Rochester, MN –
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) announced its newest class of Hall of Fame inductees. Twelve MCAC alumni join the MCAC Hall of Fame as the class of 2026. These former student-athletes made significant contributions and experienced outstanding success at Minnesota North College - Rainy River and Minnesota West Community and Technical College.
The MCAC has a proud and time-honored history, dating back to the first season in 1966. Throughout this time, the MCAC Hall of Fame, along with the conference membership, has recognized and highlighted student-athletes, coaches, administrators, media members, and those individuals in the community who have contributed to the organization's success.
MCAC Hall of Fame inductees are nominated by member college athletic or student service administrators and approved by the MCAC General Assembly at the spring MCAC meeting. Student-athletes become eligible for nomination five years after the conclusion of their participation at a Minnesota College Athletic Conference member college.
Read on for more information about each inductee to the 2026 Hall of Fame class. The complete MCAC Hall of Fame list is available at: https://mcac.prestosports.com/information/MCAC_Hall_of_Fame
The 2026 MCAC Hall of Fame Inductees
Michelle (Cheney) Swedziak, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: Michelle Swedziak played women's basketball for Minnesota North College - Rainy River during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons. She earned NJCAA first team All-American honors following the 2006-2007 season and was named to the NJCAA Region 13 All-Region Team in 2006 and 2007. Swedziak also earned MCAC All-North Division honors in 2006 and 2007 and MCAC All-Conference honors following the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons. She was named the Rainy River Community College Team MVP both of her years as a Voyageur. At Rainy River, Swedziak ranks first in blocks in a career, second in rebounds in a game, third in rebounds in a career, fourth in rebounds in a season, and seventh in points in a career. Following her career at MNC-Rainy River, Swedziak joined the military and currently serves as a Logistics Officer at Camp Ripley (MN).
Nadine (Raeker) Meyer, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: Nadine Meyer competed for the Minnesota North College - Rainy River women's basketball during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons, and she earned NJCAA All-Region 13 honors in her first year of competition. Meyer also was named to the MCAC North All-Division Team in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001, and earned All-MCAC honors in those two years as well. She was also named to the MCAC All-Academic Team in 2000 and 2001. Meyer ranks fifth all-time in free throws made in a career at Rainy River, and she ranks seventh in free throws made during a season. She also ranks eighth in points scored in a career, ninth in career steals, and tenth in rebounds in a career. After her career at MNC-Rainy River, Meyer earned degrees in nursing and organizational management, and she serves as a licensed school nurse now.
Daeja Monroe, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: Daeja Monroe played women's basketball for Minnesota North College - Rainy River for two seasons, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. During her time as a student-athlete for the Voyageurs, Monroe was twice named to the NJCAA All-American Team in women's basketball. She earned NJCAA All-Region 13 Team and All-MCAC Team honors following the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons. Monroe was a two-time MCAC North All-Division player and was named the MNC-Rainy River team MVP for two years. She ranks in the top five of the NJCAA Division III record book for points per game average, and is first at MNC-Rainy River in career points, three-point field goals scored in a career, and points scored in a game. Monroe is ranked second in field goals scored in a career and points scored in a season. She also helped the Voyageurs win the MCAC North Division Championship in 2018. Following her career at MNC-Rainy River, Monroe attended Jarvis Christian University, majoring in education, and is currently employed as an educator in the Houston, Texas school system.
Char (Schelonka) Johnson, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: Char Johnson competed in women's basketball for Minnesota North College - Rainy River during the 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 seasons. She was named to the NJCAA Division III National Championship All-Tournament Team following the 1995 season, and she earned All-Region 13 Team honors during that season as well. Johnson was named to the MCAC North All-Division Team and the All-MCAC Team in 1995, and she earned the MNC-Rainy River Team MVP award following the 1995-1996 season. Johnson ranks seventh at Rainy River in career rebounds, eighth is blocked shots in a career, and tenth in rebounds in a season. She helped the Voyageurs win the MCAC North Division title in 1995, followed by the MCAC and Region 13 championships as well. In 1995, Johnson helped the Voyageurs earn a spot in the 1994-1995 NJCAA DIII National Championship Tournament. After completing her nursing degree at Rainy River, Johnson had outstanding success playing basketball at St. Scholastica, where she earned her B.S. degree in nursing.
Shania Thompson, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: Shania Thompson was a women's basketball student-athlete for Minnesota North College - Rainy River in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons, and she was named to the NJCAA Division III All-American First Team following the 2015-2016 season. She earned All-Region 13 and All-MCAC Team honors during the 2015-2016 season, and was named to the MCAC North All-Division Team following the 2015-2016 season. Thompson was also named the MNC-Rainy River women's basketball team MVP after the 2015-2016 season. Thompson is ranked fifth at Rainy River in free throws made in a season, sixth in points scored in a career and points scored in a season, eighth in free throws scored in a game, and tenth in points per game average in a season. Thompson is currently working in management with the Walmart Corporation and serves as an AAU Basketball coach as well.
Daphne Walker, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: As a women's basketball student-athlete at Minnesota North College - Rainy River during the 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 seasons, Daphne Walker helped lead her team to an MCAC North Division title and to the MCAC State Championship Game in 1993, where her team earned a runner-up finish. She was a two-time NJCAA All-Region 13 Team award recipient and was also named to the All-MCAC Team in 1992 and 1993. Walker earned spots on the MCAC All-North Division Teams in 1992 and 1993 and was named to the MCAC All-State Tournament Team in 1993. She was also named Rainy River's team MVP following the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Walker is ranked first in steals at Rainy River, fourth in field goal percentage, fifth in rebounds and blocked shots, and 13th in scoring. She currently works as a manager at Target Corporation.
Mandy Fladmark, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: Women's Basketball and Softball alumnus Mandy Fladmark competed at Minnesota North College - Rainy River during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons. She earned MCAC All-North Division honors in both women's basketball and softball and was named to the All-MCAC Team in both sports as well. Fladmark was also named to the Region 13 All-Tournament Teams in women's basketball and softball during the 2003-2004 seasons. In an extremely rare honor, Fladmark was named to the NJCAA DIII Women's Basketball National Championship All-Tournament Team following the 2003-2004 season and followed that up by being named to the NJCAA DIII Softball National Championship All-Tournament Team after the 2004 season. She ranks fifth in assists in a season and in a career for Rainy River Women's Basketball, and she set the record for most 3-point field goals made (15) at an NJCAA Women's Basketball National Tournament in 2004. Fladmark is an entrepreneur at Shady's Long Shots and CS Tile in Cold Spring, MN.
Kim (Rieu) Zurfluh, Minnesota North College - Rainy River, Athlete: Kim Zurfluh competed for Minnesota North College - Rainy River in softball during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. She was a two-time MCAC All-North Division selection and was named to the All-MCAC Team in 2006 and 2007. Zurfluh also earned All-Region 13 honors in 2007 and was selected to the Region 13B All-Tournament Team in 2006 and 2007. She was named Rainy River's team MVP in 2006 and 2007 and holds the Rainy River records for most wins in a career and in a season. She also has the best fielding percentage record and ranks second in career ERA, strikeouts in a career, and strikeouts in a season. Zurfluh led the Voyageurs to the Region 13 and MCAC Softball Tournaments in 2006 and 2007, where they earned the runner-up and championship title respectively. She earned an associates degree from Rainy River and a bachelor's degree from Minnesota State University - Moorhead in speech pathology.
Katherin Ihnen, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Athlete: Katherin Ihnen competed for Minnesota West Community and Technical College's Women's Basketball program during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons. She was named to the NJCAA Women's Basketball All-American First Team in 2018 and earned All-Region 13 Team honors in 2017 and 2018. Ihnen was also selected as an All-MCAC athlete and to the MCAC South Division First Team following the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons. She holds the Lady Jays' single game record for points with 48. Ihnen ranks second at Minnesota West in career rebounds and fifth in career scoring. She was also named to the MCAC All-Academic Team in 2017 and 2018. Ihnen also played softball at Minnesota West and currently owns her own business.
Ashley DeBates, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Athlete: Ashley DeBates was a softball student-athlete for Minnesota West Community and Technical College during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. She earned second team NJCAA Softball All-American honors in 2008 and was a two-time All-Region 13 Team selection. DeBates also earned All-MCAC honors in 2007 and 2008. She was named to the MCAC All-South Division Team following both seasons of competition and was selected as the Lady Jays team MVP. DeBates holds the Minnesota West softball records for batting average, triples, and home runs in a career. She also played women's basketball for the Lady Jays.
Rachel Pavelko, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Athlete: As a softball student-athlete at Minnesota West Community and Technical College during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, Rachel Pavelko earned MCAC South Division First Team honors and was named to the All-MCAC Team in both years of competition. Through her outstanding 2009 season, she was named to the NJCAA Softball All-American Second Team and the All-Region 13 Team. Pavelko led the nation in stolen bases during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, and she holds the Minnesota West record for stolen bases in a season and in a career. She is ranked second in runs scored in a career and third in career assists and hits. Pavelko was a two-time MCAC All-Academic Team selection, and she also played basketball for the Lady Jays, earning MCAC All-South Division honors and ranking ninth in career steals and 15th in assists. After completing her playing career, Pavelko went on to become a pharmacist.
Andrea Hinkeldey, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Athlete: Andrea Hinkeldey competed in volleyball for Minnesota West Community and Technical College during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. She was named to the NJCAA Volleyball All-American Honorable Mention Team in 2018. Hinkeldey was a two-time All-Region 13 Team and All-MCAC Team selection, and in 2017 and 2018, she was named to the MCAC All-South Division Team. Hinkeldey was ranked fourth in the nation in kills, and at Minnesota West, she ranks third in kills in her career and sixth in career blocks. Hinkeldey also played women's basketball at Minnesota West, where she earned All-MCAC and MCAC All-South Division honors. Hinkeldey currently works as a radiology technician.
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the organizational body for NJCAA-affiliated two-year technical and community college athletic programs in the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system, as well as select member colleges in North Dakota and Wisconsin. The mission of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is to advance intercollegiate athletics by providing an engaging and supportive environment for the success of our student-athletes and competition among member institutions. The MCAC is committed to the guiding principles of encouraging the development and success of student-athletes, promoting the integrity, honesty, and loyalty to member schools as well as upholding the sustainability of conference athletic programs.