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2023 07 22 Michael Roos and Kim Exner
Bridget Mayfield

Kim Exner and Michael Roos officially inducted to Big Sky Hall of Fame

Eagle legends recognized in ceremony at Northern Quest Resort and Casino

7/22/2023 5:58:00 PM

SPOKANE, Wash. — Eastern Washington University alumni Kim Exner and Michael Roos were officially inducted to the Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Northern Quest Resort and Casino on Saturday evening.

Established in 2020, the Big Sky Hall of Fame serves to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to Big Sky athletics as a student-athlete, coach and/or administrator. This year's class was the second to be inducted; the first was announced in 2020 but delayed celebration until last year due to COVID-19.

Exner and Roos were two of a 14-person 2023 class and the first Eagles to be recognized.

Kim Exner (EWU Volleyball, 1995-98)

Exner led Eastern's volleyball program to an amazing 46-12 record during her final two seasons in 1997 and 1998 as EWU went 13-3 twice in conference play. They won a share of the Big Sky regular season title in 1997 and an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament in 1998.

"There was something unique about us," Exner said on stage at the ceremony, reflecting on her time at Eastern. "We've had a lot of fun times, most of them definitely off the court. That's the takeaway, all these years later. I don't have my wins or my trophies here, but I've got them (my friends and family) and that's all I want to take away."

She was the unanimous selection for Big Sky Conference MVP in 1998 and co-MVP in 1997, earning First Team All-Conference honors three times. Exner also earned American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region VIII accolades for her junior and senior seasons.

At the conclusion of her four-year collegiate career, she was the Big Sky leader in kills with 1,860 (4.43 per game). She was the first player in conference history to win AVCA National Player of the Week (Sept. 14, 1998), winning Big Sky Player of the Week honors five times as a senior and 11 times overall.

A native of Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, Exner went on to coach at Eastern, play professionally in Europe and twice compete with the Canadian National Team. As part of the celebration for the 25th anniversary of the Big Sky Conference for women in the 2013-14 school year, she was selected as No. 12 on the list of the league's 25 Greatest Women's Athletes.

Exner was inducted into the EWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. Read her full biography here.

Michael Roos (EWU Football, 2001-04)

Roos was a four-year star for the Eagles, playing his first season on the defensive line before moving to left offensive tackle, a spot he would anchor for the next 35 games. As a senior in 2004, he earned five different All-American honors and was named NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (then I-AA) Lineman of the Year. He was the final honoree recognized in Saturday's ceremony, closing out the event.

"I just kept working hard and trying to be the best that I could be," Roos said of his career. "(This honor) quite hit me. Watching everyone come before me and all the stories… it means a lot to be included with the same people.

He became the highest NFL Draft selection in EWU history, going 41st overall to the Tennessee Titans in 2005, and enjoyed a spectacular 10-year NFL career that included three All-Pro honors (2008, 2010, 2012). Combining his collegiate and professional careers, Roos started in each of the 226 games he played in from 2002-14, only missing time due to an appendectomy in 2012, ending a 190-game NFL ironman streak.

Beyond his many on-field accolades, Roos has also been a model citizen and supporter of Eagle Athletics. He and his wife Katherine have a giving legacy that includes the principal donation to the Red Turf project, as well as the creation of the Michael Roos Foundation, which supports local nonprofit organizations including EWU's Eagle Athletic Fund. His number was retired in 2009 and the Eagles' football field was renamed Roos Field in his honor in 2010.

"You wouldn't be who you are without the school you went to," Roos added. "If you're able, it seems like the most natural thing to give back to the people who helped you become who you are."

Roos was inducted into the EWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. Read his full EWU HOF biography here, and the full bio of the Roos family's philanthropic efforts here.

Big Sky Hall of Fame Eligibility Criteria

  • An alumnus/alumna is eligible only if he/she has participated in two (2) full seasons of competition at a Big Sky member institution and should have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to athletics at the institutional, conference and national level.
  • An alumnus/alumna is eligible at any time beginning five (5) years after completing their collegiate eligibility.
  • Coaches who have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to Big Sky athletics shall be eligible for recognition into the Hall of Fame after service of five (5) full years.
  • Coaches must have completed their tenure as coach or have been out of the conference for at least five (5) years.
  • Administrators who have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to Big Sky athletics shall be eligible for recognition into the Hall of Fame after service of three (3) full years and are immediately eligible.
 The 2023 Hall of Fame Class was selected by a committee of 14 members, which included representative from all 10 full-time Big Sky institutions, as well as an additional Athletic Director, Senior Women's Administrator, a conference office representative, and an at-large committee member among the group of 14 voters.

2023 Big Sky Hall of Fame Class (Alphabetical Order)
  • Archie Amerson, Football, Northern Arizona (1995-96)
  • Lindsey Anderson, Track & Field, Weber State (2004-07)
  • Geronne Black, Track & Field, Portland State (2010-13)
  • Shannon Butler, Cross Country/Track & Field, Montana State (1989-91)
  • Debby Colberg, Volleyball, Sacramento State (1976-07)
  • Kim Exner, Volleyball, Eastern Washington (1995-98)
  • Chick Hislop, Cross Country/Track & Field, Weber State (1969-06)
  • Dr. Ginny Hunt, Administration, Montana State (1977-93)
  • Margarita Karnaukhova, Women's Tennis, Sacramento State (2003-06)
  • Larry Krystkowiak, Men's Basketball, Montana (1982-86)
  • Jamie Martin, Football, Weber State (1989-92)
  • Charles Roberts, Football, Sacramento State (1997-00)
  • Michael Roos, Football, Eastern Washington (2001-04)
  • Ron Stephenson, Commissioner (1981-95)


Season tickets for the 2023 EWU Football season are now available! Visit goeags.com/tickets or call the EWU Athletics Ticket Office at 509-359-6059 to secure yours today.

ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.

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