HELENA — The Carroll Athletics Hall of Fame will cross the 300-individual mark this Fall, as Athletic Director Charlie Gross has announced the seven inductees who will join the exclusive club based on their remarkable athletic achievements on the Hilltop.
The 2026 Carroll Athletic Hall of Fame class, featuring former Fighting Saints across Football, Women's Soccer, Volleyball, Track & Field, and Cross Country, will be honored with a formal induction ceremony on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 3, a focal point of Homecoming weekend festivities.
"It is always a great day when you can recognize the greats from years past." said Gross "This induction class features representation from multiple different sports, at a very high level. I'm really excited to welcome them back to campus this Fall."
Following a year-long nomination process, the Carroll Athletic Hall of Fame committee members gathered to review and vote on all nominations. The 2026 Hall of Fame class consists of seven individuals, listed below in alphabetical order.
Brett Bermingham ('04)
Football, 2000-03
One of the best ball-hawking defensive backs in Carroll Football history will join a long list of former teammates in the Hall of Fame this October, in Brett Bermingham. Much like fellow inductee Rhett Crites, Bermingham will forever be remembered for late game heroics in the early years of Carroll’s historic four-peat as NAIA Champions.
In 2002, Bermingham came down with an interception that Hall of Fame Athletic Director Bruce Parker claimed “May be the most important play in the history of Carroll College Football.” Playing on the road against Sioux Falls in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinals, the Saints found themselves down 17-13 with just under three minutes remaining in the game. USF had a chance to run out the clock; however, they elected to run a halfback pass, hoping to catch Carroll off guard.
Bermingham appeared out of nowhere, picked off the attempt, and rumbled to the USF 30-yard line to give the Saints new life. Just one play later, Rob Latrielle connected with Mark Gallik in the endzone, putting the Saints in front for good and sending Carroll to the National Championship game. The two-time NAIA Champion was a multi-time First Team Frontier All-Conference selection and earned a pair of NAIA Honorable Mention All-American nods in ‘02 and ‘03.
In 2002, Bermingham led the Frontier with 23 pass break-ups, twice the number of any other DB in the league. He finished his storied career with 10 interceptions and remains a Carroll record-holder with three interception returns for touchdowns. In the 2003 NAIA Championship game against Northwestern Oklahoma State, Bermingham came away with a pick-six that flipped the game’s momentum and helped him earn Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Game honors.
Kevin Cicero ('05)
Football, 2003-04
Very few players have made as big an impact in just two seasons of work as Kevin Cicero. A University of Mary transfer, Cicero immediately solidified the Carroll defensive front, becoming one of the disruptive linemen in program history.
Cicero joins his father Noel (’72), a 1981 inductee, in the Carroll Athletics Hall of Fame — cementing the family name amongst the greatest in the institution’s history.
Hall of Fame Coach Mike Van Diest called Cicero “one of the most dominant defensive linemen to play at Carroll College throughout (my) 20 years.” Cicero appeared in all 29 games from 2003 to 2004, starting every game of his senior season. He registered a total of 103 tackles from his nose guard position, spearheading a defense that led the Frontier in points allowed, rushing defense, passing defense, and total defense. Cicero finished his career with 14 tackles-for-loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a pair of NAIA National Championship rings.
He was a two-time Academic All-Conference selection, and in 2004 he earned First Team All-Conference honors, Honorable Mention USSA All-American, a Second Team Don Hansen All-American nod, and First Team NAIA All-American distinction.
Rhett Crites ('04)
Football, 2000-03
There have been some monumental kicks in the 112-year history of the Carroll Football program. Very few kicks have held more weight than a conference championship-clinching game-winner off the foot of Rhett Crites. Crites, a true freshman fresh off a six-man prep football career in Gildford, Mont., sealed the deal on Carroll’s Frontier Conference title in 2000.
With ice in his veins on a frigid day in Butte, Crites nailed a 35-yard attempt in double OT to upend then-ranked No. 13 Montana Tech, giving Hall of Fame Coach Mike Van Diest the first of his eventual 14 conference titles, and kick-starting the most dominant run in NAIA Football history. One of the best specialists in program history, Crites was named All-Conference at place kicker three times (two First Team, one Second team), as well as All-Frontier at Punter in his senior season.
He earned three different Frontier Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors throughout his career and was a vital piece of four Frontier crowns and Carroll’s first two NAIA National Championships. In 2003, Crites established a new NAIA single season record for most points by a kicker (110 points – 77 PAT, 11 FG). As of today, he remains inside the Top-10 in NAIA history. Crites still holds a trio of all-time records at Carroll. His 77 extra points in 2003 remains unbeaten to this day.
In 2001, Crites set the single season field goal record with 16 (now tied with Conor Smith – 2013), and he holds the program record for career field goals at 49.
Dr. Catherine (Skaggs) Ellis ('08)
Women's Soccer, 2004-07
Dr. Catherine Nicole (Skaggs) Ellis, more commonly known as Nikki throughout her time at Carroll, is perhaps the most heralded goalkeeper in the Women’s Soccer program’s 28-year history. A four-year starter from 2004-2008, Ellis was a defensive anchor on two of the best Carroll teams to ever hit the pitch.
The 5-8 keeper from Spokane is already a two-time member of the Hall of Fame, starting every game in net on the 2006 and 2007 Hall of Fame teams, the program’s first teams to qualify for the NAIA National Tournament. In 2007, Ellis garnered a slew of postseason honors – Honorable Mention NAIA All-American, First Team All-Region, First Team All-Conference, and Academic All-Conference.
Ellis’ “direction and leadership from the back were instrumental in driving our team forward,” said a group of her former teammates and nominators. “(Nikki) had the unwavering trust of her teammates and was known for her consistency and reliability. She was a wall that opponents found difficult to breach, setting the gold standard for all future goalies in our program. Her presence on the field was a source of intimidation for any opposing striker who dared to challenge her, reinforcing her role as an indispensable player.”
To this day, Ellis’ goalkeeping statistics remain among the best in program history. She appears inside the Top-10 in every single individual season record, including Saves per Game (10th), Save Percentage (seventh), Goals Against Average (seventh), Wins (first), Win percentage (second), Shutouts (fourth), and Shutout Percentage (third). She has the third-most career saves in program history (233), and the third-lowest career Goals Against Average (.91) in program history, while playing in the second-most games (68) of any Carroll keeper.
Rhianna (Grossman) Kofmehl ('15)
Women's Cross Country and Track & Field, 2010-2015
Kofmehl was the first truly great distance athlete at Carroll College, with a five-year career that saw her flourish across multiple disciplines. It became evident in her freshman season that she would have tremendous impact. Her longevity and consistency were impressive, accruing numerous individual accolades, and a career culminating with the program’s first team trophy.
A champion through and through, Kofmehl was a nine time All-American, Conference Champion, and NAIA National Champion. She earned All-Conference honors in Cross Country four times (’10, ’11, ’12, ’14), winning the Frontier Individual Championship in 2012 ahead of an All-American honor at the national meet. In 2014, Kofmehl was the NAIA Indoor National Champion in the 3,000m, winning the event by over 11 seconds – clipping an incredible 15 seconds off her personal record.
She was a three-time All-American in the Steeplechase (2013-15), three-time All-American in the Distance Medley Relay (2012, ’14, ’15), and three-time All-American in the 3000m (2012, ’14, ’15). To this day, Grossman remains the school record-holder in the Steeplechase and 3000m and is Top-Four all-time in the 1500m and 5000m. An instrumental piece in the foundation of Carroll Cross Country’s continued success, Kofmehl was part of teams that finished 20th, 13th, fifth, and fourth at the NAIA National Championships — establishing a standard for all future Fighting Saints.
Seamus Molloy ('07)
Football, 2004-07
After transferring to the Hilltop following a pair of seasons at the University of Montana, Helena-native Seamus Molloy developed into one of the best linebackers in the nation. The former HHS Bengal quarterback transitioned to the defensive side of the ball in college, stacking-up stats and accolades as impressive as anyone.
His first season at Carroll, Molloy played a critical role in helping the No. 1-ranked Fighting Saints hold No. 7 Azusa Pacific scoreless in a mid-season matchup of the NAIA’s top teams in the West. With Carroll pinned inside their own five in the second half, the Saints were forced to punt. The Cougars blocked the punt, but a heady Molloy scooped up the loose ball and scampered all the way inside the APU four-yard line to set up another Carroll score and put the game to rest.
A three-time Frontier Player of the Week, the 6-2 linebacker was selected Second Team All-Conference in ’05 and First Team All-Frontier in ’06. A tremendous student, Molloy was a three-time Academic All-Conference selection who was named Academic All-American in both ’04 and ’05. His senior season in 2006, Molloy was named a team captain and earned First Team NAIA All-American honors after finishing the year with 77 tackles (57 solo, 20 assisted), seven tackles-for-loss, two sacks, and one interception.
All said and done, Molloy wrapped up his Carroll career with 208 total tackles, 17 TFL, 21 pass break ups, 3.5 sacks, and three blocked kicks.
Kathleen Mulligan Solly ('15)
Volleyball and Women's Track & Field, 2011-15
Being a multi-sport athlete is impressive. Being an All-Conference selection in multiple sports is even more impressive. Winning a National Championship, earning All-Conference honors, and maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA is simply unheard of. However, Kathleen Mulligan Solly accomplished just that in her storied Carroll career.
Mulligan Solly began her illustrious career on the Hilltop by earning Frontier Conference Freshman of the Year honors on the Volleyball team in the Fall of 2011. There was no sophomore slump, as she would go on to earn First Team All-Frontier honors for the following three seasons. One of the top spikers of all-time, she finished her on-court career with 973 total kills and 172 total blocks.
In 2013, Mulligan Solly forever etched her name in the Carroll annals, becoming both the first female NAIA Champion in program history, and first male or female NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Champion in school history. At the ’13 Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Marion, Ind., Solly claimed the title with a triple jump of 12.17 meters, edging out the historic victory by just one centimeter. The championship leap was one of six All-American honors for Mulligan Solly, who still owns both the Indoor & Outdoor Carroll triple jump records.
In 2014, Mulligan Solly was named the female recipient of the NAIA’s A.O Duer scholarship, the top award presented annually by the association recognizing scholarship, character, and citizenship by junior student-athletes in any sport. She became the first female Fighting Saint to earn the NAIA’s top honor and was just the second student-athlete in school history with the distinction, joining fellow Hall of Famer, Tyler Emmert.
