Several men with area ties are heading in the South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame this weekend.

Among the honorees are former Aberdeen Central athletic director Gene Brownell, former Doland standout Jon Madsen, former Redfield standout Gene Hoffart, the late Timothy “Tim” Lloyd McMahon of Miller, Bob Graff of Onida, Greg Lanners of Clear Lake, and former Northern State wrestler Tim Steffensen of Watertown.

Others that will be inducted include Jeff Heumiller of Salem, and Greg Sayler of Minnesota.

The group will be inducted before the championship matches on Saturday at the State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Premier Center in Sioux Falls.

Here are brief bios on the area individuals.

Brownell managed 14 state wrestling tournaments as well as numerous regional tournaments. He also initiated the Lee Wolf Tournament. He was named Coach of the Year twice as well as Athletic Director of the Year twice, and was a finalist for the National High School Athletic Director of the Year.

Madsen was a five-time state qualifier and four-time state place winner for Doland, winning state titles in 1997 and 1998. He was also runner-up in 1996. He later became a three-time NCAA Division II All American. He was a national championship and also finished runner-up at the national tournament.

Hoffart was a two-time state champion for Redfield in high school where he went undefeated in 1980-81 as he scored the most points in the state and recorded the fastest pin in 46 seconds. He also had a third place finish.

McMahon, a three-time state qualifier in high school, coached in Highmore and Miller for 33 years, where he coached many state champions. His team won the 1985 State B championship and another one of his team’s placed third in 1992. He passed away in 2023.

Graff attended school in Grand Rapids, Minn. He later wrestled for Itasaca State Junior College and also at Drake University. He coached wrestling at Sully Buttes High School and later became an official. He officiated for 38 years and worked eight state tournaments.

Lanners was a standout wrestler for Clear Lake High School where he won a pair of undefeated state championships. He earned Outstanding Wrestler honors in 1979. He later coached at Hamlin and also at Clear Lake.

Steffensen who wrestled for Arlington in high school, wrestled in college for Dakota State and Northern State. Steffensen coached at Aberdeen Roncalli, Lyman and Deuel, and later began officiating. He officiated for 28 years, including at 19 state tournaments.

Full bios of all the inductees can be found in this year’s State Individual Wrestling Tournament Program.