Owatonna High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class for 2017 Revealed

The 2017 class of the OHS athletic hall of fame includes a longtime coach, former activities director and three athletes. Their induction will take place September 8.

Former activities director and principal Jim Herzog is still a regular spectator at Owatonna athletic and fine arts events. He was AD for six years and spent 10 years as OHS principal, according to the news release from the OHS athletic hall of fame committee. It also states that Herzog, "promoted a balanced program for boys and girls with equal opportunities and equitable sharing of facilities as activities director."

Ron Phillips spent nearly two decades as the OHS girls and boys tennis coach. The 1992 girls team captured second place at the state meet, one of three trips to state for the girls. The 1987 boys also made a state meet appearance. OHS won five Big Nine girls and boys titles under Phillips, who was named the 1996 Minnesota state tennis coach of the year.

1966 graduate Marshall Wright earned eight letters and four all conference awards between football, wrestling and baseball for the Indians. He captained the football and wrestling teams his senior year and was an All-State defensive lineman in 1965. Wright took fourth place at the state wrestling tournament in 1966. He was named the junior and senior athlete of the year at OHS and played football and wrestled at the University of North Dakota. Wright taught and coached in Owatonna and was a longtime official for football, wrestling and volleyball.

Tricia Hoffman is a 1993 graduate who lettered in volleyball, basketball, softball and track, earning five all-conference awards. She was a member of back-to-back Big Nine title basketball teams, including the team that advanced to state in 1992, the first-ever section title for the girls. Hoffman started for three seasons on the Luther basketball team. She coached several OBA and OHS teams.

Nicole McCann, a 2004 graduate, ran away with 11 all-conference awards in cross country and track, plus seven All-State awards. McCann won numerous Big Nine titles individually and was a member of five team titles. She ran at the state true team meet three times. McCann was the junior athlete of the year in 2003.

A reception for new members of the hall of fame is scheduled for 3PM Friday, September 8, at the high school commons area. The public is invited. An official induction will take place during the football game against Rochester Mayo that night.

The OHS athletic hall of fame began in 1995 and will grow to 115 members with the newest class.