DULUTH — The best athlete in the Plante family, according to the oldest son, is heading into the University of Minnesota Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame.
Duluth native Kristi (Duncan) Plante, a standout two-sport athlete for the Bulldogs in the early ’90s, is among nine members of the Class of 2025 who will be inducted into the UMD Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 26.
Plante was an all-conference performer in both basketball and softball between 1991-95, leading both programs to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference titles. She was named UMD’s Most Outstanding Female Senior Athlete in 1995 when she captained the women’s basketball program to an NSIC championship and its first NCAA Division II North Central playoff berth. She was the NSIC’s RBI champion in softball in 1994, when she was also named all-region.
This will be the second Duluth sports hall of fame induction for Plante, who went into the Duluth East High School Hall of Fame in 2015 after earning 14 letters in volleyball, basketball and softball. She was also named all-conference in all three sports and made all-state teams in softball and volleyball.
Plante’s husband, Cloquet native Derek Plante, is also a member of the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame after a storied hockey career where he was named a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist in 1993. They have three sons, including two — Zam and Max — who will be sophomores on the Bulldogs men’s hockey team in the fall. Their youngest, Victor, is committed to UMD for the future.
It was Zam Plante on the News Tribune’s Bulldog Insider Podcast who declared his mother the best athlete last fall.
Here’s the rest of the nine-member UMD Hall of Fame Class of 2025:
Hanne Sikio, women’s hockey (1999-2003)
The Olympian from Finland and member of the UMD Women’s Hockey 25th Anniversary Team helped the Bulldogs win three-straight national championships between 2001-03 with five goals and three assists in six NCAA Frozen Four games. She’s fourth all-time at UMD in scoring with 220 career points in 123 games and third all-time in career goals with 100.
Chad Erickson, men’s hockey (1988-91)
The Minneapolis-born Warroad alum played three seasons in the UMD crease before signing an NHL contract with the New Jersey Devils after being drafted in the seventh round in 1988. He was an All-American during his sophomore season of 1989-90 and started 64 consecutive games for the Bulldogs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bob Corran, athletic director (1997-2003)
The Bulldogs won three NCAA championships, six NSIC all-sports titles and a combined 55 conference titles in the NSIC and Western Collegiate Hockey Association under Corran’s tenure, including 11 of a possible 13 conference titles during the 2002-03 season. He oversaw the addition of NCAA Division I women’s hockey at UMD and hired three coaches — Bob Nielson in football, Shannon Miller and Scott Sandelin in hockey — who would go on to win all 10 of UMD’s NCAA titles to date.
Isaac Odim, football (2008-10)
A finalist in 2009 for the Harlon Hill trophy, the All-American running back helped the Bulldogs win NCAA Division II national championships in 2008 and 2010. He holds UMD records for rushing yards in a season (1,808) and career (4,242); rushing touchdowns in a season (29) and career (72); and all-purpose yards in a game (354), season (2,496) and career (5,593). He signed an NFL deal with the San Diego Chargers after college.
Becky Hoffmann, volleyball (1999-2002)
UMD’s Outstanding Female Athlete in 2002-03 has a lot of “firsts” on her resume. She’s UMD’s first American Volleyball Coaches Association First-Team All-American, first four-time All-NSIC pick, first in NSIC history to be named MVP twice and first to captain UMD to a No. 1 ranking in the AVCA Division II poll in 2002. UMD won the NSIC title with an 18-0 record that year in league play.
Jheri Booker, women’s basketball (2008-10)
A transfer from Tennessee State who played two seasons at UMD, Booker put together a historic campaign in 2009-10 when she became the first ever in the conference to be named both NSIC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
She was also the Central Region Player of the Year that season and a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American after leading the NSIC in scoring and steals. She’s one of just five Bulldogs to be named a WBCA All-American.
Liz (Palkie) Kolquist, cross country and track and field (2006-09)
UMD’s Outstanding Senior Athlete for 2008-09 was a five-time All-American in indoor and outdoor track and field in the 800-meter run and distance medley relay. She’s one of the first two UMD women to earn All-American honors in more than one event at an NCAA championship in 2009. She was twice the national runner-up in the 800 meters and qualified for the 2007 NCAA Division II cross country championship.
Jason Malec, baseball (1982-84)
A native of Proctor, Malec was an All-NSIC pitcher in 1983 and 1984. His career earned run average of 1.39 and 124 career strikeouts are both UMD records. Malec went on to pitch for three seasons in the Minnesota Twins’ minor league system.
ADVERTISEMENT
This story was updated at 5:55 p.m. on July 23 to update that Chad Erickson was born in Minneapolis but played prep hockey at Warroad. It was originally posted at 1:11 p.m. on July 23.
The Trust Project
