The North Park athletic department announced its 2014 Viking Hall of Fame Class this week. The inductees will be honored at a reception Friday evening, Oct. 24 during Homecoming weekend.
This year's inductees include: Bill Anderson (C'1968), Dr. John Hjelm (C'1975), Shari Hayden (C'2000), Annika Safstrom (C'2006), Brady Josephson (C'2007) and Adam Sinovic (C'2007). North Park Athletic Director Dr. Jack Surridge will emcee the Hall of Fame presentation.
Nominated by two current North Park Hall of Famers Mark Stuart and Dan McCarrell along with Brian McCaskey, Anderson served as the Vikings' head football coach from 1978-85. During his tenure, NPU recorded the second-most College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin conference victories in a season (4, 1979) as well as the most total wins under any head coach in program history (15). His 42-year coaching career spanned over two high schools and three colleges. Along with NPU, Anderson served as a coach at Illinois College and Northern Illinois University, and Springfield and Rockford Guilford High Schools. While coaching at North Park, he also was the department chair of the physical education department and was a four-year letter winner as a member of the football team during his undergraduate studies at NPU.
For the past 34 years Dr. Hjelm has served as a teacher, mentor and coach at North Park. He became a full professor in the Exercise Science department in 1995 and has been the cross country skiing sponsor of the school for the past 17 years. As an undergraduate, Hjelm was an All-CCIW swimmer and also served as the head swimming coach, tennis coach and the interim athletic director at NPU.
As one of the most outstanding track and field athletes North Park has ever produced, Shari Hayden was named the 2000 Female Athlete of the Year. She is the school record holder in multiple events, including the outdoor 100-meter hurdles (14.73 seconds), the 400- and 1600-meter relays, and is second all-time in the indoor 400-meter hurdles (63.54) and the 55-meter hurdles (8.43). A four-year letter winner for North Park, Hayden was also a two-time CCIW conference champion in the 100-meter hurdles in 1999 and 2000, and earned NCAA national qualifying spots in the indoor 55-meter hurdles three different times, the outdoor 100-meter hurdles three times and the 400-meter hurdles.
Regarded as one of the pioneers for the North Park women's rowing program, Annika Safstrom laid the groundwork for future rowing student-athletes to follow. As a three-time Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Scholar Athlete in addition to a three-time All-Mid Atlantic Athlete, Safstrom was an NPU Female Athlete of the Year finalist and a three-time Dad Vail Regatta medalist. She earned gold, silver and bronze medals as a member of the novice 4+ and varsity 4+ teams.
Recognized as NPU's Sportsperson of the Year his senior year, Brady Josephson served as a three-year captain for the baseball team. As a four-year letter winner and starter for the program, Josephson earned team MVP honors and was a four-year Academic All-CCIW selection in addition to being the 2007 Par Excellence Award recipient. A native of Alberta, Canada Josephson was also an All-CCIW Conference Second Team selection as well as an All-Central Region pick his senior year. He is the school record holder in 10 different categories and was active as a student ambassador, a member of the Chapel Team and Viking Kids Day. Since earning an MBA from the University in 2008, Josephson has worked in non-profit management, including fundraising for children in Zambia.
As a three-time All-CCIW selection, including two All-CCIW First Team selections in 2005 and 2006, Sinovic is heralded as one of North Park's best all-around student-athletes. A two-time team captain and former assistant coach for the program, Sinovic was also a three-time CCIW champion, and earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Central Region honors in 2006.
NPU's Hall of Fame induction ceremony and reception will be held in the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life.
