Ricky Michel named to St. Croix Valley Hall of Fame

Sadie Heieren, Photography Editor|November 7, 2018

Photo by Sadie Heirnen

Athletic Director Ricky Michel enters St. Croix Valley Hall of Fame this fall. He is a former baseball coach and elementary teacher.

A new name was added to the St. Croix Valley Hall of Fame this fall: Athletic Director Ricky Michel. He now has a place with the other coaches and athletes that have many great accomplishments at Stillwater. Long awaited, he and a few others happily received their claims to fame. Their dedication and hard work paid off well.

Michel coached the Stillwater baseball team for many years. He has put countless hours into leading his teams to many victories, and now he has been recognized and rewarded for his work.

Michel has accomplished lots in his reign as a coach.  He has the most wins of any Stillwater baseball coach. His teams finished as section runner-ups five times, and he was in two state tournaments. He served as the president of the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association. Due to his efforts, he was awarded Conference coach of the year five times.

When asked how he felt to finally be recognized, he said, “It’s an honor to be nominated and accepted as a Hall of Fame member. It is very humbling to look at all of the former coaches who are in the Hall of Fame and know you are there with them. I know that I am not the best, nor the winningest coach, but to be recognized means you made a difference at some point in a young person’s life.”


“That is why I got into coaching in the first place. I am very grateful to all those who helped me along the way. I like to think that I have come full circle. I started by watching Ponies when I was young. I got to play as a Pony, coach as a Pony, help support Pony sports, and now get to watch Ponies. I will say the Village of Stillwater helped raise me. For this, I am truly grateful,” Michel said.

Don Campbell worked with Michel as the coach before him. Campbell was so impressed with Michel that he nominated him. He felt that Michel deserved to be in the St. Croix Valley Hall of Fame.

“Ricky Michel is a good baseball coach because he’s the complete package. He’s very knowledgeable about the game of baseball and he’s somebody who the players look up to and that has the qualities that you would want someone to have who was coaching your own son, as a matter of fact, I was privileged to have him coach my son,” Campbell said.

In 2012, Michel was nominated and accepted into the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He worked hard to get there, and continues to work towards more accomplishments. Michel connected to his teams and led them to continuous wins and strong relationships.

After years of hard work, dedication and baseball talent, Michel has finally been rewarded, yet he still works to make Stillwater’s sports programs better.