NDSU

Watch 2017 Induction Ceremony

North Dakota State University’s current senior associate athletic director Pat Simmers has been the executive director of Team Makers since March 1998 … Simmers works with the Team Makers executive board and board of directors on strategic planning, membership, volunteer training, special events, and hospitality and transportation partnerships … Team Makers, established in 1950, is a 501C3 foundation committed to raising scholarship money … The organization contributed a record $4.3 million for Bison Athletics in 2016 … Simmers competed in football and wrestling for NDSU from 1970-74 before a long coaching career at the college and high school level … Earned 1973 all-North Central Conference honors at defensive tackle … Played for Ron Erhardt and Ev Kjelbertson … The Bison went 32-6-1 during his career and won three conference titles … Wrestled at heavyweight for NDSU and Bucky Maughan, placing second at the NCC tournament in 1974 and third in 1971 … Assistant football coach at NDSU for six seasons under Don Morton from 1979-84 … NDSU won the 1983 NCAA Division II National Championship … Joined Morton’s staff as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Tulsa from 1985-86 and Wisconsin from 1987-89 … Simmers was the athletic director and head football coach at Oak Ridge High School in the Houston area from 1990-96 … He was CEO for Brittonya Industries, an ag manufacturer for high-pressure sprayers, and Simmers Fabrication, a metal fabrication firm, from 1996-98 before returning to NDSU … Simmers graduated from NDSU in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education  … Played football at Grand Forks St. James High School … He and his wife, Susie, a former Bison football cheerleader, have three children and eight grandchildren … Their sons, Chris, Chad and Ryan, all played football for the Bison.