Athletic Hall of Fame
Congratulations to this year's inductees to the Breck Athletic Hall of Fame!
Alyssa (Nelson) Bobinger '03 | Basketball and Soccer
Alyssa was an athletic force during her four years at Breck!
Alyssa came to Breck as a freshman and made the Varsity soccer team before she even had her first day of classes. Alyssa would go on to letter all four years, bring home MVP honors as a sophomore, and earn all-conference honors in 2000, 2001, and 2002. During her senior year, Alyssa was voted captain and also earned All-State honors.
On the court, Alyssa had a cool and calm presence and tenacious competitiveness. Alyssa lettered all four years she was at Breck, served as captain for three years, won the MVP and Mustanger awards, and brought home All-Conference honors every single year. During her senior year, Alyssa was selected to the Minnesota All-Defense Team and was selected for the All-Tournament Team in the MN State Tournament. Alyssa still holds the record as Breck’s all-time leader in steals and has her name in the Top 10 for points scored and assists.
John Curry '02 | Hockey and Golf
John was a two sport athlete competing in Hockey and Golf. After transferring to Breck in the fall of his sophomore year, John made an immediate impact in leading the hockey team to a 2000 MN State Championship as the team’s starting goalie. He was All-Conference in Hockey his senior year, while also receiving All-Conference Honorable Mention his sophomore and junior years.
As a senior, he served as a captain in Hockey and was voted the team’s MVP.
While John certainly left his mark on Breck’s Hockey Program, he saved his most notable achievements for his post-Breck career. A recruited walk-on at Boston University, John beat out two goalies on scholarship during his sophomore season and never relinquished the starting job. He went on to become a two-time All-American, the Hockey East Player of the Year, a Hobey Baker finalist, which is awarded to the top player in all of college hockey, and the winner of the Walter Brown award, the nation's oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor.
Nick Vanderboom '02 | Football, Basketball, and Baseball
Nick Vanderboom '02 was a three sport athlete at Breck, competing in Football, Basketball, and Baseball. Nick achieved great things across all three sports, but he particularly excelled in football and basketball.
As a quarterback, Nick was named to the All-Conference team his junior and senior years, and was an All-State selection his senior year. He also captained the 2001 Football team that held the top ranking in the state throughout most of the season.
On the basketball court, Nick dominated the Tri-Metro Conference for years as a power forward. He was named All-Conference three times and All-State twice. Additionally, he was a two-time captain for the Mustang teams that reached the Section Finals in his junior and senior years.
Nick continued a track record of success after graduating. He went on to play football for five years for the USC Trojans where he transitioned from quarterback to tight end. A walk-on during his freshman and sophomore years, Nick earned a scholarship for his junior and senior seasons when he saw an increase in playing time at tight end and on special teams. During his career at USC, he was part of teams that won two National and five Pac-10 Championships. Many college football experts consider the USC teams during this era to be among the greatest of all time. Nick finished grad school while playing his fifth and final year for the Trojans and he decided to finish graduate degree over training for the NFL combine.
John Thiel | Del Carter '50 Memorial Award | Head Football Coach and Athletic Director
John Thiel was inducted into the Breck Athletic Hall of Fame for his 18 years of service to Breck School as an Athletic Director, Head Football Coach, School Administrator, and a trusted and respected colleague.
John graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in History and a M.A. in Educational Leadership from St. Mary's. He always knew he would be a teacher. After successful stints as an athletic administrator and coach at The Landon School, Pomona College and Macalester College, John was named the Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach at Breck School in 1989.
John turned around a Breck Football Program that was on an 0-24 streak. He did this by teaching. Teaching a sport he loved and developing players to gain confidence and skills that would help them succeed. John quickly established a winning culture and in just seven years won the 1996 Class B MN State Championship. Although an incredible defensive mind, John started meeting with offensive coaches in the college and professional ranks, and ultimately designed an offense that was setting school and MN State records. During his tenure as Breck Football Coach, he was named Conference Coach of the Year eight times, Section Coach of the Year five times, and the State AA Coach of Year two times. During John’s 18 year career, his teams won eight Conference Championships, five Section Championships, and two MN State Championships after winning the 2003 Class AA MN State Championship.
2002-2003 Girls Basketball Team
The 2002–2003 Breck Girls Basketball team expanded the limits of Minnesota Class 2A basketball. Buoyed by a third-place finish in the MN State High School League Tournament the year before and the full team returning, Coach Ray Finley and Breck’s Athletic Director, John Thiel, looked to find new ways for the team to continue to form themselves into a perennial state title contender. The 02-03 Mustangs committed to the most challenging non-conference schedule in Minnesota and a top schedule nationally. They took on powerhouse schools across the state in both the 3A and 4A classes and competed against top-ranked national opponents in Dowling, 4-time state champions in Iowa, and Christ the King, the #2 ranked team in the nation out of New York City.
As the team started mounting wins, it became clear that this was going to be a special season and that a state title was within reach.
Breck Girls Basketball won every conference game by more than 20 points and finished their regular season with 20 wins and 4 losses. They then tore through the Section 4AA Tournament with resounding wins over Brooklyn Center, Mound-Westonka, Jordan, and Andover - despite a commitment from the Andover coach that his team would be the team to beat the Mustangs:)
In the state quarterfinals, Breck Girls Basketball marched through a 26-0 Worthington team on Minnesota State University’s court to reach the semifinal game at Williams Arena. On Friday, March 14, 2003, the Mustangs prevailed over DGF to take their historic run one step closer to a state title than the year before. Breck met a strong Lourdes team in the state final and came up just short of the goal.
In five years, they had gone from a team of middle schoolers starting on varsity to a nationally-ranked powerhouse in Minnesota Girls’ Basketball. This team brought home three conference championships, Breck’s first two Girls Basketball Section Championships, our first two trips to the MN State Tournament, and set the table for the first (and only) Girls Basketball MN State Championship that would come the following year. This team was not only one of the best basketball teams in the school’s history, but it is also one of the most talented groups of individuals of any sports team at Breck.
Along with all the accolades and the impact that this team left on this school and their sport, the thing that stuck out as I researched this team was the way people talked about them. They were an outstanding group of girls who played together year-round on the AAU circuit, and their friendship through it all was inspiring. Stand-out students with committed and good parents. It is clear that this was a special team, and Breck was better because they were here.
These women were never afraid to push the barrier and go first. Alongside all that they accomplished, may that fearlessness and drive be the legacy of the 2002-2003 Breck Girls Basketball Team.
This team represented not only one of the best basketball teams in the school’s history but also one of the most talented groups of individuals of any sports team at Breck. Four 1000-point scorers, the state blocks leader, the state steals leader, and the state rebounds leader.
2003 Football Team
The 2003 Mustang Football Team is truly one for the history books. Boasting an 8-0 record during the regular season, the 50-player team with a six-person coaching staff and one trainer dominated the Tri-Metro Conference. The closest an opponent ever came to a win against the Mustangs during the regular season was a 39–19 effort by DeLaSalle. In every other game, Breck dominated opponents by a 29-point spread or more. The 2003 Mustang Football Team’s historic run continued into the sectional playoffs, going 3-0 on the road against Braham, Rush City, and East Central increasing their record to 11-0 overall and winning the section championship for the third straight year before tearing into the Minnesota State High School League Class 2A tournament once again.
Entering into the State Quarterfinal matchup against Bold, the Mustangs faced probably their toughest opponent with the game time temperature of 10 degrees, dropping to -7 degrees throughout the game. After defeating Bold 23-7, the Mustangs faced off against Pierz and defeated them 47-13, making it back to the State Championship game for the first time since 1996.
Breck took full advantage of their rematch with Kingsland, who had defeated them in shootout fashion the year before in the State quarterfinals. With the precision and focus of a team who knew their destiny was to win it all, Breck scored an impressive 45 unanswered points to start the game and finished the contest with a 51-14 win to secure the School’s second State Football Championship.
Record: 14-0
Honors
9 Tri Metro All-Conference Players
4 Tri Metro HM Selections
Defensive Back of the Year Selection
Offensive Back of the Year Selection