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.
Dave Newcomer
Hockey
Inducted: 2013
A keen leader and lanky center, Dave Newcomer brought finesse and style to one of the most prolific scoring lines in Gustavus men's hockey history from 1987 to 1991. Newcomer carved up defenses and gave opposing goaltenders nightmares with his quick hands, stick handling, and pin-point accuracy. Paired with the gritty Scott Reddy '91 and the bombastic Mike Gempeler '91, the "Newcomer—Gempeler—Reddy line" skated together for four seasons, scoring a combined 500 points (212 goals, 288 assists). The Golden Gusties earned a trip to the Western Intercollegiate Hockey Association playoffs (WIHA) in 1990 and 1991 after defeating Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) regular season champion St. Thomas in the MIAC playoff championship both seasons.
As creative and strong with the puck as he was deadly with his shot, Newcomer ranks sixth in program history in points with 177, ninth in goals with 74, and third in assists with 103. A team captain his junior and senior seasons, and an assistant captain as a sophomore, Newcomer's durability allowed him to play in all 118 games of his career, which ranks second in Golden Gustie history. The Rochester, Minn., native garnered all-conference accolades three times (1989, 1990, 1991) including being named the MIAC Player of the Year in 1991. He was also selected to the American Hockey Coaches Association All-America Second Team in 1991.
After graduating with a degree in biology, Newcomer attended the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine where he graduated in 1995. Following three years of residency in internal medicine at the Gunderson Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wis., he accepted a position as an internal medicine physician at the Affiliated Community Medical Centers (ACMC) Clinic in Willmar, Minn. in 1998. He currently serves as the medical director for Rice Hospice and is the chief medical officer for ACMC. Dave lives in in Willmar with his wife, Christine '91, and their children, Brady and Kylie.