Athletic Hall of Fame
The Gustavus Adolphus College Hall of Fame was established in 1978 at which time 19 "Charter Members" were inducted either as coaches or as athletes. As of the fall of 2022, 348 individuals (321 athletes, 16 coaches and 11 benefactors) have been elected to the Hall of Fame.
The former Hall of Fame room on the second floor of the Lund Center was originally partially endowed by the families of both Dwight Holcombe's (the only father/son combination holding membership in the Hall). The hardwood plaque upon which the individual plates are permanently displayed, now in the Hall of Champions, was donated by the family of former football coach and Hall of Fame member Jocko Nelson, who passed away in 1978.
Stanley Gabrielsen
Gymnastics, Swimming & Diving, and Track & Field
Inducted: 1978
Stanley R. Gabrielsen '35 was winner of 12 letters while at Gustavus with 4 each in swimming, gymnastics and track. For his four years in swimming at Gustavus he was undefeated in the conference 100 yd. backstroke, lowering the record each year. He won the conference three years in the 40 yd. freestyle and set records each year. In his senior year in track he placed second in the two-mile run at the conference championships.
Following his graduation from Gustavus he taught and coached at Balaton and Austin for four vears and taught phy. ed. at Univ. of Ill. for two years. From 1941-46 he served in the USAF, was commissioned in 1942 and was assigned to Physical Training and Physical Rehabilitation for which he received a commendation.
From 1946-48 he was Chief of Sports and Motion Pictures covering hospital programs for Vets. Admin. in Chicago, from 1948-58 was Asst. Prof. in the Recreation Curriculum at Univ. of Calif., L.A., and from 1958- 76 was Professor at Calif. State Univ., Long Beach, where he was chairman of the Dept. of Recreation and Leisure Studies. He retired as Professor Emeritus. He received his M.A. and Ed.D. from New York University in 1940 and also received a Distinguished Service Award from the California Assn. of Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1973.