Congratulations to Melanie Cowherd Dulak (Class of 1988), Matt Groff (Class of 2008), Ray Rolling (Community Member), and Leah Schmalzbauer (Class of 1988).
The 2024 Mahtomedi High School Athletic Hall of Fame honorees were recognized on Thursday, September 5. The Mahtomedi High School Athletic Hall of Fame honors former athletes, former coaches, and community members who have displayed outstanding athletic abilities or have made exceptional contributions to our school district’s athletic programs.
Meet the Honorees:
Melanie Cowherd Dulak (Class of 1988)
Melanie is a Global Digital Marketing Professional at TSI Incorporated in St. Paul, Minnesota. Melanie’s athletic awards include the following accolades: Member of 3 State Class A Team Championships (1985, 1987-1988), Member of State 2nd Place Finish (1984), State Individual Title in Uneven Bars (1986), State 2nd Place Awards in All Around (1986) and Floor Exercise (1988), State 3rd Place Awards in All Around (1988), Bars (1987), Beam (1988) and Floor (1986), 4 time Sectional Individual Championships (1985-1988), 4 time All-Conference (1985-1988), 5 years Varsity Letter Winner (1984-1988), and Captain.
Matt Groff (Class of 2008)
Matt is the Substation Engineering Department Manager at Electrical Consultants, Inc. in Billings, Montana. Matt’s athletic awards include the following accolades: First Wrestling State Champion in Mahtomedi History in 2008 (37-0), Overall varsity record of 106-11, 3 time wrestling state qualifier (2006-2008), 4 time varsity letter winner for wrestling (2005-2008), Member of the 2005 football state championship team, Captain of 2008 football state runner-up team, 2 time football all-conference honoree (2007-2008), 3 time varsity letter winner for football (2006-2008), 2 time track all-conference honoree (2007-2008), 3-time varsity letter winner for track (2006-2008), University of Wisconsin-Madison Football (2008-2009), and Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2009).
Ray Rolling (Community Member)
Ray was a Mahtomedi community member. He was born in Martinsburg, MO in 1886 and died in Mahtomedi, MN in 1966. Ray was a Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals 1900-1912. He was also a Mahtomedi business owner, Swim and Diving instructor, and Youth Mentor and Baseball coach. He built and maintained the warming house at the DEC and supported athletics with field maintenance and game prep. Many students have shared that Ray mentored them in life lessons, sportsmanship, and sports activities over several years at MHS.
Leah Schmalzbauer (Class of 1988)
Leah is a Distinguished Professor in the Social Sciences & NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Leah’s athletic awards include the following accolades: in Gymnastics she is a two-time state championship team member (1987, 1988), three-time individual state champion, and team captain and in Track and Field, her awards include Conference champion: 100 meter dash (1985), Five time all conference, and All state: 4 x 100 relay, 4 x 400 relay (1988).
Photos by Logan Erickson, Class of 2030
Click here to see photos from the recognition event.