UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State University Athletics is excited to announce the SVSU Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2020 with an induction ceremony set for Oct. 1, 2021.
Former student-athletes Matt LaFleur (Football), Bill O-Neill (Bowling), Ken Plude (Men's Track & Field), and Nicole Tomlinson (Women's Track & Field) will join in the student-athlete category. Former football head coach Jerry Kill will be inducted in the coaching sector, while the 1984-85 Men's Basketball will also be enshrined in this year's class under the team category. Lyle Davis will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 as a contributor to SVSU athletics.
"I want to extend my heartiest congratulations to the entire group of SVSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductees," SVSU Director of Athletics John Decker said. "Each and every one of the inductees is highly deserving of this honor. We are grateful that our University has been able to benefit from the singular contributions of such talented people and we welcome the opportunity to celebrate this special occasion with all of them."
The induction ceremony will take place at the 2021 Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, October 1, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. at the Curtiss Banquet Halls on the campus of SVSU.
The Class of 2020 will be honored at halftime of the SVSU football game against Grand Valley State University. The kickoff for the Cardinals and the Lakers is set for 2 pm on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at Wickes Stadium.
Registration for the Hall of Fame Banquet is now closed
The Class of 2020 will be the 11th inducted into the SVSU Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame. The selection of the Class of 2020 was made by the SVSU Athletics Hall of Fame Committee. The full criteria to be nominated for selection can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Class of 2020 Inductees:
Matt LaFleur - '02 - Football
Matt LaFleur was the starting quarterback for the Cardinal football team for three seasons from 2000-2002. He played in 34 games for SVSU, passing for 7,699 yards and throwing 67 touchdown passes. He completed his time with the Cardinals as the team's all-time leader in passing yards, completions, and passing touchdowns. LaFleur currently sits third among SVSU quarterbacks all-time in all three categories. During his three-year run as the Cardinal quarterback, SVSU compiled a record of 29-8 overall and qualified for the NCAA Division II Playoffs each year.
Following his time at SVSU, LaFleur has reached the highest of peaks in the football coaching world, as he was named the head coach of the NFL's Green Bay Packers in January 2019. In his two seasons with the Packers, LaFleur has guided the team to a pair of division titles and two appearances in the NFC Championship Game. Prior to his arrival in the NFL, LaFleur had college coaching stops at SVSU, Central Michigan, Northern Michigan, Ashland, and Notre Dame. He has held various assistant positions in the NFL with five different teams.
Bill O'Neill - '04 - Men's Bowling
Bill O'Neill is a highly decorated former student-athlete for the Cardinals, earning numerous national accolades from 2001-2004, including as a member of the 2004 USBC Collegiate National Runner-Up team. O'Neill was a four-time All-American and was named the National Bowling Collegiate Coaches Association Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. Following his time at SVSU, O'Neill joined the PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) in 2005 and was named the Rookie of the Year in 2006. He is a 13-time PBA Champion, winning two majors, the 2010 US Open and the 2020 Players Championship. O'Neill is a seven-time member of Team USA and has three World Championship Gold Medals.
Ken Plude - '85 - Men's Track and Field
Ken Plude was a member of the SVSU Men's Track & Field NAIA National Championship Teams in 1982 and 1983. He was a six-time All-American, including a national championship in the 1984 indoor two-mile relay. To this day, Plude remains the SVSU record holder in three events.
All-American Honors:
- 1981 Indoor: Two-Mile Relay
- 1982 Indoor: 880-Yard Run
- 1983 Indoor: 880-Yard Run, Two-Mile Relay
- 1984 Indoor: Two-Mile Relay (NC)
- 1984 Outdoor: 800-Meter Run
Current SVSU School Records held by Plude:
- Indoor: Sprint Medley (1983), 3:27.96
- Indoor: Two-Mile Relay (1982), 7:29.80
- Outdoor: Two-Mile Relay (1984), 7:36.05
Nicole (Sullivan) Tomlinson - '04 - Women's Track & Field
Nicole (Sullivan) Tomlinson compiled an outstanding career for the SVSU women's track & field team from 1999-2003, setting team records and winning national honors along the way. Tomlinson was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American, including for the indoor triple jump in 2002 and the outdoor triple jump in 2003. At the close of her career, Tomlinson held the SVSU indoor records in the 200-meter dash, long jump, and triple jump. She also held a Cardinal record in the outdoor triple jump. Tomlinson was named the SVSU Female Ryder Athlete of the Year in 2001, 2002, and 2003. She remains the only Cardinal to earn the Ryder Athlete of the Year honor three times.
Jerry Kill - Head Football Coach - 1994-98
Jerry Kill guided the Saginaw Valley State University football team for five seasons from 1994-98, finishing with a winning record in each of those campaigns. Kill finished with a combined record of 38-14 overall, 36-14 in conference play, and 21-5 at home. He coached 17 all-conference athletes and two All-Americans while at SVSU. Kill left the program second on the SVSU all-time wins list. He currently serves as the special assistant to the head coach in charge of offense for Texas Christian University. Following several stops after his departure from SVSU, Kill took the head coaching job at the University of Minnesota, guiding the Golden Gophers from 2011-2015. He closed his time at Minnesota with a record of 29-29 and was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2014 after leading the team to its first New Year's Day bowl game since 1962.
Lyle Davis Jr. - Contributor
Lyle Davis Jr. has been a proud supporter and champion of Saginaw Valley State University Athletics for more than a decade. As the President and Owner of DML Management, Inc., he and SVSU Athletics cultivated a partnership to support degree completion scholarships for student-athletes. By providing resources and time serving on Athletic boards and committees, Lyle has impacted countless SVSU student-athletes, coaches, and programs over the years.
As the President and Owner of DML Management, Inc., Lyle directs all strategic planning and development of Davis-McNally Lodging and DML Management, Inc. He currently oversees all day-to-day operations of the company's hotel portfolio, which includes several Marriott hotel properties located throughout Michigan. Lyle has served his community of Frankenmuth and Saginaw County by serving on numerous Board of Directors. His current service is to The Covenant Healthcare Foundation, Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Company, Kochville Township DDA, and the Bluewater Convention & Visitors Bureau.
1984-85 Men's Basketball Team
The 1984-85 SVSU (SVSC) men's basketball team stands out as one of the greatest Cardinal teams in program history. The program compiled a record of 25-4 overall and 15-1 GLIAC, while earning a berth in the NAIA District 23 Playoffs. Three Cardinals averaged more than 15 points per game, led by James Preston with averaging 16.3 points to go along with a team-high 153 assists. Mark Oates added 16.1 points per game, while Dan Farley recorded 15.5 points and a team-high 9.7 rebounds.
SVSU 1984-84 Men's Basketball Roster: (Numerical Order) Kirk Croxton, James Preston, Devaroe Bridges, Phillip Miller, Steve Coleman, Larry King, Mike Weber, Mark Oates, Robert Goggins, Dan Farley, Steve Schmok, Kurt David, Paul Bargardi.
Head Coach: Robert Pratt
Assistant Coaches: Mark Simons, Bob Wenson