Jacob Fahl '03 to give keynote at Mustang Success Night
Published Tuesday, September 09, 2025
The Deeann Griebel Student Success Center at SMSU is hosting its annual Mustang Success Night on Thursday, September 11, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the SMSU Conference Center.
The program features a support services fair and a major exploration fair to help students learn about the many services available to help them succeed and find their academic path at SMSU.
The keynote presentation will be presented by Jacob Fahl, SMSU Class of 2003.
Former SMSU men's basketball standout Jacob Fahl graduated with a degree in management in 2003. During his time as a student-athlete, he forged a legacy in the SMSU record books as one of the greatest men's basketball players in program history. A four-year letter winner from Benson, Minn., Fahl was the centerpiece of a golden era for Mustang basketball and graduated as the school's all-time leading scorer.
Appearing in 120 career games, Fahl tallied a school-record 1,638 points—surpassing the previous mark on Feb. 28, 2003. His record stood unchallenged for 17 years. He led SMSU in scoring during both his junior and senior seasons, earning All-NSIC first-team and Daktronics second-team All-Region honors in 2002 and 2003. Fahl finished his career holding school records for 3-point field goals made (173), free throws made (377), free throw percentage (84.5%), and games played (120). He also ranked fourth in field goals made (544) and fifth in assists (260). His 90.4 percent free-throw percentage during the 2002-03 season remains one of the best single-season marks in SMSU history, ranking third all-time.
Fahl played a vital role on SMSU's first-ever NSIC championship team in 2000-01, a season that also saw the Mustangs win the NCAA region championship and advance to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in program history. During his tenure, SMSU compiled a stellar 84-36 overall record and posted top four finishes in the conference each season—including first, second, third, and fourth place standings.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions on and off the court, Fahl was named the SMSU Male Student-Athlete of the Year for 2002-03. He was inducted into the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Hall of Fame in July 2025.
He and his wife, Angela, have four children, Avery, Julia, Jude, and Jonah. They live in Marshall. He will share his story of dedication, determination, and persistence that have helped him achieve success on the court and beyond. SMSU is delighted to have Fahl as the keynote to inspire and invigorate the first-year students this fall.
Four first-year students who attend and complete the evaluation will be entered to win a variety of prizes, including one of four $250 tuition stipends for Fall 2025 tuition.
For descriptions of the sessions, visit https://www.smsu.edu/campuslife/dgssc/mustang-success-night.html
For questions, contact Sarah Brown, Coordinator of Academic Support & New Student Engagement, at Sarah.Brown@SMSU.edu
[Kelly Loft in Athletic Communications contributed the biographical information for Jacob Fahl in this story.]
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