The Summit League Reaches 40: Showcasing Our Proud History

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 40)

Oral Roberts Baseball (2006)

• This #SummitBSB squad won 41 games, its ninth consecutive Mid-Continent Tournament title and eighth consecutive regular season title.
• This squad swept the #SummitBSB individual awards in 2006, including having two student-athletes share Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards.
• This team won a pair of one-run games at both the #SummitBSB Championship and the NCAA Fayetteville Regional as part of a 15-game overall winning streak.
• The Golden Eagles became the first #SummitBSB team to play in an NCAA Super Regional after they swept through the Fayetteville Regional with a win over Arkansas and two over in-state rival Oklahoma State.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 39)

DePaul Softball (1999)

• This team ran the table in #SummitSB play for the third consecutive year in 1999, going 22-0 and setting itself up for one of the greatest postseason runs of any sport in league history.
• As a senior, pitcher Nicole Terpstra won half of this team's games in the circle during 1999, collecting 27 wins, while posting a 0.70 ERA in 209 innings pitched.
• After winning the #SummitSB Championship with three consecutive victories, this squad rolled through NCAA Regional play, beating Michigan State and Illinois-Chicago twice to reach the Women's Softball World Series.
• In what was their final season as a league member, the Blue Demons finished third at the Women's College World Series, going 2-2 with their only two losses coming to eventual national champion UCLA.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 38)

Don Larson (1979-2020): North Dakota State Track and Field

• His teams swept the #SummitITF and #SummitOTF titles in 2008, which was the program's first as a league member, and also in 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
•  Prior to his retirement following the 2019-20 season, his squads won 10 consecutive #SummitOTF titles, which is the same number of NCAA Postgraduate Scholars that passed through his program during his tenure.
• Larson spent 41 seasons guiding the Bison, combining to win 36 North Central Conference titles and 21 Summit League titles throughout a historic career that spanned parts of six decades.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 37)

North Dakota State Softball (2009)

• After finishing runner-up in the regular season, this team went on to win the #SummitSB Championship, which was just the beginning of a memorable postseason run
• Secured the program's first win over a ranked opponent thanks to a 1-0 shutout during the opening game of the 2009 NCAA Tournament
• The magic continued the next time out as a two-run, two-out double advanced this squad to the regional title game in its first NCAA Division I tournament appearance
• The Bison swept through the Norman Region with a trio of thrilling victories, including a 4-1 win over Tulsa in the finale, to become the first #SummitSB team to advance to an NCAA Softball Super Regional

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 36)

Kyle Peterman (2008-10): Western Illinois Men's Golf

• This #SummitGF men's golfer was a three-time All-Summit League performer and collected five Golfer of the Week accolades during his three-year run in the League
• Two-time Summit League Golfer of the Year, including final season in 2010 when he was named Golfer of the Week a career-high three times during the season
• Also named Golfer of the Year as a sophomore in 2008
• Helped lead his squad to their eighth #SummitGF Championship when he won medalist honors at the 2008 Men's Championship. The eight men's golf tournament titles are still the most in league history by one program
• Peterman is one of five #SummitGF male golfers to win multiple Player of the Year award and qualified for the 2009 U.S. Open in between his junior and senior seasons

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 35)

Amy (Anderson) Olson (2009-13): North Dakota State Women's Golf

• This former #SummitGF All-American and current LPGA standout delivered one of the most storied careers in any sport in league history
• Earned 12 #SummitGF weekly/monthly honors during her career, including a single-season record seven during her senior season in 2012-13
• Compiled quite a list of accolades, including two-time All-American, four-time #SummitGF Golfer of the Year, three-time #SummitGF Championship MVP, three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American
• Olson, a 2020 Summit League Hall of Fame inductee, broke the NCAA record for career victories during her senior season, finishing her storied-career with 20

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 34)

Denver Women's Tennis (2016-17)

• Completing its fourth season as a league member, this team went 6-0 in #SummitWTEN matches and improved the program's overall record to 25-0 since joining The Summit League.
• Won the #SummitWTEN Championship with back-to-back 4-0 victories over the No. 4 and No. 2 seeds with a roster that saw six players earn All-League honors.
• Made #SummitWTEN history by becoming the first league team to win an NCAA Tournament match when the doubles' tandem of Maureen Slattery and Julia O'Laughlin secured the victory over No. 25 USC.
• The Pios have won 46 consecutive #SummitWTEN matches and the 2017 squad was right in the middle of that record-breaking run. Coach Bass won her second of (now) five Coach of the Year awards that season.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 33)

Bethany (Buell) Firsick (2012-14): South Dakota Track & Field

• This track and field standout became the first from her school to qualify for the NCAA Division I National Championships and earn five All-America honors throughout her collegiate career.
• Not only was this high flyer a standout in her sport, but she also excelled in the classroom, twice being named an Academic All-American during her career along with the 2013 USTFCCCA Field Scholar Athlete of the Year.
• Named the 2012 and 2013 Summit League Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year and was the pole vault champion at the 2012 indoor and 2013 outdoor championship.
• Firsick became USD's first DI national champion by winning the outdoor ole vault title in 2013 with a height of 14-7¼, which tied the outdoor championship record at the time.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 32)

Henry Craig and Alex Gasson (2013-16): Denver Men's Tennis

• These two #SummitMTEN standouts combined for seven All-Summit League honors, helping this program make the smooth transition to the league.
• This tandem led their squad to three consecutive tournament titles together from 2014-16, including a 16-0 record in #SummitMTEN regular season matches.
• This duo advanced to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Men's Tennis Doubles Championship in the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons. To date, they are the only pair to represent the League at this events.
• Craig, a two-time #SummitMTEN Player of the Year, and Gasson, a four-time All-Summit League performer, were truly Pioneers in forging DU's dominance in the League.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 31)

South Dakota Women's Basketball (2015-16)

• This squad tied the #SummitWBB single-season record with 32 wins and won its second consecutive regular season title with a 15-1 mark in league play
• After starting the season with three consecutive losses, this team would only lose three more times over its next 35 games
• Racked up five wins over programs from Power 6 basketball conferences: Big East (2), Big Ten (2) and Pac-12 (1)
• This squad fell short in the 2016 #SummitWBB title game, but what ensued was a magical run in the WNIT, starting with a 74-68 win over Creighton
• A 101-89 victory over Minnesota followed, setting up a Sweet 16-thriller with UNI
• These Coyotes made history by winning the first national postseason tournament trophy in Summit League history when they beat FGCU in the WNIT title game. USD thumped Oregon in the semis to advance

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 30)

Oral Roberts Men's Basketball (2020-21)

• Three #SummitMBB teams have advanced to the Sweet 16. This squad was the lowest seeded of that trio to make a magical run in #MarchMadness
• Pulled off a pair of upsets in both the #SummitMBB Tournament and #NCAA Tournament
• The Sweet 16 appearance was the second in program history and ended a 47-year gap between its first one in 1974
• Joined Florida Gulf Coast as the only No. 15 seeds in NCAA Tournament history to reach the Sweet 16 with their victories over a pair of Power-5 programs
• Led by All-South Region Team selection Max Abmas, the Golden Eagles stunned Ohio State and Florida last year before falling 72-70 to Arkansas, nearly becoming the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 29)

Head Coach Aaron Johnston (2000-pres.): SDSU Women's Basketball

• The leader of this #SummitWBB program has amassed more than 500 career wins in 20-plus seasons since taking over full-time in 2000-01
• Led his program to 17 combined #SummitWBB regular season (eight) and tournament (nine) titles since joining the League back in 2007-08
• Besides 2020 when there were no postseason tournaments, this coach has led his squad to the NCAA or WNIT Tournament every year since 2007
• Before joining the DI ranks, his team won the DII National Championship in 2003
• A six-time #SummitWBB Coach of the Year, Johnston's Jackrabbits became the first time in league history to reach the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 in 2019

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 28)

Kevi Luper (2009-12) and Keni Jo Lippe (2017-22): Oral Roberts Women's Basketball

• The duo garnered five All-Summit League accolades during their respective careers and the elder of the group was a three-time #SummitWBB Player of the Year
• These two #SummitWBB hardwood standouts have combined for more than 4,000 career points and share more than just the ability to score the basketball at a high clip
• One half of this duet held the League's all-time single-game scoring mark for just over 10 seasons at 44 points until the other half broke it with a 46-point outing - a record she still holds
• The highest scoring duo certainly made their hometown of Adair, Oklahoma proud throughout their Golden Eagle careers as both left an impact on the #SummitWBB scene

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 27)

Payton Otterdahl (2014-19): North Dakota State Track & Field

• Won seven individual Summit League titles and is the Championship record holder in the indoor shot put, indoor weight throw and outdoor shot put
• Earned #SummitITF All-League honors in 2016, 2017 and 2019 along with #SummitOTF All-League honors in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019
• Named 2019 Field Athlete of the Year and Field Championship MVP and 2019 Field Championship MVP
• Six-time All-American, including earning four of those honors as a senior in 2019 (two indoor and two outdoor)
• Represented the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 26)

Samantha Corea (2011-15): Denver Swimming and Diving

• Holds three League Championship records, three League all-time top marks and graduated with eight school records, which were more than any swimmer in that school's storied history
• Named #SummitSD Swimmer of the Year and Swimmer of the Championship as a junior and senior
• Won five individual races and swam a leg on eight winning relays during those two championships
• Made the podium twice at the 2015 NCAA Championships in the 100 fly and 200 back, which still stand as the best individual finishes by a #SummitSD swimmer in league history at the national level
• Corea is one of the most decorated swimmers in #SummitSD history, earning All-America honors in both the pool and classroom during her time at Denver 

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 25)

Mike Daum (2015-19): SDSU Men's Basketball

Macy Miller (2014-19): SDSU Women's Basketball

• This duo combined for 30 Summit League Basketball Player of the Week awards and eight All-Summit League honors during their careers that spanned the same era in the late 2010s
• This high-scoring tandem led their #SummitMBB and #SummitWBB squads to four combined regular season titles and seven tourney titles during their collegiate careers
• Each of these players won the Summit League Basketball Championship MVP three times
• These two racked up five individual scoring titles and five Summit League Basketball Player of the Year awards while their squads combined for more than 200 victories during their respective tenures in blue and yellow
• The two most prolific scorers in #SummitMBB and #SummitWBB history, Daum (3,067) and Miller (2,355) filled up the baskets at Frost Arena.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 24)

Chen Ni (2008-12): IUPUI Swimming & Diving

• From 2008-12, this diver earned First Team All-Summit League honors in each of her four seasons of collegiate competition
• Won four individual diving titles throughout collegiate career, including both the 1-meter and 3-meter as a freshman in 2009
• Three-time Summit League Diver of the Year (2009-10, 2012)
• Four-time Summit League Athlete of the Month and five-time Summit League Diver of the Week
• Inducted into the IUPUI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017
• Inducted into The Summit League Hall of Fame in 2020 
• A two-time All-American, Ni became the first female in Summit League history to win two NCAA Championships after winning the platform dive in 2010 (325.50) and 2012 (343.05)

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 23)

Valparaiso Men's Basketball (1997-98)

• In 1998, this squad extended its streak to four consecutive years of winning both the #SummitMBB regular season and tournament championships.
• This team advanced to its third consecutive NCAA Tournament in 1998 
• The 1997-98 campaign was the fourth straight season this program won 20-plus games
• Became just the second No. 13 seed in NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament history to make the Sweet 16
• This team's head coach is the all-time winningest in Summit League history with 302 career victories
• Bryce Drew delivered one of the most iconic shots in Big Dance history in 1998, lifting Valpo over Ole Miss. The Crusaders would beat FSU in round two to make the league's second Sweet 16 appearance.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 22)

Sami (Spenner) Richardson (2009-14): Omaha Track & Field

• This track and field standout dominated the competition during her two seasons in the League, setting a record with nine career #SummitITF athlete of the week honors, including a record six in 2013. 
• Combined to win 12 individual event titles combined at the 2013 and 2014 Summit League Track and Field Championships, winning six #SummitITF and six #SummitOTF medals over a two-year span. 
• Won consecutive Field Championship MVP honors at both the 2013 and 2014 #SummitITF and #SummitOTF Championships.
• Holds the #SummitOTF Championship record for the heptathlon, totaling 5,507 points in 2014.
• Spenner remains the only athlete to ever earn Track Athlete and Field Athlete of the Year honors in the same season, achieving that at the 2014 #SummitOTF Championship. 

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 21)

George Hill (2004-08): IUPUI Men's Basketball

• The 2008 #SummitMBB Player of the Year totaled 1,619 career points and saved his best for last, averaging a league-high 21.5 ppg during his final collegiate season en route to earning All-America honors
• Named to the Mid-Continent All-Newcomer Team as a frosh in 2005 and the Mid-Continent All-League First Team in 2006
• After missing all but five games in 2006-07, returned to earn #SummitMBB POY & All-League First Team honors in 2008
• One of two #SummitMBB to be picked in the first round of the NBA Draft
• Currently playing in his 14th season and third overall with the Milwaukee Bucks
• Drafted 26th by the Spurs in 2008 and has appeared in 100-plus NBA Playoff games
• Hill was inducted into the IUPUI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014 and was one of five inductees in The Summit League Hall of Fame Class of 2020

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 20)

Justin Sell (2009-present): South Dakota State Director of Athletics

• The halfway point of our weekly series celebrating our 40th Anniversary highlights the accomplishments of our current longest-tenured director of athletics. He was hired in May of 2009. 
• 2014-15 Under Armour National Athletics Director of the Year
• First AD to represent The Summit League on the NCAA Division I Council that was formed in the fall of 2014
• SDSU men's and women's programs have combined for 50 (18 regular season and 32 postseason) Summit League titles since his tenure began 

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 19)

Amy Recht (2007-11): Purdue Fort Wayne Women's Tennis

• This former #SummitWTN standout never lost a singles match against a league opponent during her collegiate career, going 28-0. 
• Only player in league history to claim four #SummitWTN Player of the Year honors
• Shares league women's tennis record with 11 Player of the Week awards 
• Earned four #SummitWTN First Team All-League accolades
• 2008 Newcomer of the Year and Player of the Year - one of four players in league history to achieve both in same season 
• A 2022 Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics Hall of Fame Class inductee, Recht dominated her sport throughout her collegiate career like few others in Summit League history. 

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 18)

Cynthia Gabel (1999-2007): Kansas City Athletics Senior Woman Administrator

• Before serving as a senior woman administrator at one of our institutions, this compliance officer worked 19 years for the NCAA at the national office.
• Made a lasting impact on UMKC athletics from her role leading the compliance and eligibility department for eight years before her untimely death following a lengthy battle with cancer. 
• Had a memorial scholarship fund named in her honor following her passing in 2007 that has helped several Roo student-athletes over the past decade 
• A Prairie Fire Crabapple tree stands in her honor on the UMKC campus
• A 2017 UMKC Athletics Hall of Fame class inductee, her legacy continues to be felt through a memorial scholarship fund that has impacted a number of Roo student-athletes.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 17)

E.C. Hill (1992-94): Northern Illinois Women's Basketball

• This former #SummitWBB standout was the first student-athlete in league history to earn All-America honors in any sport. 
• 1994 #SummitWBB Player of the Year averaged 22.0 ppg en route to earning the league's scoring title.
• 1993 and 1994 All-Summit League First Team honoree and claimed 1994 Tournament MVP honors 
• First #SummitWBB alumnae to play in the WNBA when she appeared in 29 games for the Charlotte Sting in 2000.
• Following professional playing career, spent time as a DI assistant coach at Northern Illinois, Arizona and Towson State

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 16)

Dick (head coach; 1985-94) and Tony (player; 1988-92) Bennett: Green Bay Phoenix MBB

• This father-son tandem won a Summit League Tournament title in 1991 and a Summit League regular season title together in 1992. 
• The father racked up 165 victories, including 76 in league play, during his tenure as a head coach in the Mid-Continent Conference (1985-94). His squads won regular season titles in 1992 and 1994.
• The son was a two-time Mid-Continent Player of the Year, a four-time All-Mid-Continent Team recipient (2x 1st, 2x 2nd) and scored 2,285 career points, which is still a top-10 figure in league history. 
• Bennett is a last name synonymous with success across the history of men's college basketball and we're proud to have been a piece of that journey.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 15)

NCAA Scoring Champions: Max Abmas, Oral Roberts (2021) and Reggie Hamilton, Oakland (2012)

• During the last 10 NCAA Men's Basketball season, #SummitMBB teams have produced two of the single-season scoring champions. The Big East is the only other conference that can make that claim
• The two #SummitMBB players combined for 1,631 points during their respective seasons that they led all Division I players in scoring
• Both players also led their respective teams on sustained postseason runs en route to the crowns
• These long-distance gunners made 219 total 3-pointers during their respective magical scoring seasons
• A decade ago, the elder hit 119 3's en route to averaging 26.2 ppg, while the youngster drilled 100 a year ago to post a 24.6 ppg clip
• These two prolific scorers lit up scoreboards a decade apart, leading their teams to the NCAA Sweet 16 and College Insider Tournament semifinals

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 14)

Laura Milos, Oral Roberts Volleyball (2014-17)

• The #SummitVB Championship gets underway in Vermillion today. This four-time All-Summit League performer led her team to four appearances during her illustrious career, including a runner-up finish in 2017.
• Owns three of the top six single-season kill totals in league history
• Set the single-season kills record in 2016 with 631
• Set the single-season kills per set record in 2016, averaging 5.79 as a junior
• One of three players in #SummitVB history to record more than 2,000 career kills, ranks second all-time in the category with 2,276. The top two on the list both hail from the same program.
• Capped Golden Eagle career by being named the 2017 #SummitVB Player of the Year -- also named Offensive Player of the Week four times as a senior to move career award total to a league-record 15.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 13)

South Dakota Volleyball NCAAs (2018)
South Dakota Women's Basketball NCAAs (2018-19)

• The Summit League had multiple teams in the NCAA Volleyball and Women's Basketball Tournaments this year and this program represented the league in both events
• The WBB and VB teams combined for 49 wins overall in 2018-19 and went 27-5 in Summit League play
• Six players earned the top Summit League individual awards with WBB taking four of the five accolades
• Both the WBB and VB teams were regular-season runner-ups in Summit League play in 2018-19
• The VB team upset top-seeded Denver to earn the automatic bid, while the WBB team earned the program's first at-large bid thanks to a 28-6 record
• South Dakota was joined by Denver at the NCAA VB Tournament and SDSU at the WBB Tournament, marking the first time in league history both sports had two postseason teams in the same year

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 12)

Denver Men's Soccer (2016)

• This team entered the 2016 NCAA Tournament with a 17-0-3 record after going 12-0-2 in non-conference play and 5-0-1 en route to a league regular season title
• Highest scoring team in 2016 with 40 goals, averaging 2.0 per victory
• Boasted Summit League Defensive Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year after registering 14 shutouts as a team
• Earned the No. 6 seed entering the 2016 NCAA tourney after winning its 4th straight Summit League Tournament
• Set a #SummitMSOC single-season record with 20 overall wins and equaled its own program record for fewest fewest losses (1)
• Under the guidance of second-year head coach Jamie Franks, this Pioneers' squad became the first Summit League team from any sport to reach a NCAA Tournament Final Four when they advanced to the College Cup

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 11)

Katie Moller, North Dakota Women's Soccer (2015-18)

• This soccer standout broke a #SummitWSOC single-match record with nine points during her squad's first season as a league member back in 2018
• One of five players in #SummitWSOC history to score four goals in a match and one of just two to achieve that in a league contest
• Three-time Offensive Player of the Week in 2018 (second most in a single season in league history)
• Senior Class 2nd Team All-American in 2018
• First Team All-Summit League and All-Academic Team selection in 2018
• Capped lone season in #SummitWSOC by being named the Offensive Player of the Year and becoming first Fighting Hawk to win an individual award. Finished with 15 goals and five assists.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 10)

Cam Levins, Southern Utah Cross Country and Track and Field (2007-12)

• Our 2021 #SummitXC Championships take place Saturday in Tulsa and this all-time great record four top-three finishes from 2007-11 at this event during his standout career
• Helped lead his squad to #SummitXC men's team titles in 2007, 2008 and 2011
• Earned seven All-America honors throughout collegiate career between cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field
• Capped career by becoming the first Summit League student-athlete to win a pair of NCAA trophies at same Championship (5,000 & 10,000-meter runs; 2012 Outdoor)

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 9)

Teresa Toscano, South Dakota State Women's Golf (2016-21)

• Earned 14 career #SummitGF weekly/monthly honors throughout distinguished career, which ranks second all-time among league golfers
• Captured 5 individual titles en route to earning GolfWeek All-America honors in 2021 becoming first #SummitGF  golfer since 2014 to earn that accolade
• 2017 Women's Golf Newcomer of the Year
• 2021 Women's Golfer of the Year
• 2021 Championship MVP
• Turned in one of the best single-season performances in #SummitGF history in 2021, earning her fifth individual title with a victory at the Summit League Women's Golf Championship 

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 8)

Jack Whitt, Oral Roberts Track and Field (2009-13)

• Six-time Summit League Champion in his signature event throughout his collegiate career 
• Five-time Summit League Indoor/Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year 
• Seven-time All-American in the pole vault
• Became 3rd Golden Eagle to win a NCAA individual title after capturing pole vault at 2012 Outdoor Championships, recently inducted into ORU (2019) and Summit League (2020) Hall of Fames 

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 7)

Sammy Marshall, Western Illinois Softball (2012-15)

• Four-time #SummitSB All-League First Team selection after batting over .400 in each of those seasons 
• Hit .420 as a freshman 
• Hit .465 as a sophomore 
• Hit .478 as a junior (Top 5 nationally)
• Hit .459 as a senior 
• #SummitSB career record .456 batting average 
• Two-time #SummitSB Player of the Year and last of five players in league history to earn that award in back-to-back years. 
• This all-time Leatherneck great would be drafted 18th overall by the Chicago Bandits of the NPF. She stills holds SL career records for batting average (.456) and stolen bases (134).

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 6)

Cleveland State Men's Basketball (1985-86)

• Earned an at-large bid to the 1986 NCAA Tournament after posting a 24-3 regular season record, a 13-1 mark in AMCU-8 play and winning the league's postseason tournament. 
• Finished 1985-86 campaign with 29 victories, which still stands as a Summit League record for single-season wins 
• Led by Ken "Mouse" McFadden (No. 10), who is the program's all-time scoring leader and No. 8 in SL history with 2,256 points, this squad reeled off a school-record 14 consecutive wins during a magical season. 
• The Vikings' most historic team was the League's first representative in the NCAA Tournament and made a big splash by advancing to the Sweet 16 as the No. 14 seed out of the East Region.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 5)

Andre Shinyashiki, Denver (2016-18)

• Most prolific goal scorer in #SummitMSOC history, finishing career with 51 tallies, including a single-season record 28 during his final collegiate season
• Two-time #SummitMSOC Offensive Player of the Year, two-time All-League first team performer, secured Eight Player of the Week awards 
• First Team All-American on the field and in the classroom, Senior Class Award Winner, Top-five MLS Draft pick 
• During a magical 2018 season, the Brazilian led the NCAA in goals (28), goals per match (1.33), points per match (2.86) and game-winning goals (11).

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 4)

University of St. Thomas: newest member of The Summit League

• Racked up more than 400 regular and postseason championships as a perennial power in its previous conference
• Of the NCAA's 1000-plus institutions, this athletic department is the only one that can boast NCAA team titles in baseball, softball, volleyball and men's and women's basketball 
• Joined The League this past July, becoming the first NCAA member to make the full move straight from Division III to Division I
• Just the 2nd Division I program in the state of Minnesota, the Tommies' campus is located in St. Paul, which currently ranks among the Top 15 media markets in the United States

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 3)

Kathy Orban: Western Illinois (1985-2008)

• Key campus figure in helping the Mid-Continent Conference (now The Summit League) begin its sponsorship of female sports in 1992 
• Among many impactful positions she held, serving as the NCAA Division I Softball Chair was one of her biggest honors and allowed her to lead on a national scale
• Spent 23 years as an administrator at the League's only charter member, working her way up to the role of Senior Woman Administrator 
• Inducted into the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame (Class of 2013), the favorite part about her time in Macomb was mentoring the student-athletes and making sure they were eligible to play the sports they loved.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 2)

Chris Nilsen, pole vaulter, South Dakota (2016-20)
Courtney Frerichs, distance runner, Kansas City (SL, 2011-13)

• This duo combined for 10 individual Summit League Championships during their respective collegiate careers
• Helped bring the League's all-time medal count to seven in the Olympic Games with their performances in Tokyo last month 
• The two silver medals secured by this pair were part of a record haul of three total medals earned by former Summit League athletes at one Olympic Games. The third medal was garnered by Larissa Franklin, who played softball at former member Purdue Fort Wayne. She was part of the Canadian softball team that won bronze in Tokyo.
• The three other former Summit League student-athletes to earn Olympic medals were Anita Rapp (Oakland), who won a gold medal as part of the Norway women's soccer team that won it all at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Andretti Bain (Oral Roberts), who won a silver medal in track and field for The Bahamas at the 2008 Games in Beijing, and Dan Steele, who won a pair of bronze medals is the bobsled at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Games.

#SummitReaches40: Pieces Of Our History (Vol. 1)

Tom Douple, Summit League Commissioner

• Spent five seasons as the Director of Athletics at a former member Southern Utah during the Thunderbirds' tenure in The Summit League
• Spearheaded efforts to bring The Summit League Basketball Championships to Sioux Falls where they have broken numerous attendance records and will return for their 14th consecutive year in March of 2021
• Overhauled The League’s membership since taking the leadership reins in 2006, including the addition of eight new members and the return of two former ones 
• Retiring on Oct. 1 after two decades of impactful service between his time at The Summit League (2006-2021) and Southern Utah (2001-06)

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