Four Inducted into the
Northern Athletic Hall of Fame
Fall 2003

Alex Capedeville (left) with the new Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees Shelia Green Gerding, Jason Liles, Arnold M. Reed and J. Worth Timmons

The 2003 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held on October 11, 2003 during the Alumni Games weekend. Since its inception in 1994, forty four outstanding coaches and athletes have been recognized for their achievements here at Northern. This year's honorees were Sheila Green Gerding of Minot, North Dakota; Jason Liles of Brookings, South Dakota; Arnold M. Reed of Billings, Montana; and J. Worth Timmons, deceased, formerly of Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Sheila Green Gerding, of Minot, North Dakota, currently holds the record as the all time leading scorer in the history of the Skylight basketball program. One of the most highly sought after high school players, she was an impact player as a freshman and a three year starter for the most successful women's basketball program in Frontier Conference history. During her four years at Northern, they won four Frontier Conference Championships and made four trips to the national tournament with a record of 126 wins and 12 losses. On the 1990 trip to the national tournament, Sheila finished third in the three point shootout. An Academic All Conference player for two years, she was known for her work ethic and her leadership. She was an All Conference player three of her four years and in 1992, she was the District 12 MVP and the Frontier Conference Co MVP at a time when the team was ranked #1 in NAIA Division 2. She was also named a NAIA II Kodak AllAmerican.

Jason Liles, was a 1979 graduate of Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and a four year starter with more wins than any wrestler in that university's history. He came to Northern Montana College in 1984 to take over a fine wrestling program ready to go on to the next level. During the nine years he was at Northern, he had many memorable teams; two would take the National Championship in 1991 and 1992. He recruited and developed six individual National Champions and forty three All Americans. He left a program that continued to excel and has produced three more National titles for a total of five. They boast a total of 19 individual National Champions and 123 All American's.

A recruit from Outlook, Montana, Arnold M. Reed, at 6'2" was considered a big guard for the times. In 1938, his last year at NMC, he was the team leading scorer and the leading scorer of the Small College Conference. He had a total of 194 points; 38 more than his closest rival that year and he was named the Most Outstanding Player in the conference by the Montana Collegiate Coaches Association. Reed was also a member of the Lights track team. After graduating from NMC with a two year engineering degree, he transferred to Montana State College in Bozeman, Montana where he became a defensive standout for the Bobcats from 1938 1940. Reed was the Josten's representative in Montana for over thirty five years. He is active in many community efforts and in 1997, the Billings community recognized him with a "Celebration of Life" Award for distinguished service.

An outstanding athlete for Northern, J. Worth Timmons was named the Most Outstanding Center by the Montana Collegiate Coaches Association and was voted to the All Conference team in his last year of competition. He finished that year as the 8th leading scorer in the conference with 121 points, in a tie with teammate Edward Morrison. Under the guidance of first year coach, the legendary R.V. "Sandy" Sandven, the All Conference duo of Timmons at center and Reed, at guard, led the team to the Small College Conference Co Championship in 1938. After placing second the year before, they tied with Billings Poly (Rocky Mountain College). A stalwart on defense, Timmons led the team in rebounds and shots blocked, and was the assist leader, passing to teammate and co inductee, Arnie Reed. Timmons also played first base for the Northern baseball team and was known for his defense and his home runs. A World War II veteran, he was employed by the Montana Highway Department until he retired in 1979 and moved to Arizona.
  

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