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.
Lloyd Hollingsworth
(coach)
Inducted: 1978
Lloyd Hollingsworth's coaching and athletic career at Gustavus, interrupted twice for military tours of duty during WW II and the Korean conflict, spans the years 1942-78. His fifteen years as head football coach reaped a record of 94 wins, 33 losses and five ties. Eight times during Holly's career the Gusties were champions of the MIAC. His 1946 team was undefeated, and two of his teams were invited to bowl games. His record of leading the Gusties to five conference titles in succession broke the previous record by two and he had the top win-loss record in the history of the conference. He also coached baseball, hockey, tennis, gymnastics and basketball.
Holly gave up his head coaching duties in 1961 to concentrate on his duties as athletic director and department chair but did return to the football field as an assistant coach from 1966 to 1969. In 1971 he was named to the NAIA Football Hall of Fame for his achievements as a coach. During his undergraduate days at Gustavus he collected 11 letters including three in football (was named All-State center), four in baseball (played left field on the 1935 championship team) and four in gymnastics. In 1935, he coached the Gustie gymnastics team to its 6th consecutive Northwest Gymn. Meet title. He earned a master's degree from the Univ. of Minn, and his doctorate from New York University.