September 29, 2026
MADISON, S.D. — Dakota State University Athletics is proud to introduce its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class, recognizing a distinguished group of former Trojan student-athletes and one championship team whose accomplishments have made a lasting impact on Dakota State athletics.
The 2026 class features Rick Alfson, Pat (Wagner) Bruinsma, Earl DeBates, Rachelle (Lengkeek) DeBeer, Lynn Schuett, and the 1977 Dakota State College South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC) men's golf championship team.
The class represents several eras of Dakota State athletics and honors outstanding achievement in competition, leadership and contributions beyond their collegiate careers in coaching.
The Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the DSU Foundation & Alumni Center building on 1400 N. Washington Ave. The induction ceremony starts at 7 p.m., with the social starting at 6 p.m.
Rick Alfson '74 – Baseball
Alfson was one of Dakota State's leading baseball players during the early 1970s, earning All-South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference honors in three consecutive seasons from 1972-74.
In 1972, Alfson was selected to the All-SDIC team as an outfielder. The conference's official release identified Alfson as one of the league's leading selections and noted that he ranked No. 1 nationally in NAIA statistics in home run frequency.
Alfson repeated as an All-Conference selection in 1973, when he was one of five Dakota State players named to the 17-member All-SDIC baseball team.
He earned conference recognition for the third straight season in 1974. After Dakota State overcame a difficult start to win seven of its final 11 regular-season games, Alfson was again selected to the SDIC All-Conference Baseball Team.
Alfson's three consecutive All-Conference selections and his standing among the NAIA's top power hitters highlight a distinguished career in Dakota State baseball history.
Pat (Wagner) Bruinsma '86 – Women's Track & Field
Bruinsma developed into one of Dakota State's standout women's track and field athletes from 1984-86 after walking on to the indoor track and field program following knee surgery.
Competing in the sprints and relays, Bruinsma became especially accomplished in the 400 meters. She captured three consecutive SDIC 400-meter championships from 1984 through 1986. She also scored in eight events at the 1984 SDIC meet, helping Dakota State capture the women's conference team championship.
Her final collegiate season featured another memorable conference performance. Bruinsma won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter titles at the 1986 SDIC meet and was named the meet's Most Valuable Women's Track Athlete. She also was Dakota State's Most Valuable Runner in 1985 and established a school record of 1 minute in the 400 meters, a mark that remained among DSU's all-time top 10 until 2023.
Bruinsma was also a member of the cheerleading team at Dakota State.
Bruinsma's connection to the sport continued after her competitive career. She and her husband, Alan, coached track and field in Wessington Springs, S.D., for 10 years and helped introduce younger athletes to the sport through the Hershey Track and Field program.
Earl DeBates '65 – Coach
DeBates was a three-year starter at tight end and defensive end for Dakota State, then known as General Beadle State College, beginning in 1962. A native of Garretson, S.D., DeBates originally accepted a football scholarship to Kansas State before eventually making his way to Madison.
Following his collegiate playing career, DeBates built an extensive career in education and coaching. His football coaching stops included Egan, S.D.; Storden, Minn.; Meriden-Cleghorn, Iowa; O'Neill, Neb.; and Stewartville, Minn. He compiled 192 career football victories, including a 52-14 record at O'Neill and an 80-36 mark at Stewartville.
DeBates' coaching résumé also included state runner-up football finishes in Nebraska and Minnesota. His 1997 Stewartville boys' track and field team captured a Minnesota state championship, the school's first team state championship in any sport. He also guided Stewartville to 10 conference track and field championships and received Minnesota State Class A Track Coach of the Year honors in 1996.
Rachelle (Lengkeek) DeBeer '97 – Women's Track & Field; Coach
DeBeer was an accomplished multi-sport student-athlete for Dakota State, competing in volleyball, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field while distinguishing herself both athletically and academically.
She was named Dakota State's 1993 Volleyball Rookie of the Year and earned outdoor track All-Conference honors and Track MVP recognition in 1994. In 1995, DeBeer established a school record of 15.00 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and was named Dakota State's Female Athlete of the Year. She helped the Trojans capture three consecutive SDIC outdoor track and field team championships from 1995-97.
DeBeer qualified for the 1996 National Indoor Track Meet in the 55-meter hurdles and the National Outdoor Track Meet in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles. She also helped establish a Dakota State record in the 4x100-meter relay and earned 1996 SDIC All-Conference honors in volleyball.
Her senior season included another series of accomplishments. DeBeer helped Dakota State win the 1997 SDIC indoor team championship, earned Indoor All-Conference honors and qualified for the national indoor meet in the pentathlon and 55-meter hurdles and the national outdoor meet in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles. She also contributed to school records in the medley, 4x200 and 4x400 relays.
Her achievements extended to the classroom. DeBeer earned Academic All-American recognition in volleyball in 1995 and track and field in 1996 and 1997. She graduated summa cum laude with a 3.94 cumulative grade-point average.
DeBeer carried her passion for athletics into a lengthy career in education and coaching. She compiled a 496-395 career volleyball coaching record and took three teams to state tournaments. In track and field, she was named the South Dakota High School Coaches Association Girls Track Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2019, while her teams captured three consecutive Class B girls' state championships from 2017-19.
Lynn Schuett '78 – Football
A Willow Lake, S.D., native and 1978 Dakota State graduate, Schuett earned numerous honors during his Trojan career.
Schuett was a three-time South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference First Team selection from 1976-78. He also earned District 12 First Team recognition in both 1977 and 1978. His collegiate success followed an accomplished prep career that included first-team all-state honors and back-to-back South Dakota Class B shot put state championships in 1974 and 1975.
After Dakota State, Schuett spent 36 years working in higher education and public schools across South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Colorado. His career included 30 years coaching football at the college and high school levels. Schuett credited the friendships he developed both on and off the field among his favorite memories from his time at Dakota State.
1977 Dakota State College Men's Golf SDIC Championship Team
The 1977 Dakota State College men's golf team becomes the latest Trojan squad to earn induction into the Dakota State Athletics Hall of Fame.
The Trojans were described at the time as one of the better teams Dakota State golf has produced. The 1977 DSC men's golf team was the first team to win the SDIC Conference title, highlighted by their second day team score of 299 strokes which was believed to be the best team one-round total every played in the SDIC tournament at that time.
Members of the 1977 Dakota State College men's golf team included Tim Begeman, Mark Budahl, Jody Boline, Mike Meile, Doug Richards, Denny Rolfes, and Jim Wilson. Ed Harter was the head coach of the men's golf team.
