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.
Gregory Johnson
Football
Inducted: 1994
Known for his ferocious intensity, Greg Johnson toyed with opposing centers from his noseguard position during the late '60s and early '70s. Constantly double-teamed due to his ability to penetrate the offensive line, Johnson still led the team in tackles his junior and senior seasons. He was a three-time all-conference selection, and a member of the 1967 and 1968 MIAC Championship teams. Johnson was also a two-time Little All-American ('69 and 70), and his teammates selected him as their most valuable player during those same seasons.
Graduating with a double major in mathematics and physics, Johnson went on to earn his teaching certificate and then taught math and physics and coached football at Pine City and New Ulm High Schools.
He enrolled in the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1974 and graduated in 1978. After a residency in St. Paul, Minnesota, Johnson started a private family practice in 1981 in Red Lodge, Montana, where he also served as the Carbon County Coroner from 1952 until 1984. In July of 1985, he began a general surgery residency at Blodgett Memorral Medical Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he held a private general surgery practice in Grand Rapids. In addition to his general surgery practice, Johnson was the trauma director at St. Mary's Hospital. He has received numerous honors in his medical career including General Surgery Residency Teacher of the Year Award in 1992 and Family Practice Residency Instructor Recognition Award in 1994. Greg and his wife Susan have two sons, Reid and Kurt.