Gene Brownell, Jim Fuller and Tom McGough are among the South Dakota Cross Country Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductees.

They will be honored at this year’s state track and field meets on Saturday, May 29: Brownell and Fuller in Sturgis, and McGough in Spearfish.

Other inductees include Connie and John Nyhaug, who will be honored in Rapid City, and Dan Fitzsimmons who will be honored in Sturgis.

Here is a bio for the inductees with local ties:

Gene Brownell – Aberdeen Central  —  49 years  (retired)

Gene Brownell spent forty-nine years in public education; twenty-six (26) as a teacher and coach and twenty-three (23) as an athletic administrator. Forty-four of those years were at Aberdeen Central High School.

During the coaching year’s Brownell’s cross country and track & field teams were winners of six Eastern South Dakota Athletic Conferences team titles. Individually, the ESD champions came in eighteen of the nineteen events in the sport. Brownell coached more than one hundred All-ESD performers. In addition, the Golden Eagles teams won   multiple regional track & field championships.

At the state level Brownell’s teams finished consistently in the top five in the team standings, the highest finish was the 1998 team finishing second. State champions came in multiple relay and individual events. At one time the Golden Eagles held the All-Time State Record in two events – the 4×100 relay and the triple jump at the state track & field meet.

Coach Brownell’s honors and awards include:       

South Dakota High School Coaches Association Girls Track & Field COTY =  1995 & ‘96

South Dakota High School Coaches Association Athletic Director COTY =  2004 & ‘11

South Dakota High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame =  2017

South Dakota High School Activities Association Distinguished Service Award =  2013

South Dakota Cross Country Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame =  2021

Coach Brownell’s South Dakota High School Activities Association event results:

Girls Track & Field State “AA” Championships =  1998 runner-up

Eastern South Dakota Conference Championships = 6

Jim Fuller — Doane University – Northern State University – Central College  /  36 years (active)

Jim Fuller was hired as a track & field assistant at Doane College in 1985 after the completion of his competitive career there. Coaching is a family affair for the Fullers, Jim’s wife Brenda, was the Head Assistant Track and Field Coach at Northern State for all of Fuller’s 24 years at the institution, serving as the throw coach and receiving numerous recognitions, including being inducted into the Northern State University Hall of Fame with Jim in 2020.

Today Fuller and his wife continue to coach collegiately at Central College, an NCAA Div III school in Pella, Iowa, where his success as a coach has continued. Jim’s family includes; his wife Brenda, their children Tyler, Aaron and Drew and   their granddaughters Madison and Mackenzie.

Coach Fuller’s honors and awards while at Northern State include :

Selected to the Northern State University Athletic Hall of Fame 2020

Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year = 11 times — 6 Tr&F – 5 XC

SDCCTFCA College Coach of the Year 5 times

NCAA Div II Cross Country Coaches Association President, 1st VP, 2nd VP

Referee NAIA National Meet, Head Referee, Track Referee, Field Referee, Multi Event Referee

South Dakota Cross Country Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame =  2021

Coached Athletes to 54 NAIA/NCAA Div II All-Americans Awards (36-NAIA / 18-NCAA II)

Coached 217 Athletes to 815 NSIC All-Conference Awards (CC / Track and Field)

Coached 30 athletes who earned 51 Academic All-American Awards (CC / Track and Field)

Coached 41 teams that earned National (NAIA or NCAA Div II) Team Academic Awards

Coached 15 athletes who earned 27 NSIC MVP Awards (CC / Track and Field)

Coached 6 NSIC Championship Teams and 43 NSIC Runner-up Teams

Coached 19 NSU Hall of Fame Athletes

Coach Fuller’s honors and awards while at Central College include:

USTFCCCA NCAA Div III National Assistant Coach of the Year 2018 Men’s Indoor Track

USTFCCCA NCAA Div III Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year 2018 and 2019

Coached 2 athletes to 5 NCAA Div III Individual National Championships

Coached 1st and 3rd ranked All Time NCAA Div III Men’s Heptathlon Athletes

Coached 2nd ranked All Time NCAA Div III Men’s Decathlon Athlete

Tom McGough – 46-yrs / Miller, Bowdle, Doland, Langford

Tom McGough graduated from Stanley County High School in 1969 and attended junior college at the University of North Dakota – Ellendale Branch, graduating in 1971. He then attended Northern State College, graduating in 1974.  For seven years, Tom taught and coached in Langford, Bowdle, and Doland before accepting his long-time career position at Miller High School.

Head coaching positions held by Tom include; GBB (1), GTr&F (40), GXC (35) and BBB (10), BTr&F (38), BXC (35). He has also served as assistant coach for; GTr&F (7), GVB (1) and BFB (9), BBB (2), BTr&F (7). Tom continues coaching Cross Country and Tr&F.

All the honors and successes Tom has enjoyed are shared with his wife Rosemary, children Jodie and Chad, and his eight grandchildren. He is also grateful for all the coaches and athletes with whom he has worked.

Coach McGough’s honors and awards include:

South Dakota High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame =  2019

Northern State University Hall of Fame / Kretchman Coaching Award =  2010

Northern State University Hall of Fame / Royal Order of the Gyps COTY =  2004

Stanley County High School Athletic Hall of Fame =  2016

Miller High School Hall of Fame / 1989 Boys Tr&F Team (State Champs) =  2017

NHSACA Circle of Champions Coach of the Year = 2002

South Dakota High School Coaches Association Boys Cross Country COTY =  2002

SDHSCA Victory Club =  Cross Country (2003)  /  Track & Field (2001)

National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year Finalist = BXC (2007, ’13, ’18),  GXC (2005),  BTr&F (2016),  GTr&F (2010)

South Dakota Cross Country Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame =  2021

Coach McGough’s South Dakota High School Activities Association event results:

Boys Tr&F State “A” Championships =  8 Top 8 finishes, including 3rd ‘91, 4th ’90, ’92, ’96, ‘04

Boys Tr&F Region 6A Champions = ’89, ’90, ’91, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’98, ’05, ’06, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’12, ’16, ‘17

Boys Tr&F Conference Champions =  Central = 19, Big Dakota = 2, Lake Region = 1

Girls Tr&F State Championships =  5 Top 8 finishes, including  2nd ‘00, 3rd ’99

·Girls Tr&F Region 6A Champions = (Class B ’81), ’92, ’93, ’94, ’96, ’99, ’00, ’06, ’07, ’09, ’12, ’13

Girls Tr&F Conference Champions = Central = 12, Lake Region 1

Boys XC State “A” Championships = 11 Top 8 finishes, including 2nd ’02, 3rd ’03

Boys XC Region 6A Champions = 2004, ’06, ’13, ‘20

Boys XC Conference Champions =  Central = 12, Southeastern SD = 5, Big Dakota = 4

Girls XC State “A” Championships =  2 Top 8 finishes, including  4th ’05, 8th ’04

Girls XC Region 6A Championships = 2004 Runner-up

SDCCTFCA State “A” Track & Field Combined Champions = 1996

Coach McGough’s Service to Coaching:

2007-13 – SDHSAA – Cross Country and Track & Field Advisory Committee – Class A Coach

2006-07 – SDCCTFCA – Vice President  /  2007-08 – SDCCTFCA – President

12 years – SDCCTFCA – Area Director  /  10 years – Coordinator of Area Directors

19 years – SDCCTFCA – All-American Circle of Champions Coach of the Year Selection Committee