The five newest members to be inducted into the South Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame are Gene Brownell of Aberdeen, Chris Lund (deceased) of Arlington, Randy Marso of Brandon, Darren Paulson of Rapid City, and Vern Smith (deceased) of Gettysburg.

The induction ceremony will be held later this year. To be chosen for this honor, a person must have been an athletic director for 10 years and an active member of the SDIAAA. Candidates are considered through three criteria: national, state, and local involvement. Individuals chosen have volunteered time to promote the belief and purpose of the SDIAAA and who have promoted the importance of education-based athletics and sportsmanship within their school and community.

CLASS OF 2024

Gene Brownell was a 1964 Henry High School and Northern State University graduate in 1968. He served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1971 and spent the next 49 years in public school education – twenty-six as a teacher/coach and twenty-three as Athletic Director at Aberdeen Central High School. Brownell was SDHSCA Athletic Director of the Year twice and a finalist for the NHSACA award. He received the NIAAA State Award of Merit and Region 1 Athletic Director of the Year. Brownell served on the SDHSAA Board of Directors and received its Distinguished Service Award. He also served on the SDHSAA Track & Field, Gymnastics, and Soccer Advisory Committees. Brownell was inducted into several Halls of Fame – the National and South Dakota High School Coaches, South Dakota High School Track & Field and Cross County, and Wrestling Coaches.

Randy Marso, CAA, graduated from Sioux Fall Lincoln and South Dakota State University. Marso was the athletic director at Brandon Valley for 23 years. He served the SDIAAA as Region Chairman and State President and was a member of the Scholarship Committee and Leadership Training Faculty. His contributions included membership on the NIAAA Certification Committee (oversight of the CAA exam), management of SDHSAA State Championships for several sports, and membership on numerous SDHSAA Committees. His service resulted in his selection for the SDHSCA Athletic Director of the Year Award, NIAAA State Award of Merit, and SDIAAA Professional Development Award. Marso continues to present the NIAAA Leadership Training Legal Issues courses and serves as the ESD and Metro Conference Secretary/Treasurer in retirement.

Darren Paulson, CAA, graduated from Harrisburg High School and Augustana College. He received a master’s degree from SDSU. Paulson began his career as a teacher/coach at Todd County High School. He served as Assistant Principal and Activities Director at Lead-Deadwood High School for 11 years and was the Activities Director at Rapid City Central for 14 years. Paulson received the NFHS National Citation Award, the NIAAA State Award of Merit, and the 2010 South Dakota Athletic Director of the Year Award. He served as SDIAAA President and was a member of the SDHSAA Board of Directors from 2009-2014, serving as chairman. Paulson received the 2015 SDHSAA Distinguished Service Award and is a member of the Augustana University Athletic Hall of Fame, Lead-Deadwood High School Hall of Fame, and the Rapid City Sports Hall of Fame.

Vern Smith graduated from Deubrook High School in 1981 and Dakota State College in 1986. Smith taught business, computer, and physical education at Gettysburg for 37 years and coached football, basketball, and track & field. He became the head track & field coach in 1993, activities director in 2001, and head football coach in 2002. Smith led the “Battlers” to the 2013 State Football Championship and five state runners–up finishes. He earned 11 South Dakota Cross Country and Track & Field Association Region Coach of the Year Awards, was honored as the 2013-14 South Dakota High School Coaches Association Football Coach of the Year and was inducted into the South Dakota Football Hall of Fame. Smith was recognized as the 2007 Region 4 Athletic Director of the Year. He served as Activities Director for the Gettysburg School District for 22 years.

Chris Lund attended Grant Deuel School in Revillo until graduating in 1979. He was a talented high school wrestler who placed third at the State B Tournament as a senior. Lund also successfully played football for Grant Deuel and was an All-State lineman. Following high school, Chris attended Northern State College from 1979-1983 where he earned a degree in education while wrestling and playing football for the Wolves. He enjoyed All-Conference honors in football and was all-NIC honorable mention three times in his seasons on the gridiron. On the mat, Chris was a four-time national qualifier and a two-time team captain. In addition, he was an All-American heavyweight wrestler in 1981, he tallied the "Most Pins" at nationals that same year, and he was the first Northern State grappler to win an individual championship in the Northern Intercollegiate Conference. His illustrious athletic career led to his induction into NSU's Hall of Fame in 2002. In the fall of 1984, Chris began working in Doland. He taught industrial arts and physical education while coaching football for nine years and wrestling for two years. In 1989, Chris earned his master's degree from Northern State, and he served Doland as principal before moving to Arlington, South Dakota, in the fall of 1998 to become the Cardinals' junior high/high school principal. Next he pursued his specialist degree and transitioned to the role of Arlington superintendent and athletic director in 2001.