Utah State University's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame this year welcomed seven new inductees, including three football standouts, two All–American track athletes, one of the best players in men's basketball history and a legendary wrestling coach.

The inductees include: Bob Carlson, the winningest wrestling coach in school history; Greg Grant, who was Utah State's all–time leading scorer for 22 years; Dave Kragthorpe, one of the greatest offensive linemen to ever wear the Utah State uniform; Tom Larscheid, an outstanding running back and kick returner; Alisa Nicodemus, a long distance runner who earned All–America honors three times; John Pappas, a productive quarterback; and Ralph Roylance, who was the first track athlete in school history to earn All–America honors. A total of 50 individuals and one team have now been inducted into the Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame.

One of his greatest Aggie memories was always beating BYU— and the chance to be his brother's teammate for a year.

Greg Grant

Of the many standout Aggie basketball players in Utah State history, Greg Grant is one of the greatest.

For 22 years, Grant held the school career scoring record with 2,127 points and was a dominating presence in the Big West Conference from 1983–1986. At the time he graduated, Grant joined Aggie great Wayne Estes as the only USU hoopsters to score more than 2,000 points in a career. How could he not be a part of the 2009 Utah State University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Class?

“It's really neat, a great honor to be recognized for something you did so many years ago,” Grant said.

What he did so many years ago was set a slew of records that stand in the USU books even today.

The 6–foot–7–inch forward is the all–time USU steals leader (226), ranks second in field goals made (852) and second in field goals attempted (1,604). As if that weren't enough, Grant is also second all–time in rebounding (1,003) and seventh in assists (308).

Because of his heroics on the court, Grant's jersey, No. 5, was retired in 2005 and proudly hangs in the Spectrum.

But even with his abundant hardwood achievements, Grant said he didn't come to USU with any expectation of setting records.

“I didn't even dream about it,” Grant said.

But that didn't stop him from earning top accolades from USU and from the Big West Conference. In his senior season, Grant led the conference in points (22.6) and steals (2.4) and was named the Big West Conference Player of the Year. He was also named first–team all–Big West in his junior and senior seasons and second–team all–Big West in his freshman and sophomore years.

Grant said one of his greatest Aggie memories was always beating BYUý and the chance to be his brother's teammate for a year.

While at USU he met his wife; now the Grant legacy lives on through their daughter, who is also an Aggie.

The Detroit Pistons made Grant a sixth–round pick in the 1986 draft.

Still an active ball player, Grant said his latest passion is biking, which he squeezes in between hoops and busy shifts as an air traffic controller.

“I was passionate about running and I loved running and competing. When you put those things together, you can come up with something pretty special.”

Alisa Nicodemus

When El Cajon, Calif., native Alisa Nicodemus came to Utah State to compete in cross country and track, she was talented, but much in the style of an iceberg. Under the tutelage of her coaches and a drive to succeed, Nicodemus unleashed her hidden, full running capability on the Big West Conference and the NCAA.

Receiving three All–American honors in her sophomore and junior seasons, becoming the first USU female track athlete in school history to do so, Nicodemus has solidified herself in the record books of Utah State University and the Big West Conference and has earned a much–deserved spot in the 2009 Utah State University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Class.

“I was very surprised and very honored. It just kind of came out of the blue,” Nicodemus said of her hall of fame honor. “It was real exciting to look back to that part of my life. It kind of made me realize I did something special that you don't always realize as you accomplish those types of things.”

Whether or not she realized it at the time, Nicodemus was a prodigy on a USU cross country team that was not known for producing championship caliber teams or athletes at the time. But she soon changed that and put USU on the map.

“I think once I got to Utah State, I found my niche there,” Nicodemus said. “I think I just developed as an athlete really quickly there.”

Despite the vast differences in climate and distance from her sunny native home, Nicodemus said the altitude and the guidance of her coach enabled her to take off and never look back.

In 1992, her sophomore season, Nicodemus won her first individual Big West Conference cross country championship and was named athlete of the year. In 1993, she gave a repeat performance, this time shaving five seconds off her previous time, again earning an athlete of the year honor.

Nicodemus is also the only USU female cross country runner to win an individual championship.

“I was passionate about running and I loved running and competing,” she said. “When you put those things together, you can come up with something pretty special.”

Nicodemus finished 14th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 1992, and at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 1993 she finished fourth in the 5,000 meters and third in the mile.

Though removed from intercollegiate running for more than 15 years now, the mother of three hasn't lost the love for the sport and still runs 40 to 50 miles a week. Still, she is at another time and place in her life and says she has a new devotion to fill her time.

“I am a mommy. It's awesome,” Nicodemus said. “I stay at home and they're definitely my passion and priority now.”

“You don't accomplish things individually without the help of your teammates. They too have to be highly skilled”

Tom Larscheid

In the glory days of Utah State football there were many big names, but when it came to speed and scoring, few rivaled Tom Larscheid.

A threat on offense and special teams, Larscheid set a slew of records from 1959–1961, many of which are still on the books today. His success on the field could be attributed to his quickness, but Larscheid says his attitude was probably more of a factor.

“As a football player, every game I ever put my uniform on, my goal was to be the best player on the field. That was my mindset,” Larscheid said. “Every time my number was called on a running play or a punt return or catching the pass, I felt I could take it the distance. I wanted to perform and I wanted to be called on when the team needed it the most.”

And Larscheid was called upon frequently to perform at the highest level, a go–to player averaging a career 7.0 yards per carry (8.4 yards per carry in 1960), logging eight 100–yard rushing games, two 100–yard receiving games and in 1961, rising to become the No. 1 punt returner in the country, averaging 23.4 yards per attempt.

Over his career, Larscheid amassed 2,206 rushing yardsýa Skyline Conference record in his day—and in 1960 he became the first Utah State player to rush for more than 1,000 yards and was second in the nation in rushing yards with 1,044.

With all those yards, Larscheid also scored often—real often. In fact, Larscheid is second all–time in scoring at USU with 40 touchdowns and 248 points scored, which is the most by a non–kicker.

Larscheid's knack for scoring was never more evident than in a 1960 game at College of Pacific, a game Larscheid calls his greatest. A native of California, Larscheid's family had never seen him play for the Aggies until this game. He put on a show. In the first half, Larscheid scored three touchdowns, with a longest run of 88 yards. Three quarters later, he returned a punt for a touchdown, sealing the deal.

While his achievements speak volumes to his talent as a player, Larscheid is quick to acknowledge his interdependence on his teammates and coaches.

“You don't accomplish things individually without the help of your teammates. They too have to be highly skilled,” Larscheid said.

After his collegiate career, Larscheid was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1962 NFL Draft but played in the Canadian Football League for the BC Lions. Following a successful career as a professional football player, Larscheid landed a gig in broadcasting, where he has spent the last 35 years. He has been the color commentator for the BC Lions and the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL.

While he has many accomplishments under his belt, Larscheid said being inducted into the 2009 Hall of Fame is a particularly special honor.

“I think it's the ultimate honor for any student athlete to be recognized by his university as having done some thing so special to even be eligible as a hall of famer,” Larscheid said. “I'm blown away by it.”

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