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.
Aaron Smith
Track & Field
Inducted: 2014
As Gustavus throwers burst onto the national scene in the mid-1990s, Aaron Smith dominated the final years of the millennium and established himself as the most decorated track and field athlete in the history of the program. Explosive and powerful with picture-perfect technique, Smith's crowning achievement came at the 1999 NCAA outdoor championships, where he became Gustavus's first NCAA champion with a toss of 194' 8" in the hammer throw.
Over his four-year career, Smith turned in a total of six All-America performances, including one indoor and five outdoor in the shot put (3), hammer throw (2), and discus (1). At the conference level, Aaron collected 14 all-conference awards including four indoor titles in the shot put (2) and weight throw (2), and five outdoor titles in the shot put (2) and hammer throw (3). He was named the MIAC Outdoor Most Outstanding Athlete in 1998, the MIAC Indoor Most Outstanding Athlete in 1999, and the U.S. Track Coaches Association Regional Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons in 1999. Smith held every Gustavus throwing record upon graduation and still holds the school-record in the indoor shot put (56' 9.5") and outdoor hammer throw (194' 8").
After graduating from Gustavus in 1999 with degrees in criminal justice and psychology, Smith worked as a graduate assistant in charge of throwers at Minnesota State University, Mankato, from 1999 to 2001. After his time at MSU, Mankato, he accepted a position as a special agent within the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Federal Investigative Service Division in 2002. Aaron lives in St. Peter with his wife, Kristin (Petersen '04), and their children, Kiercelyn and Annika.