Athletics Hall of Fame

During Homecoming weekend, we honor student athletes and other contributors to Beaver athletics.

Register to Attend Banquet

A group of happy students and alumni

During Homecoming weekend, Buena Vista University makes its annual induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The honorees include standout student-athletes, accomplished teams, and other contributors to the stories history of Buena Vista athletics. The induction banquet will take place on Saturday evening, Oct. 10 in Siebens Forum. Register to attend banquet...

BVU Announces 2020 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

Four Buena Vista University Athletics alumni, along with one team, will be the newest additions to the university's Athletic Hall of Fame when the event takes place on Saturday, October 10, as part of Homecoming 2020 festivities.

Mike Schimp ‘86 (wrestling), Ben Smith ’01 (Football, Track & Field), Eric Bertelsen ‘09 (Football, Track & Field) and Margo (Muhlbauer) Hansen ’10 (Women's Basketball) will be the newest individuals added while the 1986 Wrestling Team will become the university's fourth team to be voted in.

Schimp was a two-time conference champion for the Beavers (1985 and 1986) and was named the league's MVP as a junior in 1985. He helped lead the program to a pair of conference tournament championships (1983 and 1986). He went on to become a two-time All-American, placing as high as fourth in 1985.

Smith shined as both a member of the football team as well as the track & field program. On the gridiron, he became one of the storied running backs in program history and still holds the single-season rushing record of 1,583 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior in 1999. Following that season he was named a First Team All-American by the Football Gazette and was the D3 All-Star Game MVP. He also succeeded in the classroom, earning First Team Academic All-American accolades as a senior. On the track, Smith was a part of the conference championship 4x200 meter relay team in 1999 and finished his career ranked in the top-10 all-time of four different events in program history. He was also a two-time academic all-conference selection.

Bertelsen was also a two-sport standout in football and track & field. During his career on the field, he had just shy of 1,000 yards receiving and tallied 10 total touchdowns. He hauled in 44 catches over his final two seasons. Most of his success came in track and field where he set 11 school records, won 16 conference titles and was named a three-time conference MVP. In addition, he went on to become a five-time NCAA All-American, including a national title in both the indoor and outdoor long jump as a senior in 2009.

Margo (Muhlbauer) Hansen solidified herself as one of the top women's basketball players in school history. In four years as a starter, she went on to score 2,058 career points which still stands as the second-highest total all-time. She's the most efficient free-throw shooter in program history at 84.5 percent while her 478 makes are also most all-time. Margo was a four-time First Team All-Conference selection and was named the Iowa Conference Most Valuable Player as a senior in 2010. She was also a two-time Honorable Mention All-American by the WBCA (2009 and 2010) and was a Jostens Award Finalist in 2010. She succeeded in the classroom as well by being named a three-time Academic All-Conference selection and a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2010.

Under the direction of current BVU Athletic Hall of Fame Coach, Al Baxter, the 1986 wrestling team became one of the most decorated team's in program history. It finished the dual season at 17-4, claimed the first of three straight conference tournament team titles before capturing a third place national finish - its highest in program history. Five individuals captured Iowa Conference titles that season while six later became All-Americans, led by Dan Dresser's national runner-up finish. Baxter was named the league's Coach of the Year for the third time.

Hall of Fame Room

In 2005, Buena Vista University dedicated the Athletics Hall of Fame Room. The room honors past athletic greatness at BVU and is located in Siebens Fieldhouse Room 114. 

The hall outside of the room on the north side of Siebens Fieldhouse honors the former athletes and coaches who have been inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame since 1969. Each inductee is featured on a plaque with an etching of their likeness, a listing of sports participated in, and year of graduation.

The room is open to all alumni and friends of the University on various occasions, including Homecoming weekend.