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.
John Oist
Baseball, Basketball, and Tennis
Inducted: 1991
In the difficult years during World War II, John "Chic" Oist distinguished himself as a versatile athlete who could move from the baseball diamond to the tennis court with equal grace. But Oist's real strength was on the basketball court, where he won three letters. Oist's skills and dedication were rewarded his senior season when he was named to the 1943 all-MIAC squad at guard.
After graduation, Oist entered the military and served as part of the Allied invasion force at Normandy. Upon his rerurn to Minnesota, he taught and coached at Cloquet High School until 1961. The following year, he accepted a new teaching/coaching position in Palmdale, Calif., where he worked until refiring in 1987. When he wasn't coaching, Oist officiated high school and college football games and served as an assistant golf pro at Desert Aire Golf Club in Palmdale. During the summer months, he worked as head pro at Big Lake Golf Club near Cloquet.
Today, Oist and his wife, Patricia, live in Cloquet, where he enjoys hunting, fishing and golfing. The couple has a daughter, Linda Kunze, and two stepchildren, Kenneth Young and Debi Cooke.