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.
Brenda Magoba
Track & Field, Soccer
Inducted: 2017
A highly decorated field specialist for the Gustavus women’s track and field team, Brenda Magoba starred in the shot put and discus from 1994 to 1997. Magoba earned all-conference honors 11 times during the indoor and outdoor seasons. A regular on the podium at the MIAC Championships during her career, Magoba posted second and third place finishes in the shot put in her first two years and then claimed league shot put titles in both the indoor and outdoor seasons her junior year. In addition, she posted tenth place finishes at the NCAA Championships in both the indoor and outdoor seasons her junior year. In the discus, Magoba claimed third place finishes at the MIAC Outdoor Championships her first two years and followed with runner-up performances her junior and senior years. She completed her career in style at the 1997 NCAA Outdoor Championships earning All-America honors with a fifth place finish in the shot put. She also took ninth place in the discus. A two-sport competitor at Gustavus, Magoba was also a three-year letterwinner for the Gustie women’s soccer team as a midfielder and goalkeeper, winning three MIAC championships.
After graduating from Gustavus in 1997 with a degree in religion, Magoba has spent her professional career working in non-profit agencies. She served at-risk children and youth in sports, camps, and Christian ministries until 2007 and has since worked as a domestic violence advocate. Magoba is still active in the athletic community, serving as a college basketball and soccer referee. Brenda was born in Kampala, Uganda and grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She currently lives in Philadelphia, Penn.