Bemidji State reveals 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame class

Drey Bradley was a four-year letter winner and served as team captain for the 1983-84 undefeated Division II national championship team. He was an integral leader throughout his career, amassing a collective 110-18-2 record while a member of the Beavers. His run included four NCHA conference championships, an NAIA third-place national finish (1981), two NAIA national runner-up finishes (1982 in NAIA and 1983 in Division II) and a Division II national title in his final season (1984).

Bradley co-captained the 1983-84 team that went 31-0-0, which stands as the most games won in a season, as well as the most home games won in a season by going 19-0-0. Bradley was a two-time All-American, a three-time NCHA All-Conference selection and was selected to the 1984 All-Tournament Team at the national championships. He was selected and participated in the American College Hockey Association All-Star Game after the 1984 national championship.

Bradley quarterbacked the 1983-84 team’s power play, which scored 77 goals. He collected 97 points in his 113 career games. The defenseman is the all-time individual season record holder for most points by a D-man with 52 and is tied for most assists with 40 in 31 games during the 1983-84 season. He currently ranks sixth in career points, sixth in career goals and seventh in career assists for defensemen all-time.

Bradley is a member of the BSU’s 50 Legends for 50 Years (reserved for the 50 best players in the first 50 years of Beavers men’s hockey). He twice attended the training camp of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.

Michele (Dinius) Kirby ranks in the top 10 of BSU volleyball career records in more statistical categories than any other player in BSU volleyball history (based on available records). Since finishing her career in 2000, she ranks second in all-time assists (4,126), fourth in all-time games played (453), fourth all-time in digs (1,383), fifth all-time in service aces (157), seventh all-time in block assists (251) and ninth all-time in total blocks (292).

For single season records, Kirby is the all-time leader for hitting percentage at .482 and third for assists at 1,286, both during the 1999 campaign. She was named First Team All-NSIC in every season of her four-year career and was a four-year starter.

Kirby added several additional accolades, including MVP of the 1999 Mesa State Coca-Cola Volleyball Classic Tournament, where the Beavers went a perfect 4-0; leading the country in hitting percentage in 1999; and standing as the only player in program history to ever be named AVCA National Player of the Week, which happened on Sept. 13, 1999.

Kirby helped guide BSU to winning seasons all four years. She played in 93 of 119 match wins during head coach Donna Palivec’s coaching career at BSU, which accounted for 78% of her total match wins as the second-winningest BSU volleyball coach. The team won at least 18 games over Kirby's four seasons, reaching a 21-12 season in 1997 and closing her career at 25-7. She was one of 50 BSU female student-athletes recognized as a member of the NCAA Era Team in 2019 as part of the BSU 50 Years of Women’s Athletics Celebration.

Tony Kukich was the one-meter diving national champion in 1983 and an American College Coaches Association and NAIA All-American to conclude the 1982 and 1983 seasons.

During his senior season, Kukich went undefeated in dual meets. He narrowly missed the national championships in 1982, posting runner-up finishes both in the one-meter and the three-meter boards. Kukich placed second in the three-meter board in 1983. His one-meter (302.7) and three-meter (319.6) scores still stand as the all-time program records at BSU.

Kukich was an all-conference performer all four seasons and was a member of the conference championships teams each year at BSU. He was also a member of the 1980 Beaver team that reached the NAIA national championships and placed fourth.

Mark Liska was one of the top goalies around and was a four-year letter winner and team captain of the 1984-85 team. He compiled an impressive 113-17-4 career record, which included a Division II national championship in 1984 and runner-up finishes in 1982 (NAIA), 1983 (Division II) and 1985 (Division II).

Liska was an integral member of the undefeated 1984 national championship team that went 31-0-0 and won the most home games with a 19-0-0 mark. Liska was also part of an impressive record for the most consecutive wins in program history of 42, which stretched from Nov. 8, 1983, to Dec. 13, 1984. He was a three-time First Team All-American and a three-time First Team NCHA All-Conference performer.

Liska ranks fifth all-time in victories for a goalie (61); 10th all-time in goals against average (2.76); 11th all-time in save percentage (.9027); 11th all-time in minutes played in goal and 12th all-time in shutouts.

Liska went on to play professionally for one season with the Carolina Thunderbirds of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League, where he helped lead the team to the league championship.

Kari Torgerson helped build the foundation of what is now one of the most dominant women’s soccer programs in the country.

Following a five-win season in 2003, Torgerson and the Beavers won 10 games during the 2004 season for the first time in program history. She continued her strong play by being named an All-American in 2005, which was the first such honor for a player in program history.

Torgerson finished her career as a four-time All-Conference performer, a three-time All-Region selection and earned the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year in 2005. Torgerson was one of the top goalies in the nation and is still among the leaders in program history in multiple categories.

Torgerson has her name all over the Beaver soccer program record book. She is the program leader in career saves (602), which ranks seventh in Division II. For single-season saves, she ranks second, tied for fourth and ninth in program history. Her goals against average of 1.38 is sixth all-time and she has the eighth-best single season GAA. Torgerson is fifth all-time in career save percentage (.854) and holds the top overall single-season save percentage (.909 in 2005). Her 6,710 career minutes played leads the program, and she played 78 career games in goal for another program record. She has the second-most wins in a career at 36 and is tied for third (twice) and eighth in single-season wins. Torgerson posted 19 shutouts to rank third in program history. She also has the sixth-longest single-season stretch without allowing a goal.

Bemidji State's 1985-86 men’s hockey team went 25-9-1 on its way to winning the Division III national championship. This followed the national runner-up season from the previous year. The Beavers hosted the national tournament that season in Bemidji, with nearly 15,000 fans witnessing the tournament.

During the magical run to the title, the Beavers faced Elmira in a three-game national quarterfinal series. After winning the first game by a score of 4-2, Elmira came back with a 5-3 win to force a decisive third game. BSU cruised to the 3-0 win in game three to advance.

Rochester Institute of Technology, the defending national champion, posed a challenge in the semifinals. The game went into overtime before the Beavers claimed the 4-3 win to advance to the national championship game.

In the title game against Plattsburgh State, the teams combined for 13 goals. BSU came out decisively, winning 8-5 to secure the D-III national title. Mike Alexander, Tim Lescarbeau and Jim Martin were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Alexander earning Most Outstanding Player honors.

View full 1985-86 schedule

Dr. Gary Erickson was instrumental in garnering community support for the Sanford Center in Bemidji. He went above and beyond to sell suites to community members and local businesses for its inaugural year in 2010-11.

He has been a loyal donor to many needs of BSU since 1983, with the priorities of his giving going toward Beaver Athletics and men’s hockey. Dr. Erickson attends many Beaver Athletic fundraisers throughout the year, including the Galen Nagle Memorial Golf Tournament, the Gordy Skaar Memorial Golf Tournament, the Howe-Welle Women's Athletics Golf Tournament, the Serratore Dinner and more.

Dr. Erickson is truly a champion for Beaver Athletics and is known for his love of BSU throughout the community.