Football and Baseball
Two-sport athletes have long been an integral part of the Carleton athletic tradition, but few have enjoyed the degree of success that Tim Thull realized in football and baseball. Twice named All-MIAC in each sport, Thull’s name is littered across the record books of both programs. In football, he was a ball-hawking defensive back with a flair for coming up with big interceptions. In 1990 Thull led the conference in picks, helping him to garner recognition as an All-Conference selection as well as an honorable mention All-American. Thull ranks second in school history with 19 career interceptions. He especially shone under the spotlight of the Carleton-St. Olaf rivalry, including two interceptions and a fumble return touchdown in the 1990 contest that saw the Knights retake the Goat Trophy, 37–20.
Meanwhile, in baseball, Thull’s career numbers rank in the top 10 of virtually every offensive category, and he was an integral part of Carleton’s MIAC-Champion squad in 1991. One of the most prolific run producers ever to don the maize and blue, Thull ranks second all-time with 111 career RBIs. He was a career .342 hitter, including the third-best single-season hitting performance in 1989, when he hit a whopping .438. Thull could run too, ranking eighth all-time in stolen bases with 29 and hitting nine triples during his career, tied for fourth-most in the program record book. He was a terrific outfielder as well, tracking down outs with the same nose for the ball that led to many interceptions on the football field. In 1989, Thull’s first of two All-MIAC campaigns, the then-sophomore played the entire season without committing an error. The following year, he again earned All-Conference honors and shared the Kelly Award for team most valuable player with John Nielson.