whiting capped off her career with another successful year in 2014-15, averaging 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game to earn her third-consecutive All-NSIC First Team selection while being named to the All-Central Region Second Team for the second-straight year.
After receiving her bachelor's degree in biology from Concordia in 2015, Whiting went on to earn a Master's of Physician Assistant Studies degree from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She works as a family medicine physician assistant at Aspirus St. Luke’s in her hometown of Ashland, Wisconsin where she resides with her husband and son.
Career Awards
2012-13 Division II Bulletin All-America Fourth Team
2012-13 Daktronics All-America Honorable Mention
Two-time Daktronics All-Central Region Second Team (2013-14, 2014-15)
2012-13 Daktronics All-Central Region First Team
2012-13 NSIC Player of the Year
Three-time All-NSIC First Team (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15)
2011-12 All-NSIC Second Team
2011-12 NSIC All-Freshman Team
2014 NSIC All-Tournament Team
NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award recipient
CSP Records
1st - career field goals made (733)
1st - single season points (655 in 2013-14)
1st - single season field goals made (233 in 2013-14)
2nd - career points (1982)
2nd - career free throws made (471)
2nd - career games started (121)
3rd - career rebounds (863)
5th - single season field goal percentage (.531 in 2012-13)
5th - single season free throw percentage (.845 in 2013-14)
7th - career blocked shots (112)
8th - single season points (527 in 2012-13)
9th - single season rebounds (267 in 2013-14)
Career Stats
1982 points
16.0 points per game
863 rebounds
7.0 rebounds per game
136 assists
112 blocks
113 steals