Michigan State Announces 2016 Hall of Fame Class
8/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | General
EAST LANSING -- Michigan State will induct eight former student-athletes into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday, Sept. 22 as part of its annual "Celebrate" weekend, it was announced on Aug. 2. The 2016 Hall of Fame class includes: Eric Allen (football/track & field), Don Behm (wrestling), Trevor Harris (soccer), Steve Juday (football/baseball), Anne Pewe Khademian (cross country/track & field), Ken Popejoy (cross country/track & field), Patti Raduenz (softball) and Mike Sadler (football).
The "Celebrate 2016" weekend includes the seventh-annual Varsity Letter Jacket Presentation and Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 22 and then a special recognition of the Hall of Famers during the Michigan State-Wisconsin football game at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24.
The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, opened on Oct. 1, 1999, and displays key moments in Spartan Athletics history as well as plaques of the 131 previous inductees. The charter class of 30 former Spartan student-athletes, coaches and administrators was inducted in 1992.
"We are excited to announce another outstanding Hall of Fame class," Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. "It's a larger class with eight inductees, and eight unique stories. And yet they all share a love for MSU and a desire to be great that creates a lasting bond. Hall of Fame Weekend is one of my favorite events as Athletics Director. Not only do we celebrate the greatness of past Spartans, we do so in conjunction with the varsity letter jacket presentation as first time letterwinners celebrate the start of their journey towards equally lofty goals.
"Eric Allen is among the most electrifying athletes to ever play football at Michigan State. Despite his small stature, he compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, shattering MSU, Big Ten and NCAA record books in the process.
"Don Behm was a two-time All-American, a two-time Big Ten Champion and an Olympic Silver Medalist as an individual. Focusing on things larger than himself, he helped the Spartans to the team title at the 1967 NCAA Championships, just three seasons after finishing last at the Big Ten Championships.
"Trevor Harris is the first member of the Spartan soccer program to enter the Hall of Fame. One of the leading scorers in school history, the two-time All-American led the Spartans to a pair of NCAA co-Championships.
"Steve Juday was an All-American quarterback and co-captain for MSU's 1965 NCAA Championship team. He was equally impressive in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Medal of Honor accolades.
"Anne Pewe Khademian was one of the pioneers in what has become a powerhouse Spartan cross country program, culminating with an NCAA Cross Country Championship in 2014. She helped the Spartans capture the first-ever Big Ten Cross Country Championship in 1981 and earned All-America honors in both cross country and track, setting the table for elite success decades later.
"Ken Popejoy is a four-time All-American with a national championship in the mile and multiple individual Big Ten titles. But with great humility, he considers his career highlight being a part of the 1971-72 Triple Crown team at MSU that captured the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track Big Ten Championships.
"Patti Raduenz was an All-American on the softball field and in the classroom, while capturing the Big Ten Medal of Honor. MSU's career batting leader, her name is found throughout the program's record books.
"Mike Sadler embodied everything great about being a Spartan. His excellence on the football field and in the classroom was surpassed only by the first-class manner in which he represented not only Spartan football, but Michigan State University. After careful consideration and a thorough examination of his credentials, we decided to waive the waiting period and induct him immediately."
Eric Allen
Football/Track & Field (1969-71)
Georgetown, South Carolina
He was small in stature, but his impact on Spartan football lore was great. Standing just 5-foot-9, 161 pounds, Eric Allen earned the nickname "The Flea" during a career that saw him establish two NCAA records, four Big Ten records and nine MSU records, while earning All-America and Big Ten MVP honors.
A three-year letterman (1969-71) and two-time team MVP (1970-71) for legendary head coach Duffy Daugherty, Allen accounted for 4,446 career all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns. He led the Spartans in rushing and all-purpose yards as both a junior and senior.
"I think I learned my running style playing touch football on sandlots back home," Allen told the Lansing State Journal shortly after the close of his career. "All you had to do to be tackled is be touched by one hand, and you got pretty cute avoiding that touch."
"In all respects, MSU did him a great honor in recruiting and educating him; he became a star," said Nathaniel Allen, Eric's brother and former Minnesota Viking. "MSU really enhanced him as a person and I feel really good about this honor. In terms of his legacy, it's a great honor from a great university."
Allen made significant contributions as a sophomore in 1969, finishing second on the team in rushing with 349 yards (76 attempts) and two touchdowns. He recorded his first-career 100-yard rushing game in the season opener against Washington. Allen also returned 29 kickoffs for 598 yards (20.6 avg.).
As a junior in 1970, Allen earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the league's head coaches after leading the team in scoring (10 TDs/60 points) and all-purpose yards (1,511). He rushed 186 times for 811 yards (4.3 avg.) and eight TDs. Allen produced five 100-yard rushing games, including a season-high 156 yards (23 carries) at Michigan. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark in each of the last four games: vs. Indiana (24-102), Purdue (28-121), Minnesota (31-142) and Northwestern (32-108). Allen also caught 10 passes for 125 yards (12.5 avg.) and two scores and returned 24 kickoffs for 549 yards (22.9 avg.).
As a senior co-captain in 1971, Allen broke two NCAA, four conference and nine school records en route to being presented the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award as the Big Ten's most valuable player and selected a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He finished 10th in balloting for the Heisman Trophy. Overall, he led the Big Ten in rushing (1,494 yards), rushing TDs (18) and scoring (110 points), becoming the first player in league history to crack the 100-point milestone. His 1,283 rushing yards against Big Ten opponents also set a league single-season record. Allen ranked among the NCAA Top 10 in rushing TDs (tied for fifth with 18), yards from scrimmage (fifth with 1,769) and rushing yards (sixth with 1,494). Allen accounted for a then-MSU record 1,962 all-purpose yards as a senior.
After Allen was named Big Ten MVP, Daugherty told reporters, "Eric is the finest running back I've ever seen and we've had some great ones. He's got the ability to make tacklers miss by the barest of margins. He seemingly runs into their arms and then gets away. He changes direction so fast. He's only a blur in the films."
The Georgetown, South Carolina, native recorded seven 100-yard rushing games in 1971, including a then-NCAA single-game record 350 yards on 29 carries at Purdue. Allen also set a then-NCAA record with 397 all-purpose yards. He scored on TD runs of 24, 59, 30 and 25 yards against the Boilermakers. In an interview with MSU Alumni Magazine shortly before graduation in 1972, Allen reflected on his Spartan career.
"If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it the same way," said Allen. "Michigan State means a lot to me. The people here gave me a chance to prove myself and I can't ever forget that.
"My only regret is that we, as a team, didn't play as well as we could have. This sticks out like a thorn in my side."
His other 100-yard rushing efforts came against: Illinois (37-104), Oregon State (21-119), Wisconsin (21-247), Iowa (19-177), Minnesota (34-188) and Northwestern (29-112).
Shortly after his final game, Allen recalled what made him initially pick MSU -- saying the people made all the difference, even if he was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the campus.
"I've never regretted my decision to attend MSU, although I was dumbfounded when I got here ... still can't find some of those darn buildings on campus.
"But here I am free to live my own life. Do what I want, when I want, with whom I want and where I want -- no friction."
He closed out his career as MSU's all-time leader in rushing attempts (521), rushing yards (2,654), rushing TDs (28) and all-purpose yards (4,446). Today, Allen still ranks among the school's all-time Top 20 in all-purpose yards (seventh), rushing TDs (tied for ninth), total TDs (tied for ninth with 30), rushing yards (11th), rushing attempts (12th) and scoring (tied for 18th with 182 points).
"The individual records are incidental," Allen told the State Journal. "We didn't have big winning teams in my MSU career, and I have to look back and say, `Is it my fault?' and when you're carrying the ball 37 times in a game and you don't win, well, maybe it was my fault."
Had his teammates heard him question his abilities, they would not have allowed it. Years later, MSU All-America offensive guard and teammate Joe DeLamielleure spoke highly of Allen's skills.
"Eric had a remarkable senior year and he performed on a national stage. He put on a show while setting the NCAA single-game rushing record at Purdue. I almost felt guilty because I literally had to hold my block for only a second and he was gone. It was like being asked to babysit when the kids were already asleep. He was so shifty, like a rubber-band man.
"Eric had a couple of nicknames, including `The Flea' and `Easy.' We called him `Easy' because of his running style. He was such a peanut, but he wouldn't back down from anyone. Eric almost had a split personality. He was so friendly off the field, but he was so little, yet so tough. Eric was a great team player; he was never concerned about individual honors."
A multi-sport athlete, Allen earned two letters in track and field and emerged as one of the Big Ten's top triple jumpers, posting a personal-best 50-5 1/4 at the 1971 outdoor championships.
He was selected as a wide receiver by the Baltimore Colts in the fourth round (No. 104 overall) of the 1972 National Football League Draft. Allen opted to play in the Canadian Football League and spent four years with the Toronto Argonauts (1972-75). He accounted for 4,270 career all-purpose yards, averaging 15.2 yards per touch (281 touches). Allen had 130 career receptions for 2,401 yards (18.5 avg.) and eight TDs.
Allen passed away on October 27, 2015, in his hometown of Georgetown, South Carolina, at the age of 66.
Don Behm
Wrestling (1965-67)
Winnetka, Illinois
Don Behm almost didn't come to Michigan State. But just over 50 years since he stepped foot on campus in East Lansing, Behm can't envision his life unfolding any other way.
"When Mark Hollis called to let me know I had been elected to the Hall of Fame, I just lost it," Behm said. "I live here in East Lansing; I've been a Spartan for 50 years. It was one of those emotional things that really hit me."
In a sport at Michigan State with a long list of individual honors and champions, Behm ranks among the best. He was a two-time All-American, first in 1965 as a sophomore and then two years later in '67 when he was the national runner-up at 130 pounds, helping the Spartans capture the NCAA Championship. Behm, who ranks seventh in MSU history in career winning percentage at .917 with a 66-6 record, also won a pair of Big Ten Championships in 1965 and '67. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004.
"I was originally going to go to Oklahoma State, but a month before I was supposed to go to school, I got a notice from the registrar at Oklahoma State saying I was denied," Behm explained. "My grades were adequate, so that wasn't the problem. I couldn't get ahold of the coach there, so I called Grady Peninger and he said he had a spot for me at MSU."
After officially becoming a Spartan and while back home in Winnetka, Illinois, for the weekend, Behm got a call saying there had been a mistake at Oklahoma State -- his application had landed in the wrong pile.
Too late, Behm was staying put.
"I felt comfortable at Michigan State and it certainly worked out," Behm said.
Prior to coming to Michigan State in 1963, Behm was selected to attend the United States Olympic Trials earlier that year. As one of the youngest wrestlers invited to the trials, Behm more than held his own at the event, foreshadowing the beginning of perhaps a then unsuspecting, but highly successful, international wrestling calling. Behm didn't lose a single match at the trials and wound up tying the eventual event champion that went on to represent the U.S. at the 1964 Olympic Games.
"I started to know I was on track at that point," Behm said.
Behm began to further develop at MSU, helping the program return to national prominence. A year after placing last at the 1964 Big Ten Championships, the Spartans took second in 1965 aided by Behm's first of two conference titles at 130 pounds. Behm was also named the Spartans' most outstanding wrestler that year.
The following year, 1966, Michigan State won the Big Ten title, beginning a string of seven consecutive conference crowns.
"All of my workout partners were All-Americans. We worked hard and everyone did what they had to do," said Behm.
After rolling to another conference title, the Spartans captured the National Championship during Behm's senior season in 1967. Behm recorded his highest individual finish as well, taking second in the nation at 130 pounds.
"Those were amazing times to be a Spartan," Behm said.
Coming off his best season and a team national championship, Behm then earned a spot to represent the United States in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.
"I was the youngest guy on the team at 23, most were 26, 27 or 28," Behm said. "The Russians kind of laughed at me because I had no cauliflower ears, so I couldn't be any good, right?"
Behm proved an intimidating presence didn't guarantee a place on the medal stand, or even success. He lost just once before taking on Russia's five-time world champion, Ali Aliyev, in a match that could earn Behm a medal.
"Looking across the mat at him, I'm thinking, `Jeez he's the best they've got,'" Behm recalled. "I remember looking around and seeing a small U.S. contingent, including my dad, and then I thought, `I'm the best we've got, let's go!'
"He shoved me as soon as the match started and I ended up off the mat, onto the floor," Behm said. "We got back on the mat, I pushed him as hard as I could and he didn't budge. We went back and forth for a bit, I pushed him later and he didn't push me back. That's when I knew I had him."
Behm had him, alright. He went on to defeat Aliyev, securing a Silver medal -- the highest medal ever won by a Spartan wrestler at the Olympic Games.
"The farther away from those experiences you get, the bigger to me they get," Behm said. "At the time, it was big, but not like it is now. It was my first Olympic experience, I had never been on any other world stage."
Having firmly established an international presence, Behm went on to win Gold at the 1971 Pan-American Games and was an alternate at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Behm, who retired as a longtime physical education teacher in the East Lansing school system in 2010, still lives in the area and continues to mentor young wrestlers.
"I'm a Spartan, Olympian and now I have the last chapter -- Hall of Famer," Behm said. "It has been a great journey. Life is great."
Trevor Harris
Soccer (1967-69)
Kingston, Jamaica
An international import from Kingston, Jamaica, Trevor Harris helped guide the Michigan State soccer team to back-to-back Co-National Championships during the 1967 and 1968 seasons. The Harris-led Spartans were prolific scorers, setting the school record with 77 goals during the 1968 season.
Harris was a true goal scorer who helped head coach Gene Kenney's powerhouse teams share national titles in 1967-68 with a combined record of 23-1-5. The two-time All-American finished his illustrious Spartan career with 48 goals, which still ranks third on MSU's all-time list. From 1967-69, Harris earned 116 points, which also still stands as third-most in Michigan State history.
"I am overwhelmed with excitement to be a member of the Michigan State University Athletics Hall of Fame," Harris said. "It's really exciting being recognized at such a prestigious university and I just feel very fortunate to be a part of that."
During the 1967 campaign, Harris scored 23 goals as a sophomore, which still ranks as the third-most goals in a single season in MSU history. The Spartans outscored their opponents, 73-11, and finished with a stellar record of 12-0-2. They settled a score with Long Island with a 4-0 win in an NCAA semifinal. Michigan State battled to a 0-0 tie against St. Louis to share the NCAA Championship.
In 1968, Harris scored 15 goals to go along with 14 assists as the Spartans battled to an 11-1-3 record. Harris suffered a severe ankle injury that sidelined him for the final three games of the season. In the national semifinal, Michigan State defeated Brown, 2-0, to advance to the title match. With a 2-2 draw against Maryland in the national title match, the Spartans were once again co-champions.
Bouncing back from the ankle injury that prematurely ended his 1968 season, Harris recovered nicely in 1969. In his first game back after the injury, Harris proved he was ready, scoring three goals in four minutes in a win over Kent State. He went on to score five goals in the win, just one shy of the school record.
The 1969 Spartans tied the school record by allowing only six goals all season. During his final season, Michigan State posted a 7-2-1 record, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Harris tied Ernie Tuchscherer for the team lead in goals scored with 10.
Harris was one of four players from Kingston, Jamaica, to play for Kenney and the Spartans in the late 1960s along with Tony Keyes, Frank Morant and Les Lucas. All four prepped at Kinston College together. "It was a real culture shock," Harris said with a laugh during a 2008 interview with MSUSpartans.com. "Remember, I came from warm weather and beautiful sunshine. You can imagine how it felt to see 26 inches of snow on the ground."
Having other Jamaican trailblazers in the MSU program was crucial for Harris. Payton Fuller was an All-American in 1964, while Keyes, the Spartans' season and career goals leader, earned the same honor in 1968.
"There was a whole line of greats before me," Harris said. "Payton and Tony scored a lot of goals. Tony was the main reason I came to Michigan State. He wanted me there. And I wanted to be there."
Harris also played with another Spartan legend Joe Baum who would go on to be the winningest coach in Michigan State soccer history. Harris and Baum helped create the tradition of winning at Michigan State.
Steve Juday
Football/Baseball (1963-66)
Northville, Michigan
Steve Juday still remembers his first touchdown. Fifty-three years after diving into the end zone against North Carolina, Juday recalls the play that set the tone for the rest of his time at Michigan State.
"Here it is my first game and we're down inside the 5-yard line and I called a quarterback sneak," said Juday. "It wasn't easy, but I got in and we were all happy. Getting across that goal line felt pretty good."
Two seasons after taking the reigns as the starting quarterback, Juday and the Spartans fought their way to the top of the college football mountain. After posting the school's first perfect Big Ten record, a regular-season finale win at Notre Dame secured an undefeated regular season and MSU's fifth National Championship since 1952.
Playing alongside some of the program's most decorated student-athletes, including College Football Hall of Famers in Clinton Jones, Gene Washington, George Webster and Bubba Smith, Juday was part of a hallowed era in the program's history.
"You have to look back from a distance, because when you're in the moment you don't realize the magnitude. You don't think winning a national championship is that special, because you're young and you think you'll do it again. And for those guys on the team in 1966, they did do it again," laughed Juday.
"I've lived all my life in Michigan and as time wore on and more and more people mentioned what a legacy was, it began to sink in, `Golly, I guess that was pretty special.'"
Juday's individual accolades mirrored that of the 1965 national championship team as the co-captain earned first-team All-America honors and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
"I played on a team and none of us could do what we did without the rest," said Juday. "I can't say it's bittersweet, but we certainly couldn't have done what we did without our teammates."
Juday came to Michigan State from nearby Northville where he excelled in football and baseball. His older brother, also a star athlete, earned a football scholarship at Vanderbilt. But when it came time for the younger Juday to make a decision as to where he was going to spend the next four years, it came down to two schools closer to home -- Michigan State and Michigan.
"Both schools would allow me to play football and baseball, but MSU was the best fit for me," said Juday. "I wanted to play with the very best and it was important for me to be close to home.
"I could not have made a better decision. After having 50 years to reflect, I was lucky and very fortunate."
Juday didn't wait long to get his opportunity. A few days prior to that first game of the 1963 season against North Carolina, head coach Duffy Daugherty brought Juday, then a sophomore, into his office, informing him that he would start.
"We had a good 1963 season," said Juday. "We went into the final game of the year against Illinois a half-game ahead of them in the standings with a chance to go to the Rose Bowl, but we got beat."
Juday appeared in seven games, recording five touchdowns and 509 yards passing during his first year at the helm of the offense.
"That first year, I complemented the rest of the team," said Juday. "Most were upperclassmen -- they really helped me a lot. They picked you up, if not a word, they looked you in the eye as to say, `Take charge, we're with you.'"
After a tough 1964 season that saw MSU go 4-5, the 1965 squad had tepid expectations from the college football world. But the confidence that began to build during the 1963 season, combined with a talent-rich roster set the Spartans up for success in 1965.
The Spartans rolled to an undefeated Big Ten record, compiling a 10-0 regular-season mark and being voted National Champions. But a 14-12 defeat in the Rose Bowl to UCLA spoiled the Spartans' bid for a perfect record.
"When we came back from fall ball practice before our first game, we kind of looked at each other like this is our time to take charge," said Juday. "After we won our second game of the year at Penn State, 23-0, we really started to believe.
"We pretty much called our own plays; guys would tell me their thoughts in the huddle. It was a real team effort. Play-by-play, step-by-step, game-by-game, we got more confidence."
Juday was brilliant during the '65 campaign, becoming the first Spartan quarterback to pass for over 1,000 yards in a season. The All-America and first-team All-Big Ten selection had seven touchdowns and guided an MSU offense that registered a Big Ten-best 29.0 points per game.
He closed his career as the school's all-time leader in passing yardage, pass attempts, pass completions and touchdown passes.
Juday was equally as impressive in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-District accolades as well during his senior season. He was also selected as the recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1965.
"I just can't explain what a great 4-5 years it was," said Juday, who also lettered in baseball at MSU.
The lineage continued at MSU with sons Bob (1990-92) and Rich (1988-91) both excelling in baseball for the Spartans, further strengthening the bond Steve and his wife, Linda, share with the school.
Over 50 years after helping lead one of the most successful teams in program history, Juday got a call from MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis, informing him he'd be enshrined among the school's elite in the Hall of Fame.
"I was speechless, absolutely speechless," said Juday. "It's a dream and I never expected it."
Anne Pewe Khademian
Cross Country/Track & Field (1979-82, 84)
Olivet, Michigan
Anne Pewe Khademian helped set the precedent of impressive cross country athletes at Michigan State. After battling injuries throughout her collegiate career, she fought her way into the MSU record books with her performance on the track. Her perseverance and strength have earned her a spot in the Michigan State Hall of Fame.
"I was so excited and just a little bit stunned," said Pewe Khademian when hearing the news of her induction. "This was 30-some years ago in my life, so athletics was a really big part of my life, but I had no idea that something like this would happen. My first thought was that I have to tell my dad. He was the one that encouraged me to come to Michigan State; he worked at Michigan State for some 15 years himself. He is so excited. He is already counting down the days until this event. He is really fired up. My whole family was excited when they heard the news.
"I really want to thank my amazing teammates: Karen Campbell-Lutzke, Jill Washburn, Lisa Last, Darcy Tomlinson and Diane Bussa. What a great group of people we were all doing it together. I think at that time of my life my family, my friends, my teammates and my coach are all people I'd like to thank."
A turning point in her career was leading the Spartans to the first-ever sanctioned Big Ten Cross Country Championship in 1981, where Pewe Khademian finished in second place.
"We were pretty excited about that Big Ten race," Pewe Khademian recalled. "That whole season we were focused on that race, and we were seen as the underdogs a little bit. We hadn't done things like that in the past, so we were a little bit under the radar. We were very focused on that. I just remember a tremendous happiness that day, and I remember taking all kinds of pictures together and just holding onto each other and smiling and laughing. We knew that we had done something big, but we knew that we had achieved what we had been trying to achieve all season long."
She continued her solid 1981 campaign with a first-place finish at the NCAA Region IV Championship, helping the Spartans capture a team title as well. Pewe Khademian went on to place 14th at the NCAA Championship in 1981 with a time of 16:49, leading Michigan State to a fourth-place team finish. She also captured her first All-America honor in cross country that season.
"During my time at Michigan State, we had a team of runners who were all very close," said Pewe Khademian. "We all cared a great deal about each other, and I think that we were a pretty supportive group. So, during that time, we went through a lot together. We ran cross country, we ran indoor, we ran outdoor. We trained in the summer together when we could, so we spent a lot of time together and were very close. We shared some big dreams together. Our coach at the time, John Goodridge, really had some ambitious dreams for us. We were working hard, running as hard as we could to get to the vision that John had. So, I think that is what really stands out to me. This was a group of young women who all had big dreams and were all not afraid to work hard and do their best. I got to travel and see different parts of the world at the same time I got to have a world-class education. In between all of this, I remember so clearly studying for final exams and going to classes. The integration of all of that, at that time of my life, was wonderfully exciting. It was an opportunity for which I am so grateful."
The 1982 track season was a banner campaign for Pewe Khademian, earning her second All-America honor in the 3,000m. She captured the Big Ten outdoor title in the 3,000m, running a school-record time of 9:24.42. Pewe Khademian also won her second Big Ten title of the year, running one leg of the 4X800m relay team. The 1982 season culminated with the Spartans capturing the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field title, their first-ever conference championship in track & field.
One of her many highlights of the 1982 season was running the 3,000m at the USOC National Sports Festival in Indianapolis. She finished fourth with an amazing time of 9:08.58.
"It was the summer before I got injured, and it was really an exciting experience," said Pewe Khademian. "I felt really proud to be a Michigan State runner, but it was a time where you are running in a different category. Physically and mentally it was so different. The only reason that I got to run in the sports festival was because of the opportunities that I had at Michigan State."
Following the 1982 season, she faced a string of injuries. After nearly a year-and-a-half without competitive running to recover from the injuries, Pewe Khademian returned to form in 1984. Over a year of swimming, bike riding and slow running paid off for the fifth-year senior. She qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championship in the 3,000m with a time of 9:33.0. In 1984, Pewe Khademian also received the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor.
A pioneer for MSU distance runners, Pewe Khademian helped set the stage for the 2014 Spartan cross country team that captured the program's first national championship.
"When the team won the national championship, there was such joy and excitement," said Pewe Khademian proudly. "We almost felt like we were doing it because we felt so connected and it felt so special. It means a lot. 1978 was the first year Michigan State was implementing the title IX regulations and resources started pouring in in ways they hadn't in the past. There were more scholarships. I think that we were a special group with a special connection, but I also think that we were the beneficiaries of the university really taking care of women's athletics in a powerful way that really made a difference for all of us. I wouldn't have gone to Michigan State if it weren't for scholarship money. It really upped everyone's game. Everybody came to a new level. We were the fortunate ones to have the right coach and the right teammates and a university that really cared about us. We were lucky."
Pewe Khademian's fond memories of Michigan State continued past graduation, meeting her future husband, Zarir, at MSU during graduate school. Despite having her competitive running days behind her, running continues to be an important part of her current daily life.
"I have found a way to continue running, taking the dogs for a two-mile run in the morning," Pewe Khademian said. "My husband has always made sure that running is still a special part of my life. It has been important to me too that I have a spouse appreciates how important running is to me."
Ken Popejoy
Cross Country/Track & Field (1969-73)
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Entering high school, Ken Popejoy was lacking in height and weighed less than 100 pounds, so by default, the ninth grader chose cross country. Now, over 50 years later, Popejoy has run himself into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame, adding to the legacy of the four-time All-American. His list of accomplishments feature a national championship in the mile, multiple individual and team Big Ten titles, and records that remain atop the Spartan track and field leaderboard.
"I'm stunned," said Popejoy. "There are so many people that deserve to be in that Hall of Fame. There are so many who were more accomplished than I was in my career, that this was something that I didn't expect at this stage. I thought maybe someday it would be an amazing honor, but a lot of other people would come before me. So, when I got the phone call from Mark Hollis, I was truly taken aback and got quite emotional about it. It was a special moment."
After an injury-laden freshman season at MSU, Popejoy burst onto the scene in the fall of 1970, leading the Spartans to a Big Ten Championship in cross country. The sophomore finished fourth only to look back in the chute to see four teammates finishing in the top 12 behind him. He went on to finish 20th at the NCAA Championship that season, earning his first All-America accolade.
Michigan State would go on to repeat as Big Ten champions the next fall with Popejoy finishing fourth in the conference again, setting up a historic year for the Spartans. MSU went on to win both the 1972 indoor and outdoor track and field Big Ten Championships that year in addition to the 1971 cross country title, giving the Spartans the "Triple Crown."
"I was probably considered for the Hall of Fame because of my individual accomplishments," said Popejoy. "But, the greatest accomplishment that I ever had in running was being on the Triple Crown team at Michigan State. That was an amazing year.
"I'm now part of another team at Michigan State. The Hall of Fame team. That's what makes it an honor. Not that I was pinpointed individually to be in, but that I'm now in the Hall of Fame family. And it's directionally proportionate to being on the Triple Crown Team and being on the Big Ten Championship cross country team in 1970. My individual stuff is awesome, but the team concepts are the rewarding things and that's what I carry with me as my major accomplishments. It can't be done by yourself when you're part of a team."
Though it's difficult to pick from the long list of accolades, quite possibly the greatest feat of his career is breaking the four minute barrier in the mile and setting the school record with a time of 3:57.0 that still stands today.
The first time Popejoy broke four minutes was his junior year in the spring of 1972 at the Von's Coliseum Classic in Los Angeles. Coming off an NCAA indoor championship, he stepped onto the track with world record holder Jim Ryun, who gave him a little tap and wished him good luck. The gun went off and Popejoy ran into history on the heels of his idol by crossing the finish line in 3:59.7.
"I didn't believe it until I looked at the scoreboard and I said, `I did it.' When you run the mile, you always dream of doing that," said Popejoy. "I was right there for so long, and I got through, and that moment was without question the best moment, knowing that I'm a sub-four minute miler. It's one of those life goals you commit yourself to running the mile in the sport. To add the cherry on top was Jim Ryun saying, `Wow, way to go. Let's go get dinner later.'"
Coming off of two successful years as a sophomore and junior, Popejoy entered his senior season with high expectations. Frustration built throughout much of the cross country and indoor track season and he began to wonder if it was time to give it up. After running a 4:14 split in the mile at the Drake Relays, his coach told him to take a week away from the team and figure things out. The next Saturday, Popejoy showed up to Ralph Young Field for a dual meet with Notre Dame, ready to lay it all out and see what was left in the tank.
What he found was an effort that led to a time of 3:57, setting both the all-time MSU and Big Ten record mile record. Popejoy was officially back and found his stride, as that day began an NCAA record of five consecutive sub-four minute miles in competition, including winning and breaking the Big Ten Championship mile record with a time of 3:59.2.
Popejoy closed out his collegiate career with a fifth-place finish in the mile at NCAA Championships, in which he ran 3:58.5 to wrap up the historic stretch. It all might not have happened had it not been for a four page letter he received during his senior year struggles from his high school coach Jim Arnold. Arnold, his high school coach at Glenbard West in Illinois, was the first freshman to ever letter in track at MSU in 1951. The second was Popejoy in 1970.
"Jim Arnold is like a second father to me," said Popejoy. "He's a person I'm probably the closest to in my whole life because of everything we have shared from 1965 to 2016.
"Without question, I also would like to thank Coach Jim Bibbs. He was another father to me. He was truly one of the nicest men I've ever met in my life. The others are the two seniors on the cross team my sophomore year in 1970, Kim Hartman and Chuck Starkey. They taught me about having fun, relaxing, not being so serious and enjoying ourselves. Herb Washington and Marshall Dill and the other athletes on the team taught me about diversity. They taught me about how you can come from every different background under the sun and end up with a brother. And then, I would like to thank my fellow co-captain in cross country Randy Kilpatrick. Randy and I had four years of deep-seated competition amongst us. We had some unbelievably shared experiences together. We were on two Big Ten Championship teams together and are the best of friends today.
"The constant theme of the Michigan State team, that's what those four years at Michigan State were all about to me. There were some wonderful things individually, but the best moments are all of the team moments. Now, I'm back in the lasting team of the Hall of Fame."
Patti Raduenz
Softball (1993-96)
Burlington, Wisconsin
A pioneer in the sport of professional fastpitch and a standout collegiate athlete and coach, Patti Raduenz (1993-96) becomes the fifth Michigan State softball player to be selected for inclusion in the Athletics Hall of Fame, joining Gloria Becksford, Deanne Moore, Diane Spoelstra, and Kathy Strahan.
"Instant tears, and I was speechless! That's what a phone call from Mark Hollis produced from me," admitted MSU softball's newest Hall-of-Famer. "I instantly thought about how fortunate I was to have the teammates and coaches that are all a part of who I am today. I can remember the extraordinary time with my teammates, the countless days and nights Keri Lemasters would challenge me to any sport at the MSU rec centers and the challenges we put against each other in practice. I thought about my mom who coached me in my younger years of Little League. I looked back and smiled ever so big knowing I was able to live out a dream! I never set out to play this game for a status, I have always played this game because of pure LOVE for it.
"I had the great fortune of having two super ladies as my head coach at Michigan State. MSU Hall of Famer Gloria Becksford and her assistant Nancy Jungkans took a chance on a country girl from Wisconsin. I so appreciate all they did for me in that transitional freshman year. Then came this fanatical, challenging and compassionate coach for the next three years. I can't say enough how great a mentor and motivator Jacquie Joseph was and still is to me. I truly appreciate all she has been for me and for the MSU program!
"I am humbled to be joining such an elite fraternity of great players," continued Raduenz, who currently is the Safe Routes to School Coordinator for Norfolk (Va.) Public Schools. "I'm grateful for the opportunities, the experiences and the support that Michigan State University provided me. I'm looking forward to sharing this honor with my coaches, my teammates, my family and the best fans in the country who stood with me every step of the way."
A three-year starter at shortstop, Raduenz moved to third base as a senior and went on to enjoy the best year of her career. In addition to setting the single-season batting record (.422), she earned Second Team All-America honors, at the time the third player in school history to accomplish the feat. In addition, Raduenz repeated as a CoSIDA Academic All-America selection and earned the Big Ten Medal of Honor. Raduenz was a two-time All-Big Ten selection (first team in 1995, second team in 1996) and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree in addition to twice earning Academic All-America honors.
Raduenz was a .372 career hitter (1993-96), and remains MSU's career batting leader. She hit better than .400 as a junior (.414) and as a senior (.422), which remain the Spartans' two best single-season performances. In the program's career annals, she ranks second in career walks (95), third in hits (224), fourth in triples (12), sixth in extra-base hits (61), and eighth in both doubles (34) and RBI (104) -- all of which were school records at the time of her graduation.
After the completion of her collegiate career, Raduenz played for the Lansing All-Stars men's team in an exhibition against the Colorado Silver Bullets. She was offered a position to join the Silver Bullets, but chose to pursue her opportunities in professional softball. The following summer, she played for the Georgia Pride (1997) and the Durham Dragons (1997-99) in the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL), which is now National Pro Fastpitch (NPF). Raduenz was a part of the league's inaugural season in 1997, and holds the distinction of being the first player traded in league history (from Georgia to Durham). In 1997, Raduenz finished second in batting average and doubles in the WPSL.
Raduenz spent the summer of 2004 playing for the USA Baseball Women's National team. Her squad represented the United States in the 2004 International Baseball Federation (IBAF) Women's World Cup in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and the World Series held in Japan, capturing the gold medal at the World Cup. Raduenz notched a .273 batting average, tallied six runs, three doubles, two triples and eight RBI while posting a .485 slugging percentage. She amassed 90 putouts at first base and four assists. Raduenz was one of only two players to play every inning at the same position and in the same spot in the lineup. She played all 11 games at first base while batting cleanup.
Raduenz spent 11 seasons (2001-11) as the head coach at Elon University, guiding the Phoenix to back-to-back 30-win seasons in her final two years at the helm (and four 30+ win seasons overall) and a 2010 Southern Conference championship behind a school-best 38-21 overall record and subsequent first-ever bid to the NCAA Softball Tournament. In her tenure, she was the 2002 Southern Conference Coach of the Year, had athletes selected to the All-Southern Conference team 21 times, as well as three players earn NFCA All-Region honors. Her student-athletes also earned 34 selections to the Southern Conference All-Academic team, and three of her athletes were selected for CoSIDA Academic All-Region accolades.
Prior to her arrival at Elon, Raduenz was an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina. She served as the hitting and infield instructor for the Tar Heels during the 2000 season. Under her tutelage, North Carolina put up the fifth-best batting average in the nation that year. Raduenz also served as an assistant at California State University of Sacramento and Iowa State University in Ames.
Mike Sadler
Football (2011-14)
Grand Rapids, Michigan
On the field, Mike Sadler was a master of his craft and one of the greatest and most productive punters in program history. In the classroom, he achieved an ever rarer feat, becoming the first student-athlete at Michigan State to earn Academic All-America honors four times.
Sadler, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection (2012, 2013), finished his career ranked among MSU's all-time leaders in punts (second with 268), punting yards (second with 11,307) and punting average (sixth at 42.2). A valuable weapon on special teams, he placed 39 percent of his career punts inside the 20 (104-of-268) and 21 percent inside the 10 (56-of-268). Also a holder, Sadler played in 54 career games, tied for the most in school history.
Sadler earned first-team Academic All-America honors in 2013 and 2014 and second-team accolades in 2011 and 2012. In addition to becoming MSU's first-ever four-time honoree, he also became just the third Spartan (Dean Altobelli, 1985-86; Steve Wasylk, 1992-93) and 34th Big Ten football player to earn first-team Academic All-America honors twice.
"Mike Sadler affected millions of people," said Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio. "He was one of those people that brightened your day. I always say to try and be a light, and he was a light in this world.
"Mike is truly rewarding of this honor. He was one of the most decorated student-athletes in the history of Michigan State, both on the field winning championships and in the classroom earning Academic All-America honors four times. I want to thank our administration and the Hall of Fame committee for being proactive and having the foresight to make this announcement. Mike's incredible career at Michigan State deserves to be recognized in the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame."
A member of the 2014 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Class, Sadler was one of 17 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is given to the nation's top scholar-athlete.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sadler graduated with a bachelor's degree in applied engineering sciences in May 2013 with a 3.97 grade-point average. He received his master's degree in public policy in May 2015 with a 3.84 graduate GPA.
Sadler also was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (2011-14) and a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2012-13). He was presented the scholar-athlete award at the Spartan Academic Excellence Gala three consecutive years (2013-15) for having the highest GPA on the team for players who have reached at least junior academic status.
In a 2014 interview, late in his playing career, Sadler reflected on his time at Michigan State.
"Academics is important to me and I think that my family instilled this in me at a very young age. We know that at some point football is going to end, it's going to be taken away from us and we're not going to be good enough to play at the next level, or we might be injured. So, what do you do when that happens? Well, fortunately I know that I have my academics. I'm going to be very well off, regardless of how long my football career is.
"Now that my career here is coming to a close, I've had a lot of time to reflect and look back on everything that I've done. I've been very fortunate in my time here at Michigan State to have lots of success, both as a team and as an individual. I think winning the 2014 Rose Bowl is probably the highlight of my time here; it was something that hadn't been done in decades here. Individually, I've also had a very good career. I was an All-American on and off the field. Really, the academic awards mean more to me than anything, just because those are going to be with me for my whole life."
A four-year starter at punter, Sadler was one of 14 freshmen starting punters in the NCAA FBS in 2011, and earned third-team Freshman All-America honors by Phil Steele after averaging 41.1 yards per punt (61 punts for 2,509 yards). The redshirt freshman tied for 12th in the FBS with 25 punts inside the 20 and also pinned 11 punts inside the 10, which tied for eighth most in the nation. Sadler set season highs in punting average (50.1 yards per punt), punts (8) and punting yards (401) and placed four punts inside the 20 in Michigan State's win over No. 18 Georgia in the 2012 Outback Bowl.
Sadler followed that up with an even better season as a sophomore in 2012, garnering first-team All-Big Ten honors as he led the Big Ten with a career-best 43.3 yards per punt. He ranked second in the Big Ten with 31 punts downed inside the 20, and had 19 punts of 50-plus yards, which ranked first in the Big Ten. His 3,422 punting yards ranked second most in a MSU single-season.
He was named to ESPN.com's Big Ten All-Bowl Team after setting MSU's single-game bowl records for punts (11) and punting yards (481) in the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl against TCU. The 481 punting yards established a career high and were the most by a Big Ten punter in a single game in 2012, while the 11 punts tied for second most. He broke the bowl records he set in the 2012 Outback Bowl against Georgia (eight punts for 401 yards). Sadler was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week that season after averaging 46.6 yards on seven punts vs. No. 21 Nebraska, including three placed inside the 2. He also had a 26-yard run on a fake punt at Michigan.
Sadler earned All-America status on the field during MSU's Big Ten and Rose Bowl Championship season in 2013, as he was named a first-team All-American by CBSSports.com and ESPN.com. A Ray Guy Award semifinalist, Sadler ranked fourth in the Big Ten in punting with his 42.5-yard average and led the NCAA FBS with 24 punts downed inside the 10 and ranked tied for second with 33 inside the 20. He also had eight punts downed inside the 5, including three at the 1-yard line. In addition, he had 16 punts of 50-plus yards and ranked seventh in MSU single-season history with 3,233 punting yards.
In the 2014 Rose Bowl win over No. 5 Stanford, Sadler averaged 45.5 yards per punt, including a 55-yarder, while also placing three of his six punts inside the 20 against the Cardinal. He pinned four of his seven punts inside the 10 in the victory at Nebraska, including one that was fumbled at the 8-yard line and another that was downed at the 1; he also gained 3 yards on a fake field goal that helped propel Michigan State to a touchdown scoring drive midway through the fourth quarter, giving MSU a 34-21 lead. Sadler placed three of his five punts inside the 20 in the win over No. 23 Michigan, including two inside the 10.
Sadler was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time in his career and was also awarded the College Football Performance Awards National Punter of the Week after averaging a career-best 59.2 yards on four punts in the win over Indiana, including a season-long 69-yarder in the fourth quarter; his 59.2-yard average against the Hoosiers established a Big Ten single-game record (minimum four punts). He averaged 44.4 yards on five punts at Iowa, including two inside the 20 and a 51-yarder, and also ran a fake punt 25 yards for a first down that helped set up Michael Geiger's 49-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. On three career carries, Sadler averaged 18 yards per attempt (three for 54 yards) and gained three first downs.
An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2014, he ranked seventh in the Big Ten in punting with his 41.2-yard average. Sadler averaged a season-best 46.3 yards per punt (six punts for 278 yards), including a season-long 66-yarder and two inside the 20, at Maryland. He received the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor in 2015.
Sadler was scheduled to begin law school at Stanford this fall before tragically dying in a car accident on July 23 in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
