BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced its 2025 NSIC Hall of Fame inductees with Concordia-St. Paul volleyball standout Emily (Palkert) Davis becoming CSP's eighth NSIC Hall of Fame selection. The induction ceremony will be held Tuesday, July 8 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Moorhead, Minnesota as part of the annual NSIC Summer Kickoff event.
A social will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by the ceremony at 6 p.m. Tickets can be reserved by visiting
https://northernsun.org/HOFBanquet and filling out the online Hall of Fame banquet registration form. Registrations are due no later than July 1, as space is limited for the event.
The full class of 2025 includes:
Katie Jesperson, Augustana University,
Emily (Palkert) Davis, Concordia University, St. Paul;
Melissa (Agnew) Blanchard & Jennifer (Agnew) Keller, University of Mary;
Jennifer Bagley Trotter, Minnesota State University Moorhead;
Jacob Fahl, Southwest Minnesota State University;
Katie (Goetzinger) Voth, Wayne State College; and
Stacey (Struzynski) Zimmerman, Winona State University.
Founded in 1986, the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC - the former men's conference) Hall of Fame was established to recognize and honor those who made significant contributions to the conference, to create favorable publicity and public relations for the league and to help preserve the history of the NIC, its member institutions, student-athletes, and other significant individuals affiliated with the league. For the first two inductions (1986 and 1990) each selection hailed from the NIC. In 1992, the Northern Sun Conference (NSC - the former women's conference) and the NIC merged, creating the current Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). After annual inductions since 2000, the NSIC Hall of Fame will now boast over 225 members and three teams.
Each NSIC institution (who has been a league member for at least ten years) is asked to submit one candidate for consideration for induction into the Hall of Fame. Each of the candidates are derived from individuals who have been affiliated with the NSIC, NIC, NSC and their member institutions.
In order to be eligible for the NSIC Hall of Fame, candidates must have made their contributions in one of the following areas: 1) former student-athletes, 2) administrator/coach, 3) official/supervisor/coordinator, 4) contributor/supporter, or 5) team. The conference provides two plaques; one of which will go to the inductee and one to the institution represented. A history of each inductee will be kept in the NSIC Office and each institution will prominently display the plaques of their respective NSIC Hall of Fame inductees.
In order to be eligible for the NSIC Hall of Fame, candidates must have made their contributions in one of the following areas: 1) former student-athletes, 2) administrator/coach, 3) official/supervisor/coordinator, 4) contributor/supporter, or 5) team. The conference provides two plaques; one of which will go to the inductee and one to the institution represented. A history of each inductee will be kept in the NSIC Office and each institution will prominently display the plaques of their respective NSIC Hall of Fame inductees.
Emily (Palkert) Davis left an indelible mark on NCAA Division II volleyball during her time at Concordia University, St. Paul. Making an immediate impact, Davis was named both NSIC and AVCA Freshman of the Year, setting the tone for a remarkable career that would include four consecutive NCAA National Championships.
As Concordia's first four-time NCAA Champion and the program's all-time leader in kills, Davis helped lead the Golden Bears through one of the most dominant runs in collegiate volleyball history. Her tenure included an NCAA-record 75-match winning streak and victories in the final 62 NSIC matches of her career. Davis finished with an astounding 142-9 overall record, a near-perfect 77-1 mark in NSIC play, and an unblemished 24-0 record in NCAA Tournament competition.
Known for her consistency and clutch performances, Davis ranked among the NSIC's top five in kills per set and top six in hitting percentage every season. She was a cornerstone of Concordia's championship culture, known for her poise under pressure and her ability to elevate the play of those around her.
After completing her senior season, Davis took her talents overseas, playing professionally for Orivenden Ponnistus in Orivesi, Finland, while finishing her degree in child learning and development at CSP. She transitioned into coaching soon after, beginning at Southwest Christian before joining Augsburg College as a graduate assistant. While at Augsburg, she earned her MBA and gained valuable collegiate coaching experience over a four-year span.
Since 2016, Davis has served as the Head Volleyball Coach at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, where she continues to influence the game through leadership, mentorship, and her deep knowledge of the sport. She and her husband, Derris, are proud parents to two daughters, Juliette and Jaelle.
CSP'S NSIC HALL OF FAME MEMBERS
2025 - Emily (Palkert) Davis, volleyball
2024 - Bryan Lippincott, baseball (
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2023 - Mary (Slinger) Heiken, volleyball (
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2022 - Maggie McNamara, volleyball (
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2018 - James McNear, football, track & field, baseball (
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2017 - Kristen (Schmidt) Soukup, softball (
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2015 - Jennifer Pozzani, basketball, softball (
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2014 - Lisa (Harfield) Borowitz, soccer, basketball, softball (
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