ASAA 2025 Hall of Fame Class includes four from the Valley

An Olympian, a pair of brothers and a beloved music teacher represent the Mat-Su as part of the 2025 class of inductees to the Alaska Schools Activities Association Hall of Fame.

Kerry Weiland, Nathan Schwartzbauer, Justin Schwartzbauer and Stan Harris will each be inducted into the ASAA Hall of Fame Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m. during a ceremony at the Special Olympics Alaska Jim Balamaci Training Center in Anchorage.

Weiland, a Palmer High School graduate, made history as one of the first girls in Alaska to play on a boys varsity high school hockey team, and later reached the highest level in her sport as a member of the U.S. women’s hockey team in the Olympics. Weiland and Team USA earned silver during the 2010 games in Vancouver.

Weiland was also the first girl to earn All-Region honors in Alaska prep hockey. She was a four-year member of the Moose varsity hockey team. The blueliner earned a full scholarship to attend the University of Wisconsin and play Division I college hockey for the Badgers. Weiland was named a first-team All-American in 2002.

Weiland also played professionally in North America and Europe.

Nathan and Justin Schwartzbauer were both multi-sport standouts at Colony High before earning their opportunity to compete at the Division I level.

Nathan was a four-sport standout, competing in football, hockey, basketball, and track and field. In football, Nathan was named first-team all-conference and first-team all-state at defensive end as a junior and senior, and also at tight end as a senior.

He helped lead the Knights to consecutive state team titles in track and field in 1999 and 2000. He was an individual region and state champion in the high jump as a junior and senior.

In hockey, as a defenseman, Nathan led the Knights to consecutive conference titles, and was an all-conference and all-state tournament selection.

He continued his hockey career at the junior level and won a United States Hockey League championship with Sioux City in 2002. Nathan also earned the chance to play Division I hockey at Bemidji State, and helped his team win two conference titles and advance to the NCAA tournament twice.

Nathan’s younger brother, Justin, was a three-sport standout in football, basketball, and track and field at Colony.

In football, Justin was a first-team all-state pick as a wide receiver and defensive back. He helped Colony advance to the state semifinals during his junior and senior years.

In basketball, Justin was named first-team all-state after leading the Knights to a conference title and a runner-up finish in the state tournament.

Justin was also a three-time state champion in the 300-meter hurdles in track, and swept the hurdles events at state as a senior. Justin still owns both the school and Region III record in the 300 hurdles.

After high school, Justin earned the chance to play Division I football at Weber State, and helped his team win the Big Sky Conference championship during his career.

Harris was a longtime music teacher at Palmer High. Harris mentored students in programs including jazz band, choir and theatre. He also helped students have the opportunity to perform across the state and country.

His work with students helped soloists and ensemble groups earn consistently high ratings.

The class of 2025 also includes Freddy Hamilton III (Craig basketball), AJ Hull (Kenai four-sport athlete), Rachel Johnson (Nikiski multisport standout and Division I soccer player), Luke Johnson (Nikiski multisport standout), Tobin Karlberg (Grace Christian two-time boys basketball player of the year), Allisa Pili (Dimond multisport standout and current WNBA player), Pauline Tufi (West Anchorage three-time softball player of the year), and Nathan Vereide (Whitestone drama and debate coach).

Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.