Simley Hall of Fame: Meet the class of 2026

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The Simley High School Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves through academic, artistic, athletic, and humanitarian achievement. The Hall of Fame also helps preserve Simley’s history, build a sense of community, and instill pride among students, staff, alumni, and the Inver Grove Heights community.

The Simley Hall of Fame Class of 2026 includes Jim Reed (class of 1978), Jena Hostetler-Radant (1993), Danielle DuBois-Woog (1995), Brian Silk (1997), Abby Kain (2016) and Ron Haala (staff). Read on to learn more about each inductee and the accomplishments that earned them a place in the Simley Hall of Fame.

The six new inductees will be recognized during an induction ceremony held at halftime of the Simley High School football game on Thursday, Sept. 3, when the Spartans host Minneapolis North at Spartan Stadium in Inver Grove Heights. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.

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Meet the Simley Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Jim Reed (1978)

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For Jim Reed, the finish line has never been the goal. It’s simply the beginning of the next challenge.

At Simley, Reed distinguished himself as a three-sport athlete in cross country, swimming and track and field. He earned varsity letters in all three sports, served as captain of the cross-country team, was named team MVP and established himself as one of Simley’s top distance runners.

After graduating in 1978, Reed built a career devoted to serving others while continually pushing his own physical limits.

He spent nearly three decades with the Duluth Fire Department, serving as a firefighter, fire captain and deputy fire marshal.

Away from the fire station, Reed embraced endurance sports unlike almost anyone else.

He has completed approximately 100 marathons, including Grandma’s Marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon, while also taking on some of North America’s most demanding endurance events. Among them are the 550-mile Colorado Trail Race, the more than 2,700-mile Tour Divide from Banff, Alberta, to the Mexican border, and numerous ultradistance trail races.

One of Reed’s signature accomplishments came in the Arrowhead 135, a grueling 135-mile winter endurance race across northern Minnesota. Battling subzero temperatures and unforgiving conditions, he completed the event 12 times and won it twice before later serving as one of its race coordinators.

Reed has also coached the North Shore Swim Club and volunteered with endurance events throughout Minnesota.

For Reed, every finish line has simply marked the start of another challenge. From leading on the trails and roads to serving his community as a firefighter and giving back through coaching and volunteerism, he has spent a lifetime proving that endurance is measured not only by miles completed but by the impact made along the way.

Due to a previous commitment, Reed will be unable to attend the 2026 induction ceremony. He will remain a member of the Simley Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and will be recognized for his accomplishments during the 2027 induction ceremony.

Jena Hostetler-Radant (1993)

Jena Hostetler-Radant distinguished herself as one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes in Simley history. Called up to the varsity track team as an eighth grader, she earned five varsity letters in track and field, three in soccer, three in gymnastics, and four academic letters while graduating with honors, a 3.7 GPA, and National Honor Society membership. She was a three-time All-Conference selection in track, an All-Conference soccer player, a two-time captain in both track and soccer, and the recipient of the soccer team’s Most Valuable Player award. She also established herself among Simley’s all-time best track and field athletes by earning Top 10 performances in school history in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, high jump, and long jump. This success didn’t go unnoticed, and several colleges recruited Hostetler, including Iowa State University.

Before Simley offered girls’ varsity soccer, she competed on boys’ teams through her sophomore year. While recovering from an ACL injury before her junior season, she worked with school leaders to recruit players and help launch Simley’s first girls’ varsity soccer program, laying the foundation for generations of Spartan athletes to follow. As a member of that inaugural program, she went on to serve as a two-time team captain, earn All-Conference honors and the 1992 team MVP award. She also collaborated with a local sporting goods company to design a modern varsity letter jacket for female athletes, replacing the previous style with one that better reflected girls’ athletics and became the standard for future generations.

Following graduation, Hostetler-Radant earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Physical Therapy from St. Catherine University and continued investing in her profession by earning multiple advanced certifications and professional licenses spanning strength and conditioning, sports performance, corrective exercise, nutrition, functional aging, diabetes prevention, arthritis programming, therapeutic bodywork, Olympic weightlifting and youth soccer coaching. She has held leadership positions in personal training, fitness center management, corporate wellness, athletic performance, health coaching and community wellness while continually expanding her expertise.

For nearly three decades, Hostetler-Radant has dedicated her career to improving the health and well-being of others. She has designed corporate and community wellness programs, led injury prevention and rehabilitation initiatives, coached middle and high school athletes and competitive youth soccer players, directed athletic performance camps and fitness programs, and helped countless individuals achieve healthier, stronger lives through exercise, nutrition and wellness coaching. Her lifelong commitment to athletics has evolved into an equally enduring commitment to improving the health and well-being of the Inver Grove Heights community and beyond.

Danielle DuBois-Woog (1995)

Danielle DuBois-Woog established herself as one of the most well-rounded student-athletes in Simley history, excelling in tennis, basketball and softball while also ranking among the school’s top students. A four-year letter winner in both tennis and softball and a three-year letter winner in basketball, she earned All-Conference honors six times, Academic All-State honors twice, Academic All-Conference recognition, and was selected Simley’s Female Athlete of the Year as a senior. She graduated 11th in a class of 212 students, balancing athletic excellence with outstanding academic achievement.

On the tennis court, DuBois-Woog became one of the most decorated players in program history. She earned All-Conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior, qualified for the state tournament as a junior and captured the Section 3AA doubles championship that same season. She also earned the team’s Most Improved Player award as a sophomore before finishing her career as team captain and Academic All-Conference honoree.

Her success continued on the basketball court, where she developed into one of the team’s leaders through her work ethic and team-first approach. She earned varsity letters three times, received the Miss Hustle Award as both a freshman and sophomore, the Leadership Award and MVP honors as a sophomore, and later served as team captain while earning Academic All-State recognition as a senior.

In softball, DuBois-Woog added another remarkable chapter to her athletic career. A four-year letter winner, she earned All-State honors, All-Conference recognition, Academic All-State honors and team captain honors as a senior after helping lead Simley to consecutive Section 3AA runner-up finishes. Earlier in her career, she helped win a Minnesota Junior Olympics State Championship, earned All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition as a junior and led the team in runs scored as a sophomore.

Her leadership extended beyond athletics. DuBois-Woog graduated near the top of her class, earned Academic All-Conference and Academic All-State honors, and was selected to attend the St. Paul Rotary Youth Leadership Conference, recognizing both her leadership potential and character.

After graduating from Simley, DuBois-Woog earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with honors from the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Labovitz School of Business and Economics, with degrees in Human Resource Management, Organizational Management, International Relations and Spanish. She also earned her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification while still in college — an accomplishment few professionals achieve before entering the workforce. She continued her professional development after college, earning the Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) and Global Remuneration Professional (GRP) certifications.

Over a career spanning more than 25 years, DuBois-Woog has built an impressive record of leadership across multiple industries before joining American Dairy Queen corporation, where she serves as Director of Global Rewards, HR Technology, HR Operations and Talent Acquisition. As a member of the company’s HR leadership team, she helps shape global employee strategy for an organization supporting approximately 7,800 DQ® restaurants in more than 20 countries. Her responsibilities include overseeing compensation, benefits, talent acquisition, HR technology, HR operations, employee experience, global rewards strategy, process improvement, workforce analytics and regulatory compliance while helping attract, develop and retain high-performing talent worldwide.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, DuBois-Woog remains committed to mentoring others and giving back to her community. She and her husband, Dan, are active volunteers in the Inver Grove Heights and Eagan communities, generously supporting charitable organizations, youth activities and causes important to their family. Her lifelong commitment to leadership, service and helping others reflects the same character and work ethic that distinguished her during her years as a Spartan.

Brian Silk (1997)

Few basketball players have made a bigger impact at Simley than Brian Silk. A member of the Spartans’ 1997 Class AAA state championship team, Silk established himself as one of the most accomplished athletes to wear a Simley uniform before continuing his success through college and into careers in coaching and education.

Silk helped lead Simley to the 1997 Class AAA state championship with a 61–47 victory over New Prague in the title game. He earned All-State honors, was named to the Class AAA All-Tournament Team and selected to the Minnesota State High School League All-Star Team. A Mr. Basketball finalist, three-time All-Conference selection, team MVP, team captain and four-year letter winner, Silk scored more than 1,000 career points while leading the Spartans in scoring and rebounding during both his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he ranked in the top 10 in the St. Paul Suburban Conference in scoring with 15.1 points per game. At 6-foot-7, Silk combined size with the ability to score inside and outside, making him a difficult matchup throughout his high school career.

In conjunction with the 100th Minnesota State High School Boys Basketball Tournament in 2015, the Pioneer Press recognized Silk as one of the top 100 players in state tournament history, ranking him №97. The newspaper highlighted his 23-point semifinal performance and 13 points in Simley’s championship victory over New Prague, recognizing one of the defining performances in high school basketball history.

Silk also earned multiple varsity letters as the starting goalkeeper for the Simley boys’ soccer team, adding to an outstanding high school athletic career.

His accomplishments continued at North Dakota State University, where he played basketball and immediately made an impact by earning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Freshman of the Year honors. Silk went on to become a four-year letter winner and team captain while earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. The same work ethic, attention to detail, and team-first approach that distinguished him at Simley continued to define his collegiate career and later his work as a coach and educator.

After college, Silk built successful careers in both coaching and education. He coached boys’ and girls’ basketball at the high school and collegiate levels, including 10 seasons as an assistant coach with the University of St. Thomas women’s basketball program. Silk helped the Tommies average more than 27 victories per season during his first seven years on the coaching staff and advance to six NCAA Division III tournaments before successfully transitioning to NCAA Division I competition. He also helped the program earn its first Division I postseason victory while developing multiple All-Americans and contributing to one of the most successful stretches in program history.

Away from the court, Silk earned a Master of Science in Technology Integration in Education from Walden University and built a career serving students in a variety of educational leadership and instructional roles. His work included positions as an elementary educator, distance learning educator, instructional support facilitator and data liaison in several Minnesota school districts, where he focused on helping students and fellow educators succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

Whether competing, coaching or serving in education, Silk has consistently invested in the success of those around him, carrying forward the same team-first approach that first distinguished him as a Spartan.

Abby Kain (2016)

Few student-athletes have made a bigger impact at Simley than Abby Kain.

A 2016 Athena Award recipient, she paired one of the most decorated athletic careers in school history with an equally remarkable commitment to academic excellence, setting a standard that continued throughout college and into her professional career.

Kain earned 16 varsity letters — six in basketball, five in volleyball and five in softball — establishing herself as one of the greatest multi-sport athletes in Simley history.

Kain’s basketball career was defined by team success, school records and individual honors. She helped lead the Spartans to the 2014 Section 3AAA championship and finished her career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,330 points and all-time leading rebounder with 1,686 rebounds. Her rebound total still ranks fourth in Minnesota high school basketball history. She earned five All-Conference selections, three All-State Honorable Mention honors, All-Conference MVP, team MVP and team captain recognition. Her accomplishments also include Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-Star honors, a Ms. Basketball nomination, appearances in the Minnesota All-Star Series, Pioneer Press East Metro Player of the Year finalist recognition, Star Tribune All-Metro Third Team honors and Associated Press All-State Second Team recognition.

Kain earned five varsity letters in volleyball, serving as a two-time team captain while earning team MVP honors and four All-Conference Honorable Mention selections. She also was named Academic All-State.

In softball, Kain earned five varsity letters while receiving Rookie of the Year and Golden Glove honors. She added four All-Conference Honorable Mention selections, three Academic Excellence Awards, All-State Academic honors and team captain recognition while helping lead Simley to a Section 3AAA championship and back to the state tournament for the first time since 1982.

Her accomplishments in the classroom were equally impressive. Kain graduated with a 3.96 GPA, earned four academic letters, five Spartan Awards, including the prestigious Senior Spartan Award, Academic All-Conference honors, and multiple All-State Academic recognitions. She was a member of National Honor Society, participated in the Metro East Conference Academy and the MSHSL Region 3AAA Target Leadership Workshop, and remained active in Relay for Life and Spanish Club.

That pursuit of excellence continued at the University of Northern Colorado, where she graduated with a 3.98 GPA and a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science with a minor in Nutrition. As a four-year Division I basketball player, Kain helped lead the Bears to the program’s first Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament championships and an NCAA Tournament appearance. She also set both the University of Northern Colorado Division I single-game record and the Big Sky Tournament record with 21 rebounds, earned four consecutive Big Sky All-Academic Team selections, and received the university’s Undergraduate Academic Scholar Award. She later earned a Master of Science in Athletic Training from Minnesota State University, Mankato, graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Today, Kain has come full circle by helping the next generation of student-athletes achieve their own goals. As Associate Head Athletic Trainer at the University of Illinois Springfield, she oversees the care of the university’s volleyball, women’s basketball, and cross country and track and field programs. Working alongside coaches, strength and conditioning staff, and medical professionals, she specializes in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and return-to-play, helping student-athletes recover safely and compete at their highest level. Inspired by the athletic trainers she encountered during her own playing career, Kain transformed a lifelong passion for sports into a profession dedicated to helping others perform at their best.

Ron Haala (Staff)

For more than three decades, Ron Haala helped shape the culture and traditions of Simley High School as a teacher, coach, mentor and school leader.

During a 36-year career, he taught thousands of students, coached hundreds of athletes, announced more than 800 basketball games and helped strengthen many of the traditions that generations of Spartans came to know simply as part of school life.

The classroom served as the foundation of Haala’s career, where he spent decades teaching mathematics and helping generations of students build confidence in themselves and their abilities. His excellence as an educator earned recognition through the TIES Minnesota Technology Award, KS95 Teacher of the Week honors, and three Simley National Honor Society Teacher Recognition Awards. He was also part of a mathematics department recognized among Minnesota’s top-performing programs, reflecting the high standards he helped uphold throughout his career.

As Simley’s head football coach from 1987 to 1994 and assistant varsity baseball coach from 1986 to 1999, Haala influenced generations of student-athletes while helping shape two of the school’s athletic programs. When the football program faced uncertainty after three different head coaches in three consecutive seasons, players and school leaders encouraged Haala to take over because they believed the program needed someone committed to Simley for the long term. He accepted the challenge, providing stability while leading the Spartans to their first victory over longtime rival South St. Paul in 1987. On the baseball field, he was part of the coaching staff on teams that reached three Section 3AA championship games in the late 1980’s and won the 1991 St. Paul Suburban Conference championship. Over the course of his coaching career, Haala coached nine future Simley High School Hall of Fame inductees.

His commitment to Simley reached far beyond academics and athletics. Haala coordinated Homecoming for more than two decades, helping transform one of the school’s signature traditions into a more positive and inclusive celebration that engaged much of the student body. He also served on numerous school and district committees, held leadership positions within the Inver Grove Heights Education Association and Education Minnesota, supported the AVID program and volunteered wherever needed. Whether working with students, collaborating with colleagues or helping organize school events, he became a trusted and familiar presence throughout the Simley community.

For 35 years, Haala also served as the public address announcer for Simley boys’ and girls’ basketball. Across more than 800 games, his voice became part of the experience for generations of athletes, families and fans. Whether introducing starting lineups, recognizing student achievements or building anticipation during key moments, he brought energy and enthusiasm that helped make game nights feel special. For many in the community, his voice became as recognizable as the teams taking the floor.

One of Haala’s most lasting contributions came after retiring from Simley when he helped revive the Simley High School Hall of Fame in 2019. More than helping organize the effort, he built the framework that continues to guide the program today. He developed the nomination and selection process, organized committee meetings, coordinated with school leadership, managed communications with inductees, and helped oversee every detail of the annual ceremony. His thoughtful approach transformed the Hall of Fame into a lasting tradition that preserves Simley’s history while celebrating the achievements of its students, educators and supporters.

Few people have influenced Simley High School in as many ways or for as long as Ron Haala. His Hall of Fame induction recognizes not one achievement, but a lifetime of service to the students, programs and traditions that define Simley.

2026 Simley Hall of Fame induction ceremony Set for Sept. 3

The Simley High School community will come together on Thursday, Sept. 3, to celebrate the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 during halftime of the Spartans’ football game against Minneapolis North. Alumni, family, friends, and community members are invited to join in recognizing these individuals whose accomplishments continue to reflect the very best of Simley High School. Note: The game starts at 6 p.m.

Congratulations to the Simley High School Hall of Fame Class of 2026.