TAHLEQUAH – The Northeastern State University Athletic Department is proud to announce its Hall of Fame Class of 2025 induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 24th, at 6 p.m. inside the Chota Event Center in Tahlequah.
The 2025 inductees are:
Eric Crawford – Men's Soccer (2011–15)
Loren Montgomery – Football (1996–99)
Rachel Sordahl – Women's Soccer (2009–12)
Baylee (Price) Williamson – Women's Golf (2014–17)
1980 Football Team
Registration is now open and available online at nsualumni.com
Full Table (8 tickets) – $450
Half Table (4 tickets) – $225
Individual Ticket – $65
Founded in 1986, the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame boasts nearly 200 inductees, including individuals and teams, who have exemplified excellence in competition, academics, and leadership.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Businesses and individuals are invited to support this year's celebration through sponsorship:
Premier Sponsor – $5,000 (1 available)
- Event recognized as "NSU Athletics Hall of Fame, Presented By [Company Name]"
- Seating for 16 guests
- Premier logo recognition on all printed materials and GoRiverHawksGo.com
- Inclusion in digital promotion and email campaigns
- Corporate display space and on-site signage
- Non-compete at presenting sponsor level
Inductee Table Sponsor – $2,500
- Company name recognition during the program
- Name listed on all printed dinner materials
- Seating for 8 guests
- Inclusion in digital promotion of the event
Table Sponsor – $1,000
- Seating for 4 guests
- Name recognition on printed dinner materials
For sponsorship inquiries or registration assistance, please contact the NSU Athletics Department or the NSU Alumni Association at nsualumni.com.
Eric Crawford – Men's Soccer (2011–15)
Eric Crawford headlined a defensive back line for the Northeastern State men's soccer team that recorded the three best defensive seasons in school history. In NSU's first season (2012) as a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), Crawford and the RiverHawks earned their first NCAA postseason berth in seven seasons, claiming a Central Region Championship and reaching the National Quarterfinals for the first time in program history.
For his efforts, Crawford was named by the United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) as an All-American. He earned a second nod following his senior season in 2015, becoming just the third NSU men's soccer player to earn the recognition twice. A seven-time All-Region First Team performer and three-time All-MIAA First Team honoree, Crawford also earned NSCAA Academic All-American honors. He was NSU's first finalist for the MIAA's Ken B. Jones Award, recognizing the league's top student-athletes. Following his playing career, Crawford served as an NSU assistant coach (2016–17), helping the RiverHawks return to the NCAA National Quarterfinals.
Loren Montgomery – Football (1996–99)
Loren Montgomery was a mainstay on the Northeastern State offensive line during the program's early NCAA Division II era, when NSU held the title of Oklahoma's winningest college football program in the 1990s. He concluded his four-year career helping lead NSU to the 1999 Division II playoff semifinals—a team later inducted into the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.
After graduating in 2000, Montgomery coached for ten seasons at Jenks High School under the late Allan Trimble, a 2017 NSU Distinguished Alumnus. He later became head coach at Bixby High School, where he has led the Spartans to ten state titles over the last eleven seasons and a state-record 58-game win streak—cementing his legacy as one of Oklahoma's most accomplished coaches. In 2023, Montgomery was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the NSU Alumni Association.
Rachel Sordahl – Women's Soccer (2009–12)
Rachel Sordahl becomes the first women's soccer student-athlete inducted into the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Sordahl ranks second all-time in program history with 41 goals and 89 total points. She also ranks among the top eight for goals in a single season and is third all-time with 13 goals as a freshman in 2009.
Sordahl's senior season in 2012 was cut short by injury after scoring eight goals in just five matches. She finished her career with 15 game-winning goals, three hat tricks, and multiple all-conference honors. In 2013, she joined the NSU coaching staff, helping guide the program to 15 wins—the most in school history for a single season.
Baylee (Price) Williamson – Women's Golf (2014–17)
Baylee (Price) Williamson remains the only NSU student-athlete to earn MIAA Player of the Year honors twice and was named MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2014. She holds the program's career-low scoring average (76.1) and owns the top single-season mark (74.4 in 2015–16).
A two-time MIAA Champion and three-time winner of NSU's home fall classic, Williamson earned All-American status in 2016 and was a four-time All-Region and All-MIAA selection. She also earned four WGCA All-America Scholar honors and was part of the 2016 team recognized with the NCAA's Highest Team GPA Award.
1980 Football Team
The 1980 Northeastern State football team was one of the most dominant in school history, finishing 11–2 and reaching the NAIA National Championship game. Under head coach
George Elliott, NSU earned its first postseason berth since 1958, recording three shutouts and setting a playoff record with seven interceptions in the quarterfinals. The RiverHawks shared the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference (OIC) title and posted wins over nationally ranked opponents Angelo State and Nebraska-Kearney en route to the championship game. Elliott was named OIC and NAIA District Coach of the Year, while the team produced multiple All-District, All-OIC, and All-American selections.
