For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 6, 2019
NSIC Media Relations
PDF Release
BURNSVILLE, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) announced its 2019 Hall of Fame Inductees. The induction ceremony was held Tuesday, July 9 at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Lakeville, Minnesota at the NSIC’s 20th annual Summer Kickoff event.
The class of 2019 includes:
Erika Hohenstein, Minnesota State University Moorhead;
Jason Jacobs, Southwest Minnesota State University;
Dustin Jones, Wayne State College; and
Deidra (Faber) Schumacher, Winona State University.
Founded in 1986, the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC - the former men’s conference) Hall of Fame was established to recognize and honor those who made significant contributions to the conference, to create favorable publicity and public relations for the league and to help preserve the history of the NIC, its member institutions, student-athletes, and other significant individuals affiliated with the league. For the first two inductions (1986 and 1990) each selection hailed from the NIC. In 1992, the Northern Sun Conference (NSC - the former women’s conference) and the NIC merged, creating the current Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). After annual inductions since 2000, the NSIC Hall of Fame now boasts 204 members and one team.
The 23-member Class of 2000 was the first to include standout female student-athletes from the former NSC. The 2000 inductees entered the Hall at the inaugural NSIC Summer Kickoff Event in Becker, Minnesota. The distinguished class of 2001 was enshrined in Willmar, Minnesota, as the conference moved the annual Summer Kickoff Event. This year’s NSIC Hall of Fame includes four prominent inductees that are being recognized at the 20th annual NSIC Summer Kickoff Event, at its new home in Lakeville, Minnesota.
Each NSIC school (who has been a league member for at least ten years) is asked to submit one candidate per institution for induction into the Hall. Each of the candidates are derived from individuals who have been affiliated with the NSIC, NIC, NSC and their member institutions.
In order to be eligible for the NSIC Hall of Fame, candidates must have made their contributions in one of the following areas: 1) former student-athletes, 2) administrator/coach, 3) official/supervisor/coordinator, 4) contributor/supporter, or 5) team. The conference provides two plaques; one of which will go to the inductee and one to the institution represented. A history of each inductee will be kept in the league office and each institution will prominently display the plaques of their respective NSIC Hall of Fame inductees.
2019 NSIC Hall of Fame Inductees
Erika Hohenstein – Minnesota State University Moorhead (1982-1986)
Erika Hohenstein reached new heights for the Moorhead State University Dragons from 1982 to 1986. Hohenstein’s career was highlighted by a school record, a national runner up performance, and winning the 1986 Indoor National Championship in the high jump.
Hohenstein was national runner up at the 1986 Outdoor National Championship in the high jump. She set the MSUM record in the high jump as she cleared 5-10 during that season. The three-time All-American also placed fourth at the 1983 indoor championship. She was named the Dragon’s Most Valuable Athlete in 1986.
The New Rockford, North Dakota native, won the 1985 NSC Indoor high jump with a leap of 5-5. She was a three-time NSIC outdoor high jump champion as she won the event in 1983, 1985 and 1986. Her 1986 jump of 5-8 set a new NSC record at the time, three inches above her mark from the previous season. The Dragons won three outdoor championships during Hohenstein’s reign.
Hohenstein was inducted into the Minnesota State University Hall of Fame in 2012.
Hohenstein graduated in 1986 with a degree in computer information systems and is now a senior principal software engineer at General Dynamics Mission Systems in Bloomington, Minnesota. Hohenstein and her significant other, Steve Mackey, reside in Minnetonka, Minnesota and enjoy travelling the U.S. and internationally whenever possible.
Jason Jacobs – Southwest Minnesota State University (1996-1999)
Jason Jacobs was a four-year letterwinner for the Southwest State University football program from 1996 to 1999. The defensive lineman concluded his career as one of the most decorated players in program history.
Jacobs, a native of Bird Island, Minnesota, played in 42 career games and was a two-time first team All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference honoree (1998-99), including being named the 1998 NSIC Defensive Player of the Year.
Jacobs was named first team Daktronics All-Region in 1999 and twice was named second team Daktronics All-Region (1997-98). The 1999 NSIC Glen Galligan Award winner as the conference’s top football senior student-athlete, he was a named second team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 1999 and twice was named first team CoSIDA Academic All-District (1998-99). He was also a two-time Football Gazette second team All-American (1998-99).
Jacobs closed his career holding the school record for tackles for loss with 58, while ranking second with 28 quarterback sacks and fifth in total tackles with 286. He also holds the school single-season record with 19 tackles for loss in 1999 and helped lead his team to a winning record in 1999, which was just the seventh in program history. He was inducted into the SMSU Hall of Honor in 2013.
Jason currently works for Entrust Datacard Corporation as a Director of Financial Reporting and Accounting Operations. He and his wife, Molly, have two children and live in Victoria, Minnesota.
Dustin Jones, Wayne State College (2004-07)
Dustin Jones was a standout center fielder for Wayne State College from 2004-07. He helped WSC win four NSIC regular season titles, three NSIC Tournament titles and played in the NCAA Tournament all four years, including a regional championship game appearance in 2004.
Jones was a First Team All-NSIC selection as a junior and senior and honorable mention as a freshman and sophomore. He was named to the NSIC All-Tournament Team three times and was MVP of the 2005 tournament as a sophomore. Jones was Second Team All-Region as a junior and was named All-American by Rawlings/ABCA and Daktronics during his senior season.
Jones also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-American First Team honors as a senior and Third Team as a junior. Jones was the WSC Male Athlete of the Year as a junior and senior and was the Male Scholar Athlete of the Year as a senior.
Jones ended his career the all-time leader at Wayne State in hits (276), runs scored (236) and triples (16) while ranking second in career at bats (741) and third in stolen bases (79-96). His record as a player was 163-63-1.
Following his days at Wayne State, Jones played five seasons with the Sioux City Explorers in the American Association. In 2008, he was third in the league in stolen bases, fourth in on-base percentage and fifth in walks. Jones was inducted into the WSC Athletic Hall of Fame on October 8, 2016 and just completed his first year serving on the WSC Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.
Dustin and his wife Emily (Schroeder), a 2014 WSC and 2018 NSIC Hall of Fame volleyball player, reside in Elkhorn, Nebraska with their two children, Allie and Mara. Jones works in sales with Thrasher Basement Systems.
Deidra (Faber) Schumacher – Winona State University (2002-2006)
Deidra (Faber) Schumacher epitomized the NCAA Division II student-athlete as she was a standout in the classroom and on the track from 2002 to 2006 at Winona State University.
Schumacher, a management information systems (MIS) major, was named the 2006 WSU Outstanding Student in MIS, graduating with the highest GPA in her major. She was also WSU’s first-ever Division II female track and field All-American, taking fourth at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 400-meter hurdles.
Schumacher earned numerous other awards during her career, including All-Academic Track and Field in 2005 and 2006. She was a 17-time NSIC Champion in 13 different events during 2005 and 2006, including winning six events during the 2005 indoor championships. She was an ESPN Second Team All-Academic member in 2005 and 2006 and NSIC Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2005 and Outdoor Athlete of the Year in 2006 as she helped lead the Warriors to the NSIC Indoor Championship in 2005 and 2006.
Schumacher was the NSIC Championship Indoor High Point Performer in 2005 and 2006 and outdoor in 2006. She set school records in the indoor 300m, 400m, 800m, pentathlon and relays, and outdoor records in the 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, heptathlon, and relays. At the time, she set the NSIC record in the pentathlon and heptathlon.
Schumacher and her husband Nick live in Colfax, Wisconsin with their children Draya, Elly and Trajon. Schumacher works for IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. as a Project Manager and Software Education Consultant.
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