Mount Marty Announces 2019 Athletic Hall Of Fame Class
January 22, 2019
Three athletes, one contributor and one team will be honored with induction into the Mount Marty College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019. MMC announced the class on Friday.
Five-sport star Kathleen (Velder) Sobotka (1972-76), former men’s basketball players Matt Giever (1996-2000) and Monte Lowe (1976-80), and contributor and employee Patrick Frank will be honored. The 1985-86 women’s basketball team, the first MMC women’s basketball team to qualify for the NAIA Tournament, will also be inducted.
Introductions are set for halftime of the men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 2, at Laddie E. Cimpl Arena. The induction ceremony is set for June 21.
Here is a look at the honorees
Patrick Frank
Frank is a longtime supporter, employee, and fixture of the Lancer Athletic Department and Mount Marty College. He started working at Mount Marty College as part of a work study program his senior year of high school, and has been part of the college ever since. He takes particular pride in the work he does as the videographer for the department.
It would likely be impossible to find an athlete in the last 18 years that would not be able to speak fondly of Frank with a big smile. His personality and hospitality is a big part of the face of Lancer Athletics.
Matt Giever
He started out his career as a sometimes-used freshman, and then became the spark off the bench, that is so important for a complete team; for one of the greatest teams in Lancer history his second season. He finished his career as one of the all-time great men’s basketball players. Three of the seasons with the Lancers the team was rated in the nation.
A graduate in 2000, Giever was named All-Conference his last two seasons with the Lancers. After averaging 20 points and six rebounds a game his senior season, he was named 2nd Team All-American and was voted the SDIC Most Valuable Player by the coaches. He was also named to the South Dakota All-College Team.
Monte Lowe
Lowe graduated (1980) as a four year starter on the team that was the most successful four year period of Lancer basketball, winning 80 games, including three 20+ win seasons. He was a starter as a freshman on the first Lancer athletic team to qualify for the NAIA National Tournament.
He was known as the stopper on defense, always drawing the opponent’s best offensive player, not matter the position the opponent played. He was voted as Mr. Hustle and Mr. Defense all four years by his teammates, and was the team captain as a senior.
Kathleen (Velder) Sobotka
One of the pioneers in Lancer women’s athletics, Sobotka, a 1976 graduate, participated in five sports in her tenure at Mount Marty College. She starred in volleyball, basketball, softball, track, and field hockey at a time when women’s athletics was looking to gain a foothold in the collegiate sporting world, and she was instrumental part of this movement at Mount Marty.
Statistics were incomplete, but both teammates and coaches mentioned that she was highly skilled, outstanding player who was also humble and unassuming.
1985-86 Women’s Basketball
The 1985-86 Lancer basketball team was the first year a Mount Marty women’s team was invited to the NAIA National Tournament. First year Head Coach Warren Anderson played a very tough schedule to prepare the team, finishing the season 24-8, despite not having a true home court and just 11 players.
The team broke 23 team and individual records during the year, and won the NAIA District 12 and Bi-District Championships to earn their spot in the 16-team national field.