HILLSBORO, Kan. – Two alumni will join the Tabor College Athletic Hall of Fame for their individual and team performance. Staci (Whitcomb) Frick and Tyler Marsh exemplified commitment, competition and character during their time at Tabor.
“Staci and Tyler are part of the legacy of great athletes at Tabor,” said Rusty Allen, vice president of enrollment management and athletics. “These two worked hard as athletes and students and now do the same in their lives after Tabor. We’re honored to call them part of our Tabor family.”
Frick was a four-year letter winner in volleyball while attending Tabor from 2003-2007. She was named KCAC First Team All-Conference all four years she played and was a unanimous selection three of those years. Frick’s honors include KCAC Freshman Player-of-the-Year and NAIA All-Region Second Team during her sophomore year. Her junior year, Frick earned KCAC All-Region First Team. She also earned KCAC Academic All-Conference honors and was an NAIA Academic All-American her junior and senior years.
“Throughout all the years I’ve spent playing volleyball, especially the last 4 at Tabor, I learned a lot about myself, my faith and mental toughness,” Frick said. “What an incredible honor it is to be inducted into Tabor’s Athletic Hall of Fame.”
Marsh transferred to Tabor in the fall of 2000. As a student athlete, he was a letter winner in football for four years and in baseball for three years. His first two years, Marsh earned KCAC All-Conference Honorable Mention honors in football and KCAC All-Conference Second Team recognition in baseball. His third year at Tabor, Marsh was named to the KCAC All-Conference First Team in football and in baseball. He was also awarded the Tabor College 2003 Male Athlete of the Year. He was a unanimous selection to the KCAC All-Conference First Team as a fifth year senior in football and earned recognition as an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American.
“Tabor afforded me the opportunity to be around quality people and be involved in what I wanted to do and I am honored to be considered for the Hall of Fame,” Marsh said. “Tabor was a great place for me because of the people that were there. I was lucky enough to find my wife there, and the buddies I was fortunate to be around during my time are second to none. The chance to play both football and baseball with the guys on those teams was also something that I will never forget.”
Both Marsh and Frick say their time as athletes at Tabor prepared them for the world beyond college. Marsh, who is now an officer in the U.S. Air Force said Tabor prepared him to be on a team, lead others and complete goals in stressful situations.
“The chance to be led and the chance to lead during good times and probably more importantly during struggles allowed me to get ready for the reality of life outside of college,” Marsh said.
Frick remembers her coach, Amy Ratzlaff, giving her advice on failure that she recalls in her life today.
“I am a wife and mom to two incredible girls who have both taught me and tested me more than anything,” Frick said. “There are many times doing what I do daily, that I fail. Coach Amy reminded me one day at practice when I was struggling that to be a great leader, I have to perform like a great leader. Show by example how to overcome mistakes and make something great the next time.”
Frick and Marsh will be honored at the annual spring athletic banquet where they will be inducted into the hall of fame. The banquet, to be held Saturday, May 13, is also an opportunity to recognize current student athletes for their athletic and academic performance.