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.
Bill Nordstrom
Baseball and Basketball
Inducted: 1996
After being heavily recruited at the Division I level for basketball and baseball out of Walnut Grove High School, Bill Nordstrom opted for the opportunity to play both basketball and baseball at Gustavus.
On the court, Nordstrom was a three-time all-conference selection and ranks as the sixth all-time leading scorer in Gustavus basketball history with 1,594 points. He averaged over 17 points a game in his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons as well as finishing among the top three scorers in the MIAC in each of those seasons. In his junior season, Nordstrom led the Gusties to the NAIA National Tournament where he scored 29 points in a first round loss to Illinois Wesleyan.
On the diamond, Nordstrom was a four-year starting outfielder and hit .325 during the 1960 season as the Gusties compiled a 10-1-1 record and finished second in the MIAC. In his senior season, Nordstrom was awarded the Myrum Key given to the senior letterwinner with the highest grade point average.
After graduating cum laude with majors in English and history, Nordstrom went on to receive his law degree from the University of Minnesota. For the past 30 years, he has been involved in mortgage banking and practicing law in the Twin Cities where he is currently in private practice in Edina. Bill and his wife, Janet, have one daughter, Tera.