One team and three individuals will be inducted into the Midland University Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony Friday, Oct. 18th at the Wikert Event Center.

The 2013-14 Men’s basketball team will be honored, along with Mackenzie Scheef-Coufal ’14, Branden Brown ’14, and Stacey (Howard) Damme ’03. 

The Hall of Fame Ceremony will also include presentation of the Petrow and Bracker Awards for Outstanding Male and Female Student Athletes. Honorees are Roni Foote and Aliyah Rincon (Softball), and Ross McMahon (Track & Field).

2013-14 Men’s Basketball Team

Under the guidance of Coach Todd Eisner, this team became the first, and only, Warrior men’s team to advance to the NAIA Division II national championship game. Coming off a 26-5 regular season, the Warriors rolled to victories in their first four games of the NAIA tourney, including a 100-61 romp of Robert Morris in the national semifinals. Indiana Wesleyan halted the Warriors’ title bid with a 78-68 victory in the title game as Midland ended the season with a 30-6 record and a No. 2 national ranking. Eisner was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year while Galen Gullie and Ben Imig were both recognized on the NAIA All-Tournament team. Midland’s 30 victories remain a school record.

Mackenzie Scheef-Coufal

Coufal ’14 was a four-year member of the Warriors’ volleyball squad from 2010-13. In her senior season, Coufal helped guide the Warriors to a 37-5 record and a spot in the Elite Eight of the NAIA National Tournament. She was named a second team All-American that season, as well as earning All-GPAC honors and ACVA All-Region honors. She finished that season with 466 kills, helping her surpass the 1,000 mark for her career. She was also named to the second team of the All-GPAC team her junior year and was a team captain for three seasons. Following her senior season, she was recognized with the Bracker Award, given to the outstanding female athlete. A native of Syracuse, Nebraska, Coufal now lives in Wisner, Nebraska, where she works as a lead website designer/social media creator/marketing associate for Heritage Vet Partners in West Point. Mackenzie and her husband, Derek, have three children all under the age of six.

Midland memory - “I had made plans to attend Dana College after high school, but those plans changed when Dana closed that summer. Upon visiting Midland a couple weeks later, I felt a calmness which led me to believe becoming a Warrior was the new path I would follow. I still remember the day I met with Coach (Paul) Giesselmann. After leaving that meeting, I looked at my mom and knew this was a coach who had a strong knowledge of the game. My four years at Midland provided a well-rounded education, and allowed me to grow in my confidence and ability to lead others.”

Branden Brown

Brown ’12 was a four-year member of the Midland gridiron squad from 2008-11, earning first team All-GPAC honors in 2009 and 2011. He was also a two-time team captain and winner of the Petrow Award (Outstanding Male Athlete at Midland) his senior year. In his final season, he recorded four interceptions to go along with 49 tackles and a sack. A native of California, Brown graduated with a degree in criminal justice and began a career in law enforcement that he remains in today. Now living in Ankeny, Iowa, Brown currently serves as a Deputy United States Marshal for the U.S. Marshal Service. He and his wife, Brianna, are the parents of four children, ages eight and younger.

Midland memory - “I was in total shock when I moved from San Diego to attend school in Fremont. The culture was completely different than what I was used to. I remember coach (Casey) Thiele would always yell, ‘bad weather football, I love it.’ I remember thinking he was crazy when he said that, but the Midwest life has made me tough. I love the Midwest, and now call it home. Coach Thiele was a great football coach and was always positive and a great encourager. While at Midland, I made great friendships that have stood the test of time.”

Stacey (Howard) Damme

Damme ’03 was a four-year competitor on the Midland tennis team and two years on the basketball squad. She was a four-time recipient of the GPAC Player of the Year on the tennis court, helping guide the 2003 squad to the NAIA National Tournament. A nursing major, Damme has spent the past 21 years as a labor and delivery RN, most recently at Lakeside Hospital in Omaha. Now living in Omaha, Damme and her husband, Ben, are the parents of five children, ranging in ages from 5 to 17. 

Midland memory - “I look back on my years at Midland with great appreciation and happiness. Midland allowed me to continue my athletic adventures at a college level, and the relationships developed through athletics will forever be a highlight of my time at Midland. Academically and professionally, Midland is where I grew up as a nurse. I’m very grateful to Midland and the people who invested in me along the way. But the greatest blessing I received at Midland was, and is, my husband, Ben. Meeting him and getting to do life with my best friend over the past 20 years has been an amazing adventure.”