The University of North Dakota inducted former All-American swimmer Marion (Warner) Nielson and the 1988-89 UNS women's swimming and diving team into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame on
Saturday.

Nielson, a native of Havre, Mont., was on the Fighting Sioux women’s swimming and diving team from 1987-91.

During Nielson’s tenure at UND, she was named All-American 28 times (the most an athlete can be named All-American). She won two individual national titles and was a member of four national champion relay teams.

In 1989, Nielson won her first national title as a member of the national champion 200 medley relay team, which won the event in a time of 1:46.84.

Then in 1990, Nielson was a four-time national champion. She was a member of the 200 medley relay team that won the national title for UND in that event for the second year in a row while setting an NCAA
Division II record with a time of 1:45.97. She was also a member of the national champion 400 medley relay team (3:52.91) that season, and she won individual national titles in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:05.56) and 100-meter butterfly (:57.19).

As a senior in 1991, Nielson was a member of UND’s third consecutive national champion 200 medley relay team, which won in a time of 1:47.32.

Nielson was a member of UND’s 400 free relay team that set a school record time of 3:29.57 in 1991 that still stands.

Nielson was named NCC Swimmer of the Year in 1989 and won 13 NCC individual championships throughout her college career. She was named the recipient of UND’s Grace Rhonemus Award as UND’s top female athlete.

1989 UND WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING TEAM
Coached by Mike Stromberg and diving coach Todd Kolean, the 1989 women’s swimming and diving teams were North Central Conference Champions and placed second at the national meet in Buffalo, N.Y. The 200 medley relay team (Michelle Puetz, Janine Etchepare, Kristin McClocklin and Marion Warner) brought home a national championship and seven swimmers were named All-Americans that year. The women’s swimming and diving team was chosen North Dakota Female College Team of the Year by the North Dakota state media.

Highlights from the 1988-89 season:
– The Sioux captured their eighth straight NCC title, outscoring runnerup Mankato State by 292 points.
– Mary Chellgren was named NCC Rookie of the Year, Marion Warner was named the NCC Most Valuable Swimmer and freshman diver Katie Stephens was named NCC Diver of the Year. Diving coach Todd Kolean was named Diving Coach of the Year.
– Janine Etchepare and Kristin McClocklin were academic All-Americans.
– After UND’s second-place national finish, Stromberg was named NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.
– UND beat North Dakota State, 193-37, in a Dec. 10, 1988 meet.
– UND also won its own invitational and an invitational at South Dakota State and set numerous school and pool records during the year.