SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Commissioner Josh Fenton announced the Summit League's 2024 Hall of Fame Class Wednesday, which features a distinguished group of four former student-athletes. The quartet includes Keith Benson (men's basketball), Dennis Bigley (baseball), Bethany (Buell) Firsick (track and field), Nicole (Terpstra) Wondaal (softball).
Benson becomes the sixth former men’s basketball coach or player to be inducted, while Bigley is the second former baseball standout. Firsick and Wondaal are both the first honorees from their respective sports.
The quartet of honorees from the latest class joins a list of a 17 former student-athletes, coaches and administrators that comprised the first three classes announced in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
"These four former student-athletes and the impressive accomplishments each achieved while competing in our League make them deserving of this special honor," said Fenton. "Each member of the 2024 class was a champion in their respective sport and have been great ambassadors for their respective institutions well beyond their collegiate years, so we are thrilled to add them to our esteemed list of inductees."
Benson’s four-year run at Oakland yielded plenty of impressive team and individual accomplishments. The 6-foot-11 center was a two-time All-American and became the first Summit League player to be named the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year in 2010.
He was a three-time All-Summit League performer, a three-time Summit League All-Tournament Team honoree and earned back-to-back Summit League Player of the Year honors in 2010 and 2011 after leading the Grizzlies to regular season and tournament titles in each of those seasons.
For his career, Benson is one of just four Summit League players with more than 1,500 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. A second-round selection in the 2011 NBA Draft selection by the Atlanta Hawks, Benson made his NBA debut a season later with the Golden State Warriors.
Benson just retired from a professional basketball career that spanned more than a decade and included stops in a variety of countries. He was also a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and helped the Sioux Falls Skyforce win the 2016 NBA D-League Championship.
“I’m honored to be a part of the newest class of Summit League Hall of Fame inductees," said Benson. "My days as a student-athlete at Oakland provided me with life-long memories and great teammates that I am still close with to this day. I will always cherish those memories and they are always fun to reflect on.
"I’m grateful for my coaches and teammates that were by my side through it all and the lasting relationships we developed. We accomplished a lot together on the court and that’s something I’m still extremely proud of. I think a team that won and was successful will always be remembered and I’m happy about that.”
Bigley is the only student-athlete in Mid-Continent Conference or Summit League history to earn back-to-back Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors after earning both awards in 2004 and 2005. He was also named a first team All-American in 2004 and second team All-American in 2005 after leading the Golden Eagles to Mid-Continent regular season and tournament titles.
Bigley also owns the conference record for career pitcher of the week honors at 13 and career wins at 41. At the plate, Bigley was a .271 career hitter with 24 home runs and 146 RBI. His RBI total still ranks among the top 20 in league history.
Bigley spent parts of two seasons pitching in Minor League Baseball. He was drafted in the 22
nd round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays and also played in the Washington Nationals’ organization.
“It is an honor to represent Oral Roberts University in the upcoming Summit League Hall of Fame class. I'm humbled by the recognition and extremely grateful,” said Bigley. “I'm thankful for my parents in giving me the daily encouragement to pursue my dream. I'm thankful for all of the coaches that gave me every opportunity to succeed. Coaches Ryan Folmar, Ryan Neill, Rob Walton, Sunny Golloway and many others were instrumental in my growth as a baseball player from an incoming freshman to graduating senior.
“No player can have success without playing alongside fantastic teammates. When arriving as a 17 year old freshman, I quickly realized that success wouldn't come from just talent alone. Thank you to every teammate who pushed and challenged me along the way. My time at Oral Roberts was a blessing and it is exciting to see the school, coaches, and players continue to take the program to new heights.”
Firsick became the first Summit League female student-athlete to win a NCAA national championship when she captured the pole vault title at the 2013 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. She won the event with a then meet record of 4.45 meters. During her career at South Dakota,
Firsick was a five-time All-American and Summit League champion and was named the 2013 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association Outdoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
“I greatly appreciate this honor as it elevates the talent and dedication of my coach, Derek Miles, along with the recognition of my career as a pole vaulter,” said Firsick. “It was a joy to compete for South Dakota and some of my best memories are from our conference trips in the Summit League where team unity was at its highest.”
Wondaal put together a remarkable four-year run at DePaul that culminated with her leading the Blue Demons to the 1999 College World Series, which was a first for a Summit League team. She earned second team NFCA All-America honors that season and was named the Summit League Pitcher of the Year for the fourth consecutive season, which remains a conference record.
Wondaal continues to hold the league’s all-time career ERA mark at 0.98 and racked up 93 wins, which are second most all-time in the league. Wondaal was a four-time first team All-Summit League selection and capped her career by being named the 1999 Summit League Championship MVP.
“I’m grateful for my family and for my parents, who saw gifts in me and my three siblings. They challenged and supported each of us endlessly, said Wondaal. “Being inducted to the Summit League Hall of Fame is an unexpected and unbelievable honor. The league is full of amazing student-athletes, past and present, and to even be considered for this honor is beyond anything I imagined.
“I could never have experienced any level of success without all the wonderful people surrounding me during my time at DePaul. I’m forever grateful for my DePaul family.”
A nine-member selection committee representing each institution from the 2023-24 membership selected the class. Nominees for the 2024 class came from The Summit League's 30 Distinguished Contributors not already in the Hall of Fame and a list of 10 additional honored contributors that were announced during the league's 30th Anniversary celebration in the summer of 2011.
Each nominee must have achieved significant honors during his/her career within the league, on a national level, and/or in professional or Olympic competition. A webpage devoted to The Summit League Hall of Fame is housed at
www.thesummitleague.org/halloffame and includes detailed information on each inductee.
SUMMIT LEAGUE HALL OF FAME
Class of 2024
Keith Benson, Oakland (Men’s Basketball)
Dennis Bigley, Oral Roberts (Baseball)
Nicole (Terpstra) Wondaal, DePaul (Softball)
Bethany (Buell) Firsick, South Dakota (Women’s Track and Field)
Class of 2020
George Hill, IUPUI (Men's Basketball)
Pete Hovland, Oakland (Swimming and Diving)
Chen Ni, IUPUI (Women's Swimming and Diving)
Amy (Anderson) Olson, North Dakota State (Women's Golf)
Jack Whitt, Oral Roberts (Men's Track and Field)
Class of 2018
Andretti Bain, Oral Roberts (Men's Track and Field)
Kevin Duckworth, Eastern Illinois (Men's Basketball)
E.C. Hill, Northern Illinois (Women's Basketball)
Dr. Helen Smiley, Western Illinois (Administrator)
Class of 2017
Brian Anderson, Wright State (Baseball)
Tony Bennett, Green Bay (Men's Basketball)
Bryce Drew, Valparaiso (Men's Basketball)
Dr. Homer Drew, Valparaiso (Men's Basketball)
F.L. "Frosty" Ferzacca, Mid-Continent Conference (Administrator)
Caleb Green, Oral Roberts (Men's Basketball)
Krista Ragan-Binam, Oral Roberts (Women's Basketball)
Anita Rapp, Oakland (Women's Soccer)
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