BIG SKY RELEASE

FARMINGTON, Utah – Vandal legend John Friesz took his place among the best in conference history today, joining the inaugural class of the Big Sky Hall of Fame, Presented by Jimmy Johns.
 
Friesz was Idaho's first Walter Payton Award Winner, doing so after a magical 1989 season that also earned him Coaches' Choice 1-AA Player of the Year, Football Gazette National Offensive Player of the Year and Consensus All-America First Team.  That season, the Vandals swept the Big Sky to earn their third consecutive conference championship.
 
Friesz was Idaho's first inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame when he joined the 2006 class.  He twice led the nation in passing and was also a first team All-America selection in 1988.  He earned second team honors in 1987.  Friesz was three times selected as the Big Sky Player of the Year.
 
He went on to be drafted in the sixth round of the 1990 NFL Draft, by the San Diego Chargers.  He enjoyed an 11-year career, playing for four franchises, and was inducted into the inaugural Idaho Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
 
Hall of Fame Eligibility Criteria

• An alumnus/alumna is eligible only if he/she has participated in two (2) full seasons of competition at a Big Sky member institution and should have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to athletics at the institutional, conference and national level.
• An alumnus/alumna is eligible at any time beginning five (5) years after completing their collegiate eligibility.
• Coaches who have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to Big Sky athletics shall be eligible for recognition into the Hall of Fame after service of three (3) full years.
• Coaches must have completed their tenure as coach or have been out of the conference for at least five (5) years.
• Administrators who have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to Big Sky athletics shall be eligible for recognition into the Hall of Fame after service of three (3) full years and are immediately eligible.

The Hall of Fame Class was voted on by a committee of 15 members spanning all 11 full-time Big Sky institutions.
2020 Big Sky Hall of Fame Class (Alphabetical Order)
Jared Allen – Idaho State, Football, 1993-96
Shannon (Cate) Schweyen – Montana, Women's Basketball, 1988-92
Angela Chalmers – Northern Arizona, Women's Track & Field, 1982-87
Dave Dickenson – Montana, Football, 1992-95
Stacy Dragila – Idaho State, Women's Track & Field, 1993-96
Jack Friel – Big Sky Conference, Commissioner, 1963-71
John Friesz – Idaho, Football, 1986-89
Milton "Dubby" Holt – Idaho State, Track & Field/Administrator, 1963-79
Damian Lillard – Weber State, Men's Basketball, 2008-12
Lopez Lomong – Northern Arizona, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field, 2005-07
Ron Mann – Northern Arizona, Cross Country/Track & Field Coach, 1980-04
Ellie Rudy – Montana State, Women's Track & Field, 2004-08
Robin Selvig – Montana, Women's Basketball, 1978-2016
Jan Stenerud – Montana State, Football, 1964-66/Skiing, 1962-64