Photo by Jake McNeill: Southwest Minnesota State University athletics alumni (left to right) Amanda Tucci, Diane and Dave Taylor, Sara Graf, Ryan Morse and Dennis Dayhuff pose with their plaques after being inducted into the SMSU Athletics Hall of Honor on Saturday at SMSU’s Upper Level Conference Center in Marshall. SMSU also inducted Tim Miles, Paul Litwicki and the 1972-73 Swim and dive team.

MARSHALL — Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics inducted eight new members and a team into its Athletics Hall of Honor on Saturday at the Upper Level Conference Center in Marshall. The inductees included athletes Sara Graf of the volleyball team, Amanda Tucci of the softball team, Ryan Morse of the baseball team, Paul Litwicki of the football team and Denny Dayhuff of the swim and dive team. SMSU also inducted former mens basketball head coach Tim Miles, the 1972-73 swim and dive team and community members Diane and Dave Taylor.

“This weekend is truly about celebrating our past, honoring an incredible group that means so much to our institution, and reflecting on the impact that our inductees have had on so many,” SMSU Vice President for Athletics Travis Whipple said. “Tradition is a core value of our department. We’re not here without those that came before us… we want to continue to lean into that and find ways to continue to recognize excellence.”

Two of SMSU’s Class of 2026 inductees went on to play their sport at the professional level. Litwicki, a two-time All-Conference first team selection that set SMSU’s career tackles record of 485, went on to sign with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. He played for SMSU from 1974-75 and returned in 1978.

Morse, meanwhile, was selected in the 13th round of the 2005 MLB draft after earning All-NSIC honors in each of his three years playing for the Mustangs. He also threw a no-hitter during his time at SMSU and ranks second in program history in strikeouts at 190 and strikeouts per nine innings at 9.02.

Graf was a key part of SMSU volleyball’s ascent to becoming a powerhouse during her time with the team from 2006 through 2009. She was a two-time All-NSIC selection and earned an honorable mention in a third season. Her 73 set assists in a match remain the program record, as do her 4,348 career set assists and 11.2 assists per set.

Tucci spent the same four years at SMSU with the softball team, helping SMSU to four NSIC championships and four NCAA tournament appearances. She was second in program history in home runs upon her graduation with 32 and third and RBIs and walks at 125 and 77. Her play earned her an All-Region First and Second team selection in 2009 and 2007, as well as All-NSIC first team honors in each of the two seasons.

Miles took over as SMSU’s head mens basketball coach in 1997, prior to which SMSU had put together seven winning seasons in 30 years. He turned the program around rapidly, putting together four straight winning seasons with SMSU’s first-ever Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title and first-ever NCAA region title in the 2000-01 season.

After his time at SMSU, Miles took over the North Dakota State mens team for six years, led Colorado State and Nebraska to NCAA Division I tournament appearances and now serves as the San Jose State mens head basketball coach.

Dayhuff was a four-time All-NIC honoree and helped SMSU to three NIC championships. As an individual, he was an NAIA All-American in the 50-yard freestyle in 1974, medaling at the NAIA Championships three times in the event.

He was a sophomore on SMSU’s 1972-73 swim and dive team that was also inducted on Saturday. Coached by Don Palm, the namesake of the current swim and dive facility, the swim and dive team won SMSU’s first-ever conference title in any sport with three individual and three relay wins at the conference meet. The team closed the year with a 15-6 dual record and set the tone for the next five years, in which it produced five consecutive conference titles.

Dave and Diane Taylor have been long-time community supporters of SMSU athletics. The two were in attendance for SMSU’s first-ever basketball and football games and have served on SMSU’s Foundation board and as Alumni ambassadors. The two taught in the Marshall School District for a combined total of more than 60 years.