NEWS RELEASE
LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY
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Keith Aldridge (ice hockey, 1992-96), Eric Menk (men’s basketball, 1992-96), and Chris Nance (women’s basketball, 1992-96) will be inducted into the Lake Superior State Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024 on Saturday, Oct. 19. The annual Alumni Awards and Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. in the Walker Cisler Center as part of Great Lake State Weekend 2024.
Additionally, all recipients will be honored on the ice during the first intermission of the hockey game against Stonehill College on Friday, October 18th. The Class of 2024 LSSU Athletic Hall of Fame event marks the 20th induction ceremony at the university. Tickets for the event can be purchased on the LSSU Alumni website.
Keith Aldridge ‘96
Keith Aldridge attended LSSU from 1992 to 1996, where he played hockey all four years and was a member of the 1994 NCAA National Championship team, coached by Jeff Jackson.
During Aldridge’s time with the Lakers, he amassed several notable statistics, including leading the Lakers in assists for both the 1994-95 (31 assists) and 1995-96 (36 assists) seasons. He ranks tenth in career assists (102) as a Laker and tenth in single-season points by a defenseman (41). Aldridge served as the Laker Assistant Captain for the 1995-96 season and was voted the CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman for that same season.
Aldridge set multiple school records during the February 23-24, 1996 series against the University of Michigan, including the most assists by a defenseman in a single series (7), the most points by a defenseman in a single series (9), striving for the most assists by a defenseman in a single game, with 4 assists on February 24, 1996. Aldridge’s career totals include 37 goals, 102 assists, and 139 points. He was named an NCAA Second Team All-American in 1995 and an NCAA First Team All-American in 1996.
“I would like to recognize and thank Coach Jackson for bringing us in as kids and helping us leave as young men,” commented Aldridge, reflecting on the legendary Laker Hockey coach’s profound impact on him.
After graduating from LSSU, Aldridge played ten years of professional hockey across the American Hockey League, International Hockey League, and the National Hockey League, where he appeared in four games with the Dallas Stars during the 1999-2000 season. He also played four seasons overseas in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany from 2000 to 2004.
Aldridge now lives in the Metro Detroit area, where he owns and operates a large family entertainment business. He is married to Angie (Acree) Aldridge ’98, a former LSSU cross country athlete. They have three sons: Laker (23), Gunner (22), and Walker (20).
Eric Menk ‘96
Eric Menk attended LSSU from 1992 to 1996, where he was a key member of the LSSU Men’s Basketball team, capturing the 1996 GLIAC regular season title, the GLIAC Tournament Championship, and an NCAA Tournament berth.
“Coach Terry Smith recruited me out of high school and coached me throughout my four years at LSSU. Lake Superior State was the only four-year college in Michigan that offered me a scholarship,” Menk commented. “Thank you, Coach Smith, for the opportunity, the experience, and the guidance you provided me during my time at Lake State. I will be forever grateful for my experience as a Laker.”
While at LSSU, Menk was a standout player, leading the Lakers in scoring for three consecutive seasons (1993-94, 1994-95, and 1995-96) and in rebounding throughout his college career. He amassed a total of 1,800 points and 735 rebounds over the course of 105 games. A three-time All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference performer, Menk earned Second Team All-GLIAC honors in 1993-94 and First Team All-GLIAC honors in both 1994-95 and 1995-96. As a senior, he captained the team to the school’s only GLIAC Tournament Championship, earning the titles of GLIAC Player of the Year and MVP of the tournament.
After graduating, Menk played professional basketball from 1996 to 2016 in the Danish Elite Division (Ligaen), Philippine Basketball League (PBL), ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was named League MVP three times in the PBL and recognized as one of the PBA’s 40 Greatest Players, winning the PBA MVP award in 2005. Additionally, Menk played on the Philippine National Team at the 2002 Asian Games and in the 2007 FIBA-Asia Championship.
Following his professional playing career, Menk transitioned to a role as a sports commentator and analyst for two television networks in the Philippines. He also launched his own podcast and spent two years as an assistant coach in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL). In 2022, he furthered his education by earning a Master’s degree in Sports Administration from Northwestern University.
Menk is the son of Al and Lucia Menk. He now resides in Wesley Chapel, Florida, with his wife, Erin Campos, and their children, Alexa (11) and Sebastian (8).
Chris Nance ‘96
Chris Nance attended Lake Superior State University from 1991 to 1996, where she was a varsity letter winner on the LSSU Women’s Basketball team for four years. Recruited by the Lakers after an impressive high school basketball career at Newberry High School, she was ranked as the #2 junior player in Michigan.
Nance earned the title of GLIAC Freshman of the Year in 1992, but a knee injury sidelined her for a redshirt year. Upon her return, she and her teammates enjoyed a series of successful seasons, culminating in a trip to the third round of the NCAA Tournament in 1994.
Nance led her team in both scoring and rebounding during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons, finishing her career with 1,532 points (the 6th most in program history) and 258 rebounds over those two seasons (tied for 6th most in a single season). In addition to her GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors, she was named Second Team All-GLIAC in 1993-94 and earned First Team All-GLIAC honors in both 1994-95 and 1995-96. Nance ranks second in program history for both career free throws made (436) and total rebounds (882).
“I have kept in contact with several of my LSSU teammates, especially the girls in my class of 1991, Tammy (Albon) Graham, Darcy (Fraylick) French, and Jill (Wetthuhn) Beaudo,” said Nance. “More recently I have been gathering with the classes of 1991-1993. I can honestly say meeting with my teammates to reminisce and enjoy each other’s company has surpassed all of my previous LSSU experiences. I am so very honored to be included in such good company of successful, capable, and hilariously funny women who never exaggerate, talk loud, or make fun of each other.”
After graduating from LSSU in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Nance earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Wayne State University. “I have been working as a registered nurse in the massively chaotic world of the hospital setting for the last 24 years. I am most satisfied when I can bring a sense of calm assurance and safety to all patients in my sphere of influence.” Nance has received the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses, which is a national program that recognizes registered nurses who demonstrate excellence in patient care and professional nursing practice, and who exemplify the values of compassion, courage, integrity, and go above and beyond expectations.
Nance was part of Newberry High School’s inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame Class in 2013 and was elected to the UP Hall of Fame Class of 2022. She currently lives in the tip of the mitten and works for McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital.
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