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.
Jay Rooker (Inducted: 2005)
Soccer
The third-leading scorer all-time in Gustavus men's soccer history with 39 goals and 17 assists for 95 points, Jay Rooker '85 helped the Gusties compile a record of 28—20—13 from 1981 to 1984. A forward with a knack for finding the net, Rooker was a two-time conference scoring champion and led Gustavus in scoring in 1982 (13 goals, 2 assists, 28 points), 1983 (6 goals, 9 assists, 21 points), and 1984 (13 goals, 8 assists, 34 points). He helped Gustavus capture the MIAC championship in 1983, with a record of 7—0—2, and advance to the NAIA area finals before falling 1—0 to Sangamon State in a game played in a heavy snowstorm in St. Peter. Rooker, who earned all-conference honors in 1982, 1983, and 1984, and all-region honors in 1984, is one of only six players in the program's 36-year history to be a three-time all-conference selection. He was also the team's captain and Most Valuable Player in 1983 and 1984.
Graduating with a double major in biology and distributive science in 1985, Rooker went on to receive his master's degree in marine science from the University of Puerto Rico in 1991 and his doctorate in marine science from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997. He is currently an associate professor at Texas A&M University in the Department of Marine Biology and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. His teaching and research centers on the community and population ecology of aquatic organisms, with a special emphasis on marine fishes. Jay, and his wife, Lisa, live in League City, Texas, with their two children, Alexandra (8) and Garrett (3).