DICKINSON, N.D. – Dickinson State Athletics announced their 2024 Blue Hawk Hall of Fame class on Tuesday. The class consists of seven individual athletes, one coach, and two teams and will be honored this fall.
“We are excited to honor another outstanding group of individuals into the Blue Hawk Hall of Fame,” said athletic director Pete Stanton. “They are all certainly deserving of this great honor. We look forward to having them back on campus on October 18th to celebrate their achievements.”
2024 Hall of Fame Inductees
Ben Beckler – Men’s Wrestling
Ben was a two-time All-American for Dickinson State, finishing in 4th place in 1998 at 134 pounds and taking 5th place at 141 pounds in 1999. He was named the 1999 conference Wrestler of the Year and was named to the all-conference and all-region teams all four years while also winning one conference championship.
Jesse Beckler – Men’s Wrestling
Jesse was a four-time all-conference wrestler, earning one conference championship. He was a regional finalist twice and earned all-region honors all four years. Jesse qualified for the national tournament all four years, earning All-American honors three times. He finished 6th at 133 pounds in 1999, 8th at 141 pounds in 2000, and 6th at 141 pounds in 2001.
Cory Johnston – Men’s Wrestling
Cory was a team captain all four years at Dickinson State (2005-2008), while earning all-region honors each of the four seasons. He was a regional champion in 2005, 2006, and 2008, all at 125 pounds, while finishing as the runner-up in 2007. In 2008 he earned All-American honors after finishing in 4th place nationally.
Mark Johnston – Men’s Wrestling
Mark earned all-region honors all four years at Dickinson State (2004-2007) finishing in 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place. In 2005 (8th), 2006 (6th), and 2007 (8th) he earned All-American honors at the national tournament.
LaSean Pickstock – Men’s Track & Field
Pickstock competed in track and field from 2007-2010. He won two individual NAIA national championships in the 400 and was a runner-up twice. He also won four national championships as a part of the 4x400 relay team. Pickstock was a key figure in DSU track teams placing as national runner up all four years he ran. He ran internationally after college for the Bahamas and competed in the indoor world championships in 2011.
Elizabeth Rodriguez - Volleyball
Rodriguez competed for the Blue Hawks in 2006 and 2007 and was named a first-team All-American in 2006. She helped lead Dickinson State to multiple national tournament appearances during her time as the Blue Hawks were mainstays in the national rankings.
Nicole Marcoux – Softball
Marcoux played for Dickinson State from 2007-2009 and was a two-time All-Conference award winner for DSU softball, as well as a Second-Team All-American in 2008. She helped lead the Blue Hawks to multiple national tournament appearances during her time as a Blue Hawk.
Roger Huffman – Coaching
Huffman, already a member of the Hall of Fame as an athlete, will now enter posthumously for the second time. Huffman was at DSU from 1963-1991 as he served as head football coach, head track coach, and assistant basketball coach. He later served as athletic director until 1984. His teams won multiple track and cross country championships in the 1960’s and 1970’s and he was president of NAIA track coaches association. The track at the Biesiot Activities Center is named in his honor.
2005 Men’s Wrestling
The 2005 team was led by All-Americans Tyson Springer, Justin Schlecht, and Mark Johnston and finished 8th place as a team at the national tournament. Springer was a national champion at 165 pounds to lead the Blue Hawks.
2006 Men’s Wrestling
One of the most successful teams in school history, the 2006 team took 4th place at the national tournament after securing the North Region championships and setting the team scoring record along the way. Of the 12 team members competing in the region tournament, six won the championship, five took second place, and one took third. The team was undefeated in regular season duals and finished as the #2 team in the country in the final polls. Justin Schlecht, Tyson Springer, Elijah Simburger, Micah Mathieson, and Mark Johnston all were All-Americans, with Schlecht winning a national title and Springer taking second place.