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.
Jerry Washington
Track & Field
Inducted: 2018
One of the elite sprinters in Gustavus track & field history, Jerry Washington earned six All-America awards and set six school records from 2000-03. Washington’s greatest strength was in the outdoor 100-meter as he captured three All-America honors at the NCAA Championships, finishing eighth in 2001, sixth in 2002, and seventh in 2003. He also achieved All-America honors twice in the indoor 55-meter (2001, 2003) and once in the outdoor 400-meter relay (2002).
Washington became the most decorated Gustavus sprinter by sticking to an extreme work ethic and consuming every bit of coaching he was offered. The Anchorage, Alaska native still holds school records in the indoor 55-meter, indoor 60-meter, indoor 200-meter, outdoor 200-meter, outdoor 4x100, and outdoor 4x200. He also holds the Gustavus stadium and MIAC record in the 200-meter.
Washington won seven MIAC championships between the indoor 55-meter, indoor 200-meter, outdoor 100-meter, and outdoor 200-meter. In 2001, he was named the MIAC Most Outstanding Athlete after winning both the 100- and 200-meter races and placing third in the 4x100. In 2002, Washington was honored with the MIAC Most Outstanding Performance for setting the meet record in the 200-meter, which also ranked third nationally. Throughout his career, Washington was a 16-time All-Conference honoree.
After graduating in 2003 with a degree in psychology, Washington was a care coordinator counselor for a nonprofit school-based behavioral health program. He later earned his MBA from the University of Phoenix. After training in a gym for over a decade, Washington founded General Fitness Company. He was the 2012 World Natural Powerlifting Federation champion in his weight class with a 190-pound power curl and competed on American Ninja Warrior in 2015. Jerry lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has a three-year-old son, Reggie.