ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern Athletic Department is proud to announce its 2025 Hall of Fame inductees. Four former Eagle athletes make up the class of 2025, covering four different sports and three decades. The inductees were selected not only because of their athletic talents and success, but also their continued commitment to carrying out the Christian mission that Northwestern models itself after.
 
The class of 2025 will officially be inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame at the Northwestern Eagle Awards Celebration on Friday, October 10^th at 5:00 PM in the Nazareth Great Room, as a part of Homecoming weekend festivities. The inductees will also be recognized at halftime of Saturday's football game against Greenville. Congratulations once again to the four new members of the UNW Athletics Hall of Fame!
 
Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025:
 
Renee (DeMars '02) Quale | Women's Basketball
 
When you open up the Northwestern Women's Basketball record book, there are a few names that may burn into your eyes from seeing them so much. Renee DeMars is one of those names. Even 23 years after graduating, Renee ranks first in career three-point field goals made and attempted, first in career steals, and second in career points scored. She was the definition of a dual threat—dangerous from deep and disruptive on defense. She is a member of the 1,000 Point Club, the 150 Steal Club, and the 250 Assist Club, and holds or shares top spots in numerous single-season and game records. Her career is a masterclass in consistency, skill, and grit.
 
Renee graduated in 2002 with a Communication Arts Literature Education degree, and credits her time at Northwestern with deepening her faith and grounding her in the truth of the gospel. Today, she serves as a domestic engineer, a title she wears with joy as she homeschools her daughter, Ava, and supports her family. Her sons, Conner and Ethan, both attend Northwestern and are pursuing engineering degrees, and her husband, Eric, works for their local power cooperative.
 
Renee continues to pour into her community and church (Big Sandy Church), where she has played piano since the sixth grade. She also indexes college textbooks and substitute teaches, finding ways to use her gifts in every season. Through it all, she sees God's hand in her daily life, guiding her in her roles as wife, mom, and disciple. Renee's induction honors not only a phenomenal basketball career but a life marked by humility, perseverance, and unwavering faith in Jesus.
 
Gabe Eikum '06 | Baseball
 
A force on the baseball mound and a steady leader off the field, Gabe Eikum has made and continues to make his mark on Northwestern Baseball. During his collegiate career, Gabe etched his name into the record books, as he is first in career complete games and strikeouts, second in career innings pitched, strikeouts, and tied for seventh in career wins. He also holds the record for career fielding percentage, reflecting his consistency and reliability as a pitcher. Gabe's single-season achievements are impressive as well, ranking sixth in walks drawn and ninth in strikeouts.
 
Gabe's influence extends well beyond the rankings. Majoring in Mathematics, Northwestern provided a foundation that prepared him for both career and calling. He formed lifelong friendships, especially with teammates, grew deeper in his faith, and learned through the challenges of college baseball what it means to walk with Christ through both triumphs and trials. Today, he serves as a Data Integration Engineer II at Health Equity, where he's worked for more than 14 years. His passion for UNW Baseball continues as well; for the past 15 years, he has poured into the next generation as an assistant coach at Northwestern, helping shape student-athletes with the same mentorship that impacted him.
 
Gabe and his wife, Sonya, are raising their son, Xander and newborn Jace. They attend First Evangelical Free Church of Maplewood and stay actively involved in small group ministry. In this season of life, Gabe is learning how to be the best husband and father he can be—anchored in Christ and committed to raising his family with love and purpose. His Hall of Fame induction is a celebration not only of athletic excellence but of a life faithfully lived in service to others and to the Lord.
 
Leah (LaPine '05) Wojciechowski | Softball
 
Leah LaPine's years at Northwestern were marked by both athletic excellence and deep spiritual growth. A dual-sport athlete (basketball) and standout on the softball field, Leah competed with intensity and consistency, leaving her mark on the program's record books. She ranks in the top 10 in nine career and single-season statistical categories, including holding the number one all-time single-season on-base percentage until 2021. She is also tied for second in career triples, is fifth in single-season batting average, sixth in single-season slugging percentage, and tied for sixth in single-season triples, among others. Her record speaks not just to talent, but to a work ethic that elevated her team and inspired others.
 
Leah's legacy reaches far beyond the diamond. Majoring in Biology, she carried her passion for science and service into a medical career, becoming a PA at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, where she specializes in vascular surgery, wound care, and hyperbaric medicine. She thrives in an urban hospital setting, where her work is both medically complex and deeply human. Her heart for missions, shaped during her time at Northwestern, remains central to her life, from international service in Kenya to her current involvement with an organization providing prosthetics for Ukrainians injured in the war.
 
Leah sees every season, whether in sports, medicine, parenting, or ministry, as an opportunity to bring glory to God. She and her husband, Jeremiah, are raising their children, Kendall, Caleb, and Isla with a commitment to prayer, service, and faith. They attend Grace Church and remain active in both local and global missions. Through joys and hardships alike, Leah continues to trust God's faithfulness, living each day with gratitude and purpose. Her induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame honors her accomplishments on the field and her enduring impact as a Christ-centered leader.
 
Billy Schnobrich '87 | Men's Soccer
 
A dynamic striker and standout teammate, Billy Schnobrich brought passion, energy, and leadership to the Northwestern Men's Soccer team, serving as a team captain. His years as an Eagle were marked not only by his athletic talent but also by his deepening faith and a growing sense of purpose. He is one of only three players in program history to be selected as an NCCAA All-American (1984) and was a key cog Northwestern's 1983 team, one of only two to ever participate in the NCCAA National Tournament. While on campus, Billy also participated in intramurals, served as a high school leader for Son Summit Ministries, joined a Sports Ambassadors mission trip to Guatemala, and even performed in the spring play, "Alice in Wonderland," all the makings of a well-rounded individual. His time at Northwestern laid a biblical foundation that would shape the rest of his life, equipping him to live missionally and serve others through education and sports.
 
After earning his Sports Management degree, Billy went on to build a highly-decorated coaching and teaching career at Village Christian School in Sun Valley, California, where he currently serves as Dean of Students and Director of Volleyball. Previously, he taught Bible, chaired the department, and coached both soccer and volleyball, becoming the winningest coach in school history with 562 wins, 12 league championships, and 4 CIF Championships. He was recently inducted into Village Christian's own Hall of Fame, a testament to his influence and legacy.
 
Billy and his wife Blanca have been married for 31 years, are parents to Selby and Felix, and proud grandparents to Luna Rae. He remains deeply involved at Montrose Church, serving as a church board member, life group leader, and Grief Share facilitator, while continuing to shape lives through his role at the school. Billy credits Northwestern with preparing him to impact others for the Kingdom, both on and off the field, and his Hall of Fame induction celebrates a life lived faithfully and courageously in that calling.
 
A special thanks to UNW Alumni Relations for contributing to this story.