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.
Milton Brostrom
(benefactor)
Inducted: 2008
The long-time mathematics professor C. Milton Brostrom served as the faculty athletic representative for 22 years (1969-1991) and has also worked as the clock operator for both basketball and football games for over 40 years. A 1949 graduate of Gustavus, Brostrom taught math at Dana College and Luther College before returning to his alma mater as a professor of mathematics in 1955. Brostrom, who received his master's degree in mathematics from the University of Minnesota in 1958, was a distinguished member of the Gustavus faculty for 36 years, retiring in 1991. He maintained a special interest in computers and was instrumental in bringing computer technology to the College in the mid-'60s. Brostrom was the first winner of the Faculty Award for Outstanding Service in 1986.
A sports enthusiast his entire life, Brostrom began keeping score at Gustavus athletic events in the early '60s. He was asked by Athletic Director Lloyd Hollingsworth to become the Faculty Athletic Representative in 1969. Brostrom accepted and for the next 22 years, he meticulously checked the eligibility status of every Gustavus student athlete to make sure that each individual was cleared to participate. He was selected as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 13 Eligibility Chair in 1972 and held that position until 1980 when Gustavus left the NAIA to join the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). In 1980, Brostrom was elected chair of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Eligibility Committee, a group organized to set a consistent standard for academic requirements for student athletes in the MIAC. He also reviewed all eligibility cases in the conference and suggested a ruling on possible penalties when violations for league rules were uncovered. For the past 15 years, Brostrom has served on the board for the Gustavus Athletics Hall of Fame representing the sports of men's swimming, men's and women's track and field, and men's and women's cross country.
Brostrom's commitment to the ideals of collegiate athletics and the importance of academic priority at Gustavus has set the standard for faculty athletic representatives throughout the country. His unbridled support of Golden Gustie student athletes and coaches for the past 50 years has been instrumental in developing a history of excellence in the Gustavus Athletics Department.