Gustavus Adolphus College

Regarded as one of the greatest defensive backs and kick returners to ever don the winged helmet, Shane Thielke boasted a contagious energy with a knack for making big plays in key moments. 

After recording a combined total of 99 tackles during his freshman and sophomore seasons, Thielke broke out his junior year by nearly equalling his career stops from his first two seasons, with 96 tackles and eight pass breakups in 1996. He also landed the job as the kick returner, averaging 33.0 yards per return, which ranked second in NCAA Division III. Thielke earned All-Conference, Football Gazette All-Region and Football Gazette Third Team All-America honors after his junior season. 

Thielke’s standout junior year earned him team captain in 1997 where he responded with 112 tackles, four interceptions for 101 yards, and averaged 28.3 yards per kick return to lead the MIAC for the second consecutive season. Thielke again earned All-Conference, Football Gazette All-Region, and Football Gazette Third Team All-America honors. Thielke graduated as the program’s all-time tackles record holder with 307 stops and still owns the record for highest career kickoff return average (30.6). Thielke posted seven interceptions for 133 yards and made 28 kick returns for 858 yards, including an 85-yard return for a touchdown. He is the only player in recorded team history to score a touchdown on offense, defense, and special teams. Thielke also spent his first two years on campus as a starter in the outfield for the baseball team where he hit .300 as a freshman. 

After graduating in 1998 with a major in elementary education, Thielke was an elementary classroom teacher for nine years. Thielke earned his master’s degree in education from Saint Mary’s University in 2003 and has been a principal for the past 16 years. Thielke has been the assistant principal at Fergus Falls High School since 2009 where he has also served as the football defensive coordinator since 2010 and head baseball coach since 2023. Shane lives in Swan Lake, Minn. with his wife Jen and their children, Carter, Parker, Benett, and Harper.