Marshfield Athletic Hall of Fame adds five new members

MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame has five new inductees, following ceremonies on Sept. 13 at Marshfield High School.

The Class of 2025 includes former MHS volleyball coach Dawn Sadowska. Sadowska coached the Tigers volleyball team for 33 seasons, compiling a record of 847-360.

“Coach Sadowska’s career left a legacy, not only on Marshfield volleyball, but on Marshfield High School athletics. Her impact reached far beyond the court, fostering lifelong relationships and empowering female student-athletes through decades of excellence, commitment, and character,” her nomination read.

“One of the reasons that I actually got in to coaching (was) I wanted girls to be able to feel that sense of success for something that they’ve worked so hard for,” Sadowska said in a video highlighting her career and nomination. “My induction, I think, really represents and honors all the people that I have worked with. We had a great winning streak for many years. We have a winning program, but no one ever does that entirely by themselves.”

Sadowska’s teams won 13 Wisconsin Valley Conference championships, including four consecutive titles to close out her career (2020–2023).

Sadowska also led the Tigers to 12 WIAA Regional championships and seven WIAA State Tournament appearances, all between 1998 and 2006. Her teams also featured 117 All-Conference student-athletes and 14 All-State players.

One of Sadowska’s former players was also a 2025 Hall of Fame inductee.

Darian (Molter) Adler was a three-sport athlete for Marshfield between 2010 and 2014, including all four high school years on Sadowska’s volleyball teams.

She was an All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2010 and 2011, Second Team All-Conference in 2012 and the MaxPreps Player of the Year in 2014.

Molter also played basketball during the 2012–2013 season and was named Second Team All-Conference.

But it was on the soccer field where Molter shined the brightest.

A four-year starter, Darian was a unanimous First Team All-Conference selection all four years (2011-2014.

She was also named the Wisconsin Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2011 and 2012, All-State Honorable Mention all four years, and team captain in 2013 and 2014.

“I want to say thank you to everyone that made this possible,” said Adler, during her acceptance speech. “I’m incredibly honored to be standing here as an inductee into Marshfield’s Athletic Hall of Fame. To be recognized in this way is both humbling and surreal.”

Molter still holds Tigers soccer records for Most Goals in a Season (35-2014), Most Career Goals (120-2011–2014), Most Assists in a Season (12-2012), Most Conference Points in a Season (49-2011, 80-2012, 60-2013, 72-2014) and Career Conference Points (261), ranking 20th all-time. Her career goals of 120 ranks her 15th all-time.

Molter played college soccer at Winona State University, where she made 59 game appearances and 36 starts in three seasons (2014–2017). Darian tallied 33 career points, including 13 goals and 7 assists, leading the team in goals and points as a freshman.

Another of this year’s inductees was Chad Fredrick, a three-sport athlete in the mid-1990s.

“I’d like to thank the committee for giving me this honor. Not expected at all,” Fredrick said during his induction acceptance speech. “Playing high school sports, I played sports for fun, enjoyed being out there competing, so for the committee to think that the things that I’ve done were worthy to be inducted – especially with all the other coaches and athletes that are being inducted today, that have come previous, that are going to come after – it’s a pretty special honor and I’m very proud to be part of that group.”

Fredrick played football, basketball and baseball from 1994 to 1998.

In football, he was an All-Conference Honorable Mention running back in 1996 and First Team All-Conference and Back of the Year in 1997, helping the Tigers win their first state championship. In the title game, Fredrick ran the ball 22 times for 159 yards. He also caught a touchdown pass. 

Fredrick still holds school football records for Most Rushing Yards in a Season (1,907-1997), Most Kickoff Returns for Touchdown in a Season (3-1996) and Most Kickoff Returns for Touchdowns in a Career (4-1996-97).

Fredrick also played college football at UW-Stevens Point.

One of Fredrick’s former MHS classmates was also inducted this year.

Ann (Pernsteiner) Kolstad played volleyball, basketball and softball for the Tigers between 1994 and 1997.

“To begin, I want to thank the committee for this amazing honor,” Pernsteiner said in her acceptance speech. “I also want to thank all the coaches who invested their time, energy, guidance, skill into my development as an athlete here.  

“I think we all play sports for different reasons,” Pernsteiner added. “For me, it was a sense of belonging to a team and friendships. I think when done right, a team can really feel like a support group and that’s what I had through all my years of high school. All of my athletic experiences will forever hold a special place in my heart. I feel lucky to have been part of something much bigger than myself, lucky to be part of the programs here that MHS had to offer.”

In volleyball, Pernsteiner was Most Improved Player in 1994 and All-Conference Honorable Mention in 1994, 1995 and 1996.

In basketball, she was named Most Improved Player in 1996, a Tiger Award Winner in 1997 and All-Conference Honorable Mention in 1996 and 1997.

But it was on the softball diamond where Pernsteiner excelled.

Pernsteiner helped the Tigers to Wisconsin Valley Conference championships and the state tournament in 1995 and 1997, where Marshfield won the title in 1997.

Ann was All-Conference Second-Team in 1995, First-Team All-Conference in 1996 and 1997 and was named Most Valuable Player for the 1997 season.

At the collegiate level, Pernsteiner won junior college singles and doubles tennis championships in 1999 and 2001. In 1999 and 2002, she was named UW-Marshfield/Wood County Team MVP, made WCC All-Conference and was named Player of the Year.

Former track and cross country coach John Miner is also a 2025 Hall of Fame inductee.

Miner was a coach on several levels of the Tiger cross country and track teams, including head coach of the varsity programs (1997-2007).

“What I always thought was special about Marshfield High School was that all of the coaches were dedicated to, not only helping their students become great athletes, but great people as well,” Miner said during induction ceremonies. “And judging by the number of alumni that have come back to teach and coach here and in other places and gone on to do great things in other professions in life, I’d say they’ve done their job exceptionally well.”

Miner’s impact on Tiger track & field includes over 50 school records being broken and more than 150 All-Conference athletes.

During Miner’s head coaching tenure, the Tigers had 40 WIAA State Track & Field Meet qualifiers, including 10 relay teams.

His 3,200-meter relay team finished in second place in 1999 and 2001 and fifth place in 2000.

His teams won Wisconsin Valley Conference championships in 2000 and 2004, WIAA Regional titles in 1997, 2000 and 2004, and Sectional championships in 2000 and 2004.