HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Athletic Department is proud to welcome eight individuals and two teams into the Carroll Athletic Hall of Fame. The Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Saturday morning as part of Carroll's homecoming festivities.

The Carroll College Athletic Hall of Fame honors Saints athletes who have left a lasting legacy on the college with their careers as exemplary student-athletes. Those inducted into the Hall of Fame have demonstrated the highest standard of sportsmanship and accomplishment in their athletic endeavors. Members of the Hall often set records, win championships and earn other distinctions for their achievements on the field and in the classroom. The Carroll College Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes student-athletes, coaches, staff, teams and others whose athletic successes advance the college's tradition of champions.

This year's inductees include:
 
THOMAS DOLAN – FOOTBALL: Dolan is one of the best Linebackers to ever step on the field as a Saint. Dolan totaled 235 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss, six sacks, and two interceptions in his time at Carroll. He was part of four Frontier Conference Champion teams, and two NAIA National Championship teams. In back-to-back seasons in 2009 and 2010, Dolan was named first-team all-conference and Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to the conference honors, he was named first-team NAIA All-American in 2010.
 
CHRISTINA (SMETANA) EICHLER - VOLLEYBALL: Eichler is one of the most decorated spikers in Carroll history. In 2006 she was named to the Frontier Conference All-Freshman team, and was a 2007 honorable mention all-conference selection. In 2008 and 2009, she was a first-team all-conference selection, and was named the 2009 Frontier Conference Player of the Year. Eichler was named a second-team All-American in 2009, after leading the Frontier Conference in hitting percentage (.336), kills/set (3.3), kills (422), blocks/set (1.2), and blocks (159). She totaled 1126 kills and 479 blocks in her four-year career at Carroll.
 
GARY WAGNER – FOOTBALL: Wagner was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Saints. He led Carroll to a semifinal appearance in 2009, and an undefeated NAIA national title in 2010. Wagner cumulated a 158.7 pass rating during his time, and his 164.0 mark in 2010 was sixth in the NAIA. A four-year academic all-conference selection, Wagner was also a second-team All-Frontier Conference quarterback in 2009. He was named offensive MVP of the national championship game in 2010, Frontier Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year, NAIA All-American, and was a finalist for the NAIA Player of the Year. Wagner threw for 52 touchdowns and added seven rushing touchdowns during his career.
 
2001 VOLLEYBALL TEAM: The 2001 Saints Volleyball Team goes down as one of the most dominant in program history. Eight of the players from the 2001 team would go on to earn an all-conference selection during their collegiate years. Led by Hall of Famers Natalie (Conroy) Horne, Mary Lester, and Michelle (Bisch) Mattson, the team won both the Frontier Conference regular season and conference tournament titles en-route to a final ranking of No. 13 in the NAIA.

CHAD VACULIN – MEN'S BASKETBALL: Vaculin finished his Carroll career as one of the top scorers in Saints MBB history. He was a valuable freshman on the 2005-06 team that won a program-best 30 games. Vaculin averaged 9.8 points per game, 2.2 assists per game, and 2.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 43.5% from the field and 40% from three-point range. Vaculin sits at No. 25 on Carroll's all-time scoring list. Vaculin was twice named as an All-Frontier Conference selection, as well as an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention in 2008-2009.
 
ANDY FJESETH – FOOTBALL: Fjeseth is one of the most decorated players in Carroll Football history. The three-year starter was named first team All-Frontier Conference in 2009-2010, as well as a first-team NAIA All-American in 2010.  With Fjeseth anchoring the line, Carroll went 40-2 from 2008-2010. Those Saints teams averaged 202.4 yards passing, and 232.8 rushing yards per game. Leading into the 2010 national championship, the Saints line had allowed only four sacks on the year. Fjeseth was named the 2010 Rimington Award winner for the NAIA, presented annually to the premier center in each division of collegiate football.
 
SHANNON FLYNN – TRACK, CROSS COUNTRY, VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL: Flynn, the current cross country, and track and field distance coach for the Saints, was a multi-sport standout for the Saints, lettering in volleyball, basketball, cross country, and track during her college years. In 2010, Flynn was named as a cross country all-conference selection. In addition, Flynn earned NAIA All-American in the indoor track and field 800-meter in 2011, placing fourth, as well as an eighth-place finish in the 2011 Outdoor Track and Field 800-meter.
 
2009 FOOTBALL TEAM: The 2009 Football Team boasted one of the best offenses in Carroll history, averaging nearly 36 points per game. They finished the Frontier Conference season as the undefeated conference champions, led by 2022 Hall of Fame inductees Wagner, Fjeseth, and Dolan, and advanced to the NAIA Semifinals, ultimately falling just seven points short of another national championship appearance. The 2009 team finished the season at No. 3 in the final NAIA Top-25 rankings, and most impressively, were part of a run of Carroll squads that won 42 consecutive conference games.
 
2022 WARREN L. NELSON AWARD
The Warren L. Nelson Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Carroll College Athletic Department.
The Warren L. Nelson award was established in 1986 to honor Mr. Nelson for his support of Carroll Athletics. The award is intended to recognize individuals who have exemplified the unselfish goodness of Warren Nelson in assisting, promoting, and otherwise supporting Carroll Athletics. Nelson was a Reno, Nevada businessman and longtime Carroll booster.
He attended Mount St. Charles High School and college, playing for the 1931 Saints' football team that won the Montana Collegiate Championship.
 
GRANT & SANDEE HANSON: Since 2004, Grant & Sandee Hanson, along with Grant's camera, have generously provided skillful, passionate service to Carroll Athletics. From 2004-2019, The Hanson's missed only one Carroll Football game, home or away, a truly incredible gift of support. Grant has captured many of the most memorable images in school history. Carroll Athletics will forever be indebted for the countless hours spent photographing and documenting moments that will last a lifetime for fans and athletes alike. The Hanson's truly embody the spirit of Mr. Nelson, and will now be forever honored with this prestigious recognition.

The inductees will be honored at the Hall of Fame Breakfast on Saturday morning, as well as at the football game in the afternoon. 

Nominations for the Carroll Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2023 are now open, and nominations can be made HERE.