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Judd Benedick (Football: 1991-1994)
A menace to opposing offenses, Judd Benedick remains one of the greatest defenders to don the Lute uniform, making three appearances in the NAIA National Championship Game. The linebacker started all 50 games in his four-year career, helping the Lutes amass a 43-6-1 record on the gridiron, winning the NAIA Division II National Championship in 1993 while also making title game appearances in 1991 and 1994. A three-time All-Conference selection, Benedick was a big reason for the Lutes' dominance within the Columbia Football Association, capturing league titles in 1992, 1993, and 1994 while finishing his career with a 20-1 mark in CFA action.
A two-time team captain, Benedick tallied 282 tackles in his career which still sits third on the PLU career tackles list. Benedick was a Second Team NAIA All-American in 1993, helping the Lutes to a 12-0-1 record that was capped off with a 50-20 win over Westminster in the national title game. Benedick again earned Second Team NAIA All-American honors in 1994 while also earning First Team Little Northwest Football. Benedick capped off his career at PLU by winning the Jack Hewins Man of the Year Award during the 1994-1995 academic year.
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Randall Stradling (Men's Tennis: 1984, 1986-1988)
A dominant force on the tennis court, Randall Stradling enters the Hall of Fame after racked up three singles championships while at PLU, winning over 70 percent of his matches. Stradling made an immediate impact on campus for the Lutes in 1984, winning the Northwest Conference singles championship and the consolation doubles hardware, helping the Lutes win the team title. Stradling racked up 25 wins in singles in his debut season, helping the Lutes win the district title before placing 11th as a team at the NAIA National Championships.
Stradling returned to the top of the conference in 1987, repeating as NWC singles champion before finishing runner-up in both singles and doubles at the NAIA District Championships. He finished the season with a career-high 26 wins in singles and 22 in doubles, helping PLU finish 17th at nationals after advancing to the fourth round of the tournament. Stradling tallied his third NWC title in 1988 while placing second in doubles with teammate Jonathan Schultz. He finished his senior campaign with a 21-4 record in singles play and helped the team finish 20th at the national championships.
Stradling graduated as the winningest player in program history, amassing 86 wins in singles play in his four years on campus, finishing with an 86-35 career mark.
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Denise Bruce (Track & Field: 1984-1987)
One of the greatest field athletes in PLU history, Denise Bruce enters the Hall of Fame after a star-studded career on the high jump apron. Bruce captured two NAIA national titles and was a four-time conference champion for the Lutes, helping the team win four consecutive conference titles. Bruce's performances in the high jump have stood the test of time with her career-best clearance of five feet, nine inches, remaining tied for the school record.
Bruce made an immediate impact for the Lutes, claiming a conference title in her first year on campus, capping off her debut season with a trip to the NAIA National Championships. Her sophomore campaign included another conference title along with a NAIA District I title, helping the Lutes secure their first district team championship. Bruce again capped off the season at Nationals, finishing eighth in the high jump.
She would again win conference and districts as a junior in 1986 before leaping the record tying 5' 9" at the NAIA Championships in Russellville, Arkansas to secure her first national title. The 1987 season was a carbon copy of the year before, winning conference, districts, and her second consecutive NAIA title while also securing NAIA Academic All-American honors.
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Tim Daheim (Golf and Swimming: 1980-1984)
A standout in two sports, Tim Daheim enters the PLU Hall of Fame for exploits on the golf course and in the swimming pool.
Daheim was a three-time NAIA All-American in the pool while winning nine individual Northwest Conference Championships and helping the Lutes capture four straight NWC team titles. Daheim was simply dominant in both the 1,650-yard freestyle and 400-yard individual medley, winning the NWC title in both events all four seasons, including establishing a conference record in the 400 IM (4:22.4) while also winning the 500-yard freestyle title in 1983. Daheim finished the season as an All-American in 1982, 1983, and 1984.
On the golf course Daheim helped the Lutes win a pair of Northwest Conference titles, hoisting the team title in both 1983 and 1984 while earning medalist honors at the 1984 championship. Daheim logged a top 10 finish at the 1984 NAIA District 1 Championships, helping PLU win the team title by 21 strokes over Central Washington before closing the year by finishing 14th as a team at the NAIA Championships in Bay City, Michigan.
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Jan Borcherding (Women's Basketball: 1974-1978)
One of the early stars of the Lute women's basketball program, Borcherding made an immediate impact from day one on the hardwood.
Borcherding was a key component for the Lutes in 1975, helping the team to an 11-5 record and the program's first ever regional title, winning the NCWSA Basketball Tournament. She tallied 35 points in a semifinal victory over rival Puget Sound, the third win over the Loggers that season, before edging Flathead Valley CC 55-54 for the tournament title. Borcherding's contributions couldn't be understated, averaging 23.3 points per game in the Lutes' three wins at the tournament.
She led the Lutes back to the NCWSA Tournament Championship game the following season in 1976, dropping 25 points in a 55-52 semifinal upset of Gonzaga before falling to Eastern Montana in the finals. In 1977, Borcherding poured on 20 points in an opening round win over Rocky Mountain leading the Lutes back to the NCWSA Tournament Championship Game for the third consecutive season and helping PLU finish with a 13-9 record. The Lutes missed the NCWSA Tournament in 1978 but it wasn't due to Borcherding's efforts, scoring 35 of the team's 45 points against Alaska, collecting 27 points against Washington, and 23 against Seattle Pacific.
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Jon Rubey (Football: 1991-1994)
A feared defender, 2017 Hall of Fame Inductee Jon Rubey started all 50 games of his college career. His time with the Lutes included three appearances in the NAIA National Championship Game along with three Columbia Football Association titles (1992, 1993, and 1994). Rubey's exploits have stood the test of time as he remains the only player in program history to record over 300 tackles in a career, still topping the record books with 333. The linebacker additionally still sits seventh in career sacks with 23.
Rubey earned First Team All-Conference and Second Team Little All-Northwest in 1992 and was Second Team All-Conference in 1993. He was a force in the NAIA Division II National title game in 1993, terrorizing the Westminster offense all day, finishing with 13 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble and recovery. His efforts helped the Lutes win 50-20, capping off the season as national champions with a 12-0-1 record. His final season in 1994 included Second Team Little All-Northwest accolades. His time on the gridiron saw the Lutes compile a 43-6-1 record, including a 20-1 mark in Columbia Football Association play.
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