Three Alumni Selected for Athletic Hall of Fame
Winter 2002

Three outstanding athletes will be recognized during ceremonies for the Montana State University- Northern Athletic Hall of Fame at final home basketball games with Montana Tech, on February 16, 2002 on the MSU-Northern campus in Havre, Montana. The Hall of Fame inductions honor a 73-year tradition of excellence both in the classroom and on the playing field.

Since it's inception in 1994, thirty-seven outstanding coaches and athletes have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. This year inductees include the first All-American in the Skylight women's basketball program, a 1991 National Champion and four-time All-American wrestler, and a 1991 NAIA All-American Skylight volleyball and basketball great. The honorees are Shelly Hermanson Burcaw, of Brantwood, Wisconsin, Scott A. Filius of Havre, Montana, and Patti (Weed) Franklin-Norby of Kalispell, Montana.

Shelly Hermanson Burcaw, of Brantwood, Wisconsin, was the first All-American athlete in MSU-Northern Skylight history. She was selected first team Frontier All-Conference and All-District player of the year in 1989-90 and 1990-91. Hermanson-Burcaw still holds four school and individual records, setting the record for most points in a single game with 38 points by breaking her own record of 34 points in a game with Central Washington University. She tied the Skylight individual record for most field goals set in that same game with 13. She owns the records for most career free throws with 383 and for most free throws attempted in a single season with 191. A co-captain of the 1990-91 record setting team, she lead them in a 30-5 season where they set 5 new school records and tied two others, establishing a tradition of excellence unparalleled in the conference.

A Billings Senior High School graduate, Scott A. Filius began his four time All-American collegiate wrestling career at North Idaho Junior College before transferring to Northern Montana College his junior year where he carried a 4.0 GPA and earned a third place finish in the NAIA National Wrestling Championships in Hays, Kansas. A three time Academic All-American, he was selected for a Student Excellence Award in 1990. In 1991, while maintaining his Academic All-American status, Filius achieved his individual National Championship as Northern coasted to it's first ever team NAIA National Wrestling Championship in Butte, Montana. The team, coached by Jason Liles, advanced seven team members in the third round and four in the semi-finals, with three wrestling in the finals to protect the 22 ¼ point lead and the team championship. Filius has been the head coach at Havre High School since 1995 when his team took second at Divisionals and seventh at State. Since then, his teams have won five straight Divisional Championships and three State Championships, one second place and one third place finishes at State in the same five years. He has been Class A Coach of the Year three times. Held in high regard by the students at Havre High School, the graduating Class of 2001 selected him as their graduation speaker. His positive attitude and hard work ethic along with his commitment, dedication, and service to his students, his community, and the sport of wrestling have lead the Havre Blue Ponies to the respected position as a premier wrestling program in the state.

Patti (Weed) Franklin-Norby was a co-captain of the 1991 Skylight Volleyball team that advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in school history and was selected to the six-member National All-Tournament team. She was selected as a second team All-American volleyball player. Franklin-Norby was also named Frontier Conference MVP, District 12 MVP, and Northwest Region All-Region team and was selected to several all-tournament teams throughout the season. Her athletic abilities played a significant part in both of the MSU-Northern women's volleyball and basketball teams appearances in the NAIA National Tournaments. She was named Frontier Conference Academic All-Conference in both 1990 and 1991. A transfer from Western Montana College, she was a dual sport star, playing on the Skylight's basketball team that won two Frontier Conference Championships, two District 12 Championships, and made two NAIA National Tournament appearances. Set in only two seasons at Northern, she holds the school records for most kills in a single season with 623 set in 1991; most kills in a single five game match at 35 set in 1990; most kills in a single three game match at 25 set in 1991; highest kill efficiency at .320 set in 1991; career aces at 96; and second in career kills at 918. Franklin-Norby was awarded the Little Sullivan Award in recognition of her achievements.

Ceremonies were held during half-time of the men's game with Montana Tech on February 16, 2002. In honor of the awardees, a reception following the games was hosted by the Northern Alumni Association in Donaldson Commons on the MSU-Northern campus in Havre, Montana.
 
  

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