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.
Brent Staples
Football
Inducted: 2014
No defensive lineman terrorized opposing offenses like Brent Staples did during the late 1990s. Taking full advantage of his 6-3, 260-pound frame, Staples consistently demanded double teams and possessed the unique ability to dominate the line of scrimmage.
A two-time all-conference performer and a two- time member of the All-West Region First Team in 1997 and 1998, Staples graduated ranked third in school history in tackles with 258 (105 solo) and remains the program's top tackling defensive lineman. Staples was awarded the Mike Stam Award for MIAC Lineman-of-the-Year, was an honorable mention member of Don Hanson's Football Gazette All-America Team, and was selected to play on the NCAA Division III All-Star Team in the Aztec Bowl in Mexico. He is program leader in tackles for loss with 67 (totaling 292 yards) and also ranks second in sacks on the all-time list with 25. To go along with his impact made on the gridiron, Staples also played two seasons as a defenseman for the men's hockey team - suiting up in 45 games and recording seven points (3G, 4A).
After graduating cum laude with a degree in management in 1998, Staples moved back to his hometown of Windom, where he joined the staff of his family's business, Staples Oil Co., Inc. With its corporate office based in Windom and operations throughout Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa, Staples Oil Co., Inc. operates a chain of Express Way Convenience Stores,?runs wholesale business in jobber and bulk fuels, and manages transportation divisions and agricultural holdings. Brent is currently the president of Staples Oil Co., Inc. and lives in Windom with his wife, Nicole (Nesseth '04), and their children, Daniel, Will, and Olivia.