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CORNELL — Three natives of Marquette County are among the 10 inductees in the Class of 2025 being installed into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in May.

Former Ishpeming High School coach Jeff Olson, retired high school and college basketball and football official David St. Onge, and influential skier Jeannie Thoren will be honored at the UPSHF induction banquet scheduled for Saturday, May 10, at the Island Resort and Casino in Harris that includes a meal and ceremony.

The other seven Class of 2025 inductees are James “Jamie” Angeli of Iron River, Nick Baumgartner of Iron River, Rachel (Folcik) McClure of Carney-Nadeau, Lesley (Noel) Delvaux of Escanaba, Denise Porath of Escanaba, John Prokos of Escanaba and Barb Sickler of Lake Linden-Hubbell.

David St. Onge

Reservations for the 53rd annual UPSHF induction banquet are now being accepted. Banquet reservations are $40 per person with the event opening with a social hour at 5 p.m. EDT followed by a brief introduction and dinner served at 6 p.m. The induction ceremony follows dinner.

For more information or to reserve a seat, call one of these UPSHF council members — DeeJay Paquette in Munising at 906-387-4673, Dan Hinch in Iron River at 906-458-8536, Don Gustafson in St. Ignace at 906-298-0174, Cathy Shamion in Ironwood at 906-364-0961 or Anne Okonek in Cornell at 906-280-2587.

Deadline for making reservations is April 23, and council members encourage UPSHF inductees from previous years to also attend.

A block of rooms at the Island Resort has been reserved for Friday and Saturday nights of induction weekend for those interested in staying overnight. To book a room, call the Island at 1-800-682-6040 and make sure to tell them you’re attending the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame banquet to obtain their special rate. Those reservations for rooms must be made by next Saturday, March 29.

For those interested in nominating a future UPSHF candidate, look online at the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame website at www.upshf.com and check under the “About” menu for a nominating form and further information. Nominations are due annually by June 1.

Jeannie Thoren

Olson was varsity football coach at Ishpeming for 27 years, winning three state championships in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and appearing in two other state finals games. He also won five regional championships and 12 district championships in Michigan High School Athletic Association football tournaments.

He was named state coach of the year four times, U.P. coach of the year four times and regional coach of the year nine times, according to a news release from the UPSHF. He was selected to coach the U.P. All-Star Game a dozen times and the state all-star game in 2018.

Olson also coached Ishpeming basketball at various levels for 30 years, earning a varsity district championship as a head coach, and coached track for 11 years.

St. Onge spent 53 years officiating high school and college basketball games, many seasons officiating around 70 games that included girls and boys high school as well as college games. He also officiated state championship games for both boys and girls high school basketball.

St. Onge was selected to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame in 2010.

Ishpeming head football coach Jeff Olson, far left, stands with his team lined up and awaiting pregame introductions for the MHSAA Division 7 state championship game held at Ford Field in Detroit on Nov. 28, 2015. The Hematites would capture their third title in four years with a 22-16 victory over Pewamo-Westphalia. (Photo courtesy Andy Hill)

He also officiated football for 24 years, mentored young officials and worked numerous U.P. all-star games.

Thoren was named among the 100 most influential skiers of the last century by Ski Magazine and is known and respected around the globe as the catalyst for women’s involvement in any and all things related to skiing.

Before Thoren, ski equipment was designed by men for men. Called a crusader in women’s skiing, she had the courage to insert herself into an industry resistant to considering the differences in the female form. Her Thoren Theory simply states: “Women are not small men, they need different ski equipment.”

From building the first women’s-specific ski with a forward binding location in Austria (Blizzard Skis 1986) to working with Dynastar in France to design its exclusive Carve Ski (2007 Gear of the Year Award), Thoren’s commitment to innovation for women’s-specific gear on the slopes has never wavered.

In 2009, Thoren’s Women’s Ski Center opened in Vail, Colorado.

Ishpeming High School head football coach Jeff Olson walks out onto the Hematites' field with several of his players, acknowledging a waving fan and former Northern Michigan University and Michigan Tech University football coach Bernie Anderson, at right in white cap, before a game against Iron Mountain on Aug. 28, 2015. (Journal photo by Elizabeth Bailey)

Story contents based on an Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame press release from Executive Secretary Anne Okonek. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.