LETHBRIDGE – As the calendar turns to 2022, Pronghorn Athletics is excited to announce the induction of three new members into the Pronghorn Hall of Fame and will celebrate the new inductions in 2022.
Southern Alberta products Danny Balderson (Basketball) and Jim Steacy (Track and Field) will be entering in the athlete category. While the 1985-86 Pronghorn women's basketball team will be inducted into the team category.
During the first weekend of Canada West action in 2022, Pronghorn Athletics will honour these three new inductees during the half time of the Pronghorn men's basketball game on January 22
nd.
"This group of inductees characterize all of the attributes we want Pronghorn Athletics to be identified with," said Athletic Director Neil Langevin. "I was lucky enough to watch Danny and the 85-86 Women's Basketball team and have known Jim since he was a young high school athlete and have been amazed with all of them. Congratulations to them all and THANK YOU for being great exemplars for our current athletes."
The
1985-86 women's basketball team became the first Pronghorn women's basketball team to qualify for the national tournament and win a medal.
Team members: Lorraine Beaudin, Kathleen Brewin, Stacey French, Dawn Fry, Margie Gal, Sharon Hamilton, Sheila Hirch, Ingeborg Pot, Dori Rodzinyak, Jodie Savage, M.J. Sorensen, Pauline Van Roessel. Head Coach Louisa Zerbe, Assistant Coach Cal O'Brien, Manager Bonnie Gostola.
Following a third place finish during the Canada West regular season, the Pronghorns hosted the Canada West Championship Tournament, beating the University of Alberta Pandas 68-53 in the semifinal to punch their ticket to the conference final. In the Canada West Championship game, the Pronghorns lost to the defending CIAU Champion Victoria Vikes, 68-57, but would qualify for the first ever CIAU Championships hosted in Winnipeg.
At the first national championship for the program, the Pronghorns would first face the Quebec Champion, McGill Martlets and would advance with a 66-61 win.
Facing the undefeated Ontario Champion in the semifinal, University of Toronto, the Pronghorns would fall to the eventual CIAU Champion Varsity Blues by a close 84-78 margin. However, the Pronghorns would not come home empty handed, rebounding in the bronze medal game with an 81-73 victory over Lakehead to claim their first and only national medal for the women's basketball program.
Individual accolades from the 1985-86 season:
Sharon Hamilton led the Pronghorns in scoring that season, while being named a Canada West First Team All-Star and a CIAU Second Team All-Canadian.
Dori Rodzinyak was named a Canada West Second Team All-Star, a Canada West Tournament All-Star and a CIAU Tournament All-Star.
Ingeborg Pot was named a Canada West Tournament All-Star.
Magrath, Alberta product
Danny Balderson was a standout on the hardwood for five seasons with the Pronghorn men's basketball team, and was a key cog in a three-year run from 1997-2000, that saw the Pronghorns finish among the best teams in Canada West each year.
Joining the Pronghorns for the 1993-94 season, Balderson had an immediate impact, finishing second in team scoring while being named both the Canada West and CIS Rookie of the year; it was just a glimpse into the start of an outstanding university career.
Balderson was twice named the Canada West Player of the Year, including in his final season where he led the Pronghorns to an 18-2 record and earned his first CIAU Player of the year award. During that season, the Pronghorns spent seven weeks ranked as the top team in Canada.
Over 20 years since his final game in Pronghorn blue and gold, Balderson still remains as the programs all-time leading scorer with 2000 points, which is ranked 10
th best all-time in Canadian university sport history.
Danny Balderson Accomplishments
- Mike Moser Memorial Trophy (CIS Outstanding Player) in 1999-00
- Dr. Peter Mullins Trophy (CIS Rookie of the Year) in 1993-94
- First Team All-Canadian in 1997-98 and 1999-00
- Second Team All-Canadian in 1998-99
- CIS All-Rookie Team in 1993-94
- Canada West Player of the Year in 1997-98 and 1999-00
- Canada West Rookie of the Year in 1993-94
- Canada West First Team All-Star in 1994-95 and 1997-98 and 1998-99 and 1999-00
- Lethbridge Male Athlete of the Year in 1997-98 and 1999-00
- Lethbridge Men's Basketball Team MVP in 1994-95 and 1999-00
- Pronghorn all-time leading scorer – 2000 points – 5th on Canada West scoring list
- Pronghorn highest points per game – 20.4 ppg
- Pronghorn all-time leader in three pointers made - 239
- Pronghorn all-time leader in free throws made - 435
Arguably one of the most dominant track and field athletes to ever compete in Canadian university sport, Lethbridge product
Jim Steacy rewrote the Canada West record book over his five years with the Pronghorns.
Steacy joined the program in the fall of 2002 and was an instant sensation in the throwing circle, winning the Canada West and CIS weight throw titles as a freshman.
Over his five competitive seasons (2002-05, 2006-07 and 2008-09) Steacy went undefeated in the weight throw (2003,2004,2005,2007,2009) winning both the Canada West and CIS events each year, while also breaking the conference and national record every season.
In addition to his prowess in the weigh throw, he also earned four conference and national shot put medals, which included a three-year reign as the throws king in the CIS. During the 2005, 2007 and 2009 Canada West and CIS track seasons, Steacy won gold in both weight and shot put events.
His list of accolades is extensive at the University, being named the Pronghorn Male Athlete of the Year in all five of his seasons. He is a three-time CIS Field Athlete of the Year (2004, 2005, 2007), five-time Canada West Field Athlete of the Year, 2003 Canada West and CIS Rookie of the Year and won the 2007 Canada West Student-Athlete and Community award.
Internationally, Steacy represented Canada numerous times, including being a two-time Olympian (2008 – Beijing, 2012 – London). He also represented Canada at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, Francophone Games, and Unviersiade. He is still the Canadian record holder in the hammer throw.
Jim Steacy Accomplishments:
- Five-Time Pronghorn Male Athlete of the Year
- Named Top Pronghorn Athlete of the first 50 years
- Five-time CW Weight throw Gold medal - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, & 2009
- Five-Time CIS Weight throw Gold medal, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009
- Canada West Shot put Champion – 2005, 2007 & 2009 – Silver 2004
- CIS Shot Put Gold medal - 2005 & 2007, 2009- Silver 2004
- Canada West Field Athlete of the year – 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, & 2009
- CIS Field Athlete of the Year – 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009
- CW and CIS Rookie of the Year – 2003
- Canada West Student Athlete and Community Award - 2007
- Holds the CW & CIS Weight throw records – Set new record in weight throw each of his five years
- Undefeated versus Canadian University competitions in weight throw (five years)
- Canadian Record holder – Hammer throw – 79.13 meters
- Two-time Olympian – 2008 – Beijing & 2012 London
- Two-time Commonwealth Games medalist – 2006 (Silver), 2014 (Gold)
- Two-time World Championships participant
- Pan American Junior Championship Gold Medalist – 2003
- 2004 NACAC U-23 Championship medalist – Hammer (Gold) & Discus (Bronze)
- Francophone Games Gold Medalist – 2005
- 2007 Pan American Games Gold Medalist – hammer throw
- 2009 Universiade silver medalist – hammer throw
