Since first awarded in 1994, the Northern Alumni Association All-Sports Hall of Fame has inducted 53 individuals who have contributed to the tradition of excellence both in the classroom and on the playing field at Montana State University Northern; a tradition that goes back to the very beginning of the school and has continued throughout its 78 year history. MSU-Northern and the Northern Alumni Association recognized four outstanding individuals during the Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame inductions Homecoming Week October 5 6, 2007. Dan DeKaye of Argyle, Texas, Al Faechner of Great Falls, Montana, Jodi Kruta of Douglasville, Georgia, and Anthony L. Taylor of Laurel, Maryland were presented commemorative awards in ceremonies on the Northern campus Friday, October 5th during the Homecoming Alumni Games.

Jodi Kruta was recruited from Thief River Falls, Minnesota and played for the MSU-Northern Skylights basketball team from 1992 1996. A three year starter, she played a key role in the four Frontier Conference Championships, four National Tournament appearances, and the 1993 District 12 Tournament and the 1993 National Championship for the Skylights. This is still the only National Championship to date of any Frontier Conference Women's Basketball team. During this time, the teams won 100 games with only 18 losses. Kruta is the Skylights second all time leading scorer with 1562 points and is one of only 9 Skylights to be an NAIA All American. Her senior year she was an All American Honorable Mention, First Team All Conference, and First Team Pacific Northwest Region and was named the Conference Player of the Week four times during her career. Kruta graduated in 1997 with a degree in Health and Physical Education. She went to Norway to play team handball and became a member of the 1999 USA Team Handball National Team, participating in the 1999 Pan American Games placing 4th in an attempt to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games. She is currently teaching 6th 8th grade Physical Education and Health in Lovingood Middle School in Georgia.

Anthony L. Taylor wrestled in high school in Ohio and attended Lassen Community College in California in 1990. He received a medical hardship for an injury his first year in which he had amassed a 16 2 record. In 1992, he claimed the California Junior College State Championship with a record of 30 3 and transferred to Northern in 1993 where he placed second in the NAIA National Tournament as a sophomore and as a junior, losing first place by only one point. In 1994, his senior year, he received a season ending knee injury and was ranked #1 in the NAIA National Ratings at the time. He was a two time All American and a National runner up at 158 pounds. His record at Northern was 60 wins and 9 losses and his over all collegiate career record was 106 14. Taylor was instrumental in the 1992 National Team Championship and the 1993 National Team Runner up on teams that won two NAIA District 12 and Frontier Conference Championships along the way. Anthony Taylor was also a NWCA Academic All American. He was an assistant coach at Northern for three seasons; during the remainder of his senior year and for the following two years, 1995 and 1996, while working on his Masters degree. Taylor is now working in Washington D.C. as a Federal Probation/Parole Officer with new responsibilities for training his colleagues.
 

Dan DeKaye, a Cut Bank, Montana native, competed from 1992 1996, wrestling at the 177 pound weight class for Northern. He competed on the varsity team, placing 5th or higher three times at the NAIA National Tournament and was ranked second nationally in 1995, holding the #1 ranking for ten weeks in 1996 and finishing 2nd at the national tournament. A 3 time Northern Regional Champion, he was the team captain his junior and senior year. His over all college record was 97 wins and 23 losses. DeKaye graduated in 1996 with a degree in civil engineering technology with an associate's degree in drafting. He is currently employed with Kiewit Corporation in management in their Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas branch.

Receiving the Veteran Award this year is Al Faechner, of Great Falls, Montana. He attended MSU-Northern (then Northern Montana College) on a basketball scholarship for two years from 1951 53 graduating in the PreBusiness program. During his freshman year, Faechner scored 350 points in 24 games, was second highest scorer that year and led the team in scoring his second year. He set a record at the Junior College Regional Tournament at Dixie Junior College in Provo, Utah netting 37 points and a spot on the All Tournament team in 1952. At that time, there were no 3 point shots and the quarters were only 8 minutes long. NMC was also the only junior college in the league, so they competed against more seasoned juniors and seniors. Faechner also played baseball both years for Northern. He is a veteran of the Korean War and returned home to marry his college fiancee, Joyce Ferrin. He worked in banking in Glasgow, Montana and, as President of the Glasgow Sports Club, was instrumental in arranging a football game between Minot State and the NMC Lights in Glasgow which drew over 2,000 fans in 1969. Faechner was President of Multisports which built the softball complex in Great Falls, in 1965.

The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes players, managers, and coaches for achievement of athletic honors in their sport and to individuals for their outstanding and meritorious service to Northern Athletics. Complete criteria can be obtained from the Northern Alumni Office in Donaldson Hall or the Athletic Office on campus.