Three Northern Arizona legends will be forever enshrined this July: David McNeill, Ida Nilsson and Johanna Nilsson have been voted into the 2025 Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame, as announced by the league office recently.
All three are decorated long-distance runners and will be inducted alongside 10 other athletes and administrators across five Big Sky institutions. They join four other Lumberjacks legends in the Big Sky Hall of Fame in Archie Amerson ('23), Angela Chalmers ('21), Lopez Lomong ('21) and Ron Mann ('21).
The ceremony is scheduled to take place Saturday, July 19, in Spokane, Washington, at Northern Quest Resort and Casino as a part of the Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff.聽
Between Johanna and Ida, they won a total of six national titles, 19 All-American awards, 11 Big Sky indoor championships and 12 outdoor championships. Ida was named third on the Big Sky's list of "25 Greatest Female Athletes," and Johanna was named second. Ida was inducted into the NAU Hall of Fame in 2010, and Johanna followed in 2011. In 2002 and 2003, Ida won the Big Sky cross country individual title, with Johanna finishing second both years.
McNeill was a two-time NCAA champion, earned nine All-America honors and competed in nine NCAA championship meets. He ranks 10th on the Big Sky's list of 25 Greatest Male Athletes.
David McNeill | Men's track and field/cross country | 2007-10
McNeill, a native of Melbourne, Australia, competed on the cross country and track and field teams from 2007-2010. During his time with the program, he raced in nine NCAA championship events, winning two titles (indoor 5K and outdoor 5K in 2010) and finished runner-up twice. In total, he earned nine All-America honors.
He was a three-time Big Sky cross country individual champion, finishing runner-up in 2007 to fellow Hall of Famer and Olympian Lopez Lomong. He repeated as champion in 2008, 2009 and 2010.聽
On the track, he placed eighth in the 3,000-meters at the 2008 indoor national championships and fourth in the 5000m. When he left Northern Arizona, he owned the second-fastest 3000m time in Big Sky history.
McNeill is a three-time Olympian, competing for his home country of Australia in 2012, 2016 and 2020.
Johanna Nilsson | Women's track and field/cross country | 2002-06
A native of Kalmar, Sweden, Johanna was a distance runner for Northern Arizona from 2002 to 2006. During her time, she claimed four national championships, including the 2003 indoor 1500m title, the 2005 NCAA cross country individual gold and the 2006 indoor mile and 3000m. She was the second cross country national champion behind fellow Hall of Famer, Angela Chalmers (1986). She was the 2006 NCAA Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
In 2006, she won the mile at the indoor NCAA meet by 30 seconds before returning to the track 90 minutes later to win the 3000m by four seconds.
She is the only Big Sky athlete to win both races at the indoor NCAA championships and win two events in the same year.
On a conference level, she won nine Big Sky championships, and when she left NAU, she held four school records -- three of which were conference records.
She still ranks third indoors in the mile (4:32.49), ninth in the 3000m (9:06.61) and third in the distance medley relay (11:17.97).
Her mile record and DMR record stood until the 2024 season.
Outdoors, she ranks fifth at Northern Arizona in the 800m (2:05.43) and second in the 1500m (4:10.72).
Her 1500m record stood until 2024.
After finishing runner-up behind Ida at the 2002 Big Sky cross country championships, Johanna went on to place sixth at the Mountain Regional and 12th at her first NCAA meet. Later that indoor season, she won both the mile and 800 at the Big Sky meet, setting the all-time league record in the mile and 1500m that season. She continued her success into the outdoor season, winning the 800m and the 1500m -- setting the record in the latter.
Ida Nilsson | Women's track and field/cross country | 2001-05
Also hailing from Kalmar, Ida was a member of the cross country and track and field teams from 2001 2005. From 2001-2004, she never lost a Big Sky individual title.
She was a two-time national champion, winning the outdoor 3000m steeplechase in 2004 and the indoor 5000m in 2005. During her time as a Lumberjack, she earned 11 All-America honors and became the first female in Big Sky history to win four straight conference cross country individual titles.
In total, she won 15 Big Sky titles -- six indoors, five outdoors and four in cross country. When she left Northern Arizona, she owned three school records.
To this day, she ranks 10th indoors in the 3000m, eighth indoors in the 5000m, second outdoors in the 3000m steeplechase and fifth outdoors in the 5000m.
Her steeplechase and outdoor 5000m school record stood until the 2024 season.
Ida placed 12th at the 2001 NCAA cross country championship meet, eighth in 2002 and ninth in 2003. She was also runner-up in the steeplechase at the 2002 and 2003 national meets, finally winning the event in 2004.
2025 Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame Class
Cass Bauer-Bilodeau, Women's Basketball, Montana State
Charles "Chip" Dunn, Football, Portland State
Tim Hauck, Football, Montana
David McNeill, Men's Cross Country/Track and Field, Northern Arizona
Ida Nilsson, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Northern Arizona
Johanna Nilsson, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Northern Arizona
Doug Nussmeier, Football, Idaho
Dan O'Brien, Men's Track and Field, Idaho
Naseby Rhinehart, Athletic Trainer, Montana
Arnie Sgalio, Administrator, Big Sky Conference/Montana State