Great Lakes Wire

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University athletic department has announced the induction of five individual athletes into the NMU Sports Hall of Fame.

Sten Fjeldheim, who coached the Nordic Skiing team from 1986 to 2021, is among those being honored. Under his leadership, the skiing programs gained national prominence. He led the teams to two women's national titles, a combined men's and women's national title, and 23 women's and 22 men's regional titles.

During his tenure, Fjeldheim's program produced 102 All-Americans, 13 Olympians, seven NCAA Champions, and six U.S. National Champions.

Fjeldheim received eight Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) Women's Coach of the Year awards, five CCSA Men's Coach of the Year awards, and one National Collegiate Ski Association Coach of the Year award while at Northern.

Under his guidance, the Wildcats achieved a double podium sweep at the 2007 NCAA Championships, an accomplishment that remains unmatched.

From 1994 to 1997, Fjeldheim served as an assistant national team coach/junior development coordinator for the United States Ski Team. During this period with the U.S. Team, he coached at several international events including the 1994 Olympics and World Championships in both 1995 and 1997.

In addition to his success in skiing, Fjeldheim also coached NMU's Cross Country team from 1986 to 2007. He led them to six NCAA Division II National Championship appearances. The program produced ten NCAA All-Americans under his leadership and won two GLIAC Championships along with a Great Lakes Regional Championship. He was named GLIAC Coach of the Year in both 1992 and 2000 and Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year in 2005.

Originally from Haugesund, Norway, Fjeldheim skied three seasons for NMU and was part of the U.S. Ski Team from 1980 to 1986. He competed in five Olympic Trials and eighteen U.S. National Skiing Championships during this time. In addition to these achievements, he won a national relay championship in 1985.

Fjeldheim graduated from Northern Michigan in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and later earned a master's degree in education with an emphasis on exercise science in 1992.

He becomes the twenty-first NMU coach inducted into their Hall of Fame. Fjeldheim currently resides in Marquette with his wife Pamela; they have three adult children: Ingrid, Kirsten, and Stig.