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.
Dan Westlund
Tennis
Inducted: 2001
Dan Westlund was an integral part of the men's tennis program as the Gusties were racking up conference, regional, and national titles in the late '70s and early '80s. A four-time conference champion and two-time All-American, Westlund played #4 singles and #2 doubles on the 1980 squad that claimed the first NCAA Championship by a Gustavus athletic team. A four-time MIAC Champion, Westlund won doubles titles in 1977 (#3) and 1978 (#2) and then claimed singles titles in 1979 (#5) and 1980 (#4). He also teamed with Dick Schneider to win the district doubles title in 1979. Westlund's success as a doubles player helped him earn two All-America certificates including quarterfinal finishes with Dick Schneider in 1979 and Shaun Miller in 1980 at the NCAA Championships. During Westlund's career, the Gusties posted four MIAC titles and four NAIA District 13 titles, while also posting three top four NAIA Championship finishes and two top two NCAA Championship finishes.
Westlund, who graduated with a major in physical education, started his professional career as a physical education teacher and boys' tennis coach at Mounds View High School. During the 1981-82 school year, Westlund moved to Furmakawa, Japan, and taught kindergarten. He joined Northwest Airlines as a flight attendant in 1983 and has remained there for the past 19 years. In addition to his position with Northwest Airlines, Dan is a contractor with Westlund Bros. & Sons Construction Company. He lives in St. Paul with his wife, Christine. They have three children, Aleks (5), Annika (3), and Anders (1).