Staff Writer- Alayna Boe
This past August, the Gustavus Adolphus College Athletics Hall of Fame announced its 2026 Class. There are nine members of this class who were individually selected for induction through an 11-member board of coaches, benefactors, and honors athletes. The individuals selected are Skylar Davis ’10, Whitaker Davis ’11, Carrie Gundersen ’10, Janey Helland ’11, Mark Lantz ’85, Matt Lundmark ’00, Kirstin Peterson ’11, Katie Schenfeld ’11, and Tim Kennedy ’82. With graduating years ranging from 1982 to 2011, this Hall of Fame class shows a broad glance of Gustavus athletics.
The Gustavus Athletic Hall of Fame started in 1978 with 19 “Charter Members.” There are now over 369 inductees in the Hall of Fame, with members being comprised of coaches and athletes. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, an athlete must be 15 years from their last eligible season and must have graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College. For a coach they must be five years removed from their sport and also have had an outstanding career and impact on the program. Benefactors are eligible by significant contributions or consistent contributions.
Skylar and Whitaker Davis were both on the Men’s Swim & Dive team where they challenged each other in the pool during the same event. Skylar is a six-time All-American, a four-time All-American Honorable Mention, a 12-time MIAC All-Conference honoree, and has six MIAC Champion trophies. He holds the program record at Gustavus in the 1000 Freestyle with a time of 9:25.35. Whitaker is a four-time All-American, a two-time All-American Honorable Mention, 12-time MIAC All-Conference honoree, and has four MIAC Championships. He holds the record in the 1650 Freestyle 15:36.96.
Carrie Gundersen is also a swimmer, but on the women’s side of things. She has eight All-American honorable Mentions, 15 MIAC All-Conferences Honors, and is a four-time MIAC Champion. She holds five Gustavus program records with times in the 200 Freestyle (1:52.49), 500 Freestyle (4:57.01), 1000 Freestyle (10:18.23), 1650 Freestyle (17:04.89), and the 800 Free Relay (7:36.83). In her time at GAC, Gundersen helped the team win three MIAC Championships and place as a team in three NCAA Championships.
Women’s Track & Field welcomed Janey Helland into the Hall of Fame. She graduated in 2011 and won the NCAA DIII Heptathlon. Helland was also a five-time All-American, a 16-time MIAC All-Conference honoree, and an eight-time MIAC Champion. In her senior year she earned four of her All-American honors, won the heptathlon national championship with 5,061 points, and received runner-up in the pentathlon national championship. She also placed fifth in long jump for both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships. To finish off her senior season, she was named both the indoor and outdoor USTFCCCA Central Region Field Athlete of the Year, the MIAC Outstanding Performance of the Meet winner, and the MIAC Field Athlete of the Meet.
Football honored 1984 Team MVP, Mark Lantz, and inducted the two-time MIAC All-Conference Award winner into the 2026 Fame Class. Lantz holds the record for most tackles in a single game at Gustavus, recording 21 in his senior year against Hamline. Men’s tennis inducted 2000 grad Matt Lundmark. Lundmark was NCAA Doubles Championship runner-up his senior season and has four All-Americans and four MIAC All-Conference Honors. In his time on the tennis team Lundmark helped bring the Gustavus team to a second place finish at the NCAA tournament his senior year and a third place finish in the national tournament his junior year.
Both from the 2011 graduating class, Kirstin Peterson and Katie Schenfeld were on the Women’s Hockey team and Women’s Golf, respectively. Peterson is a three-time First Team All-American, a four-time MIAC All-Conference honoree, and a two-time team captain for the Gusties. She earned MIAC All-Rookie Team honors in her first year. She also helped lead the Gusties to four MIAC Regular Season and four MIAC Playoff Championships. Lastly, she helped lead the Gustavus team in the national tournament getting four top-five finishes in the NCAA tournament. Schenfeld has three All-Americans, is a two-time MIAC Player of the Year, two-time MIAC Individual Champion, and a four-time MIAC All-Conference honoree. In her four years she helped bring Gustavus to top-six finishes in the NCAA Championship. They placed third in 2009, and second in both 2010 and 2011.
Lastly, Gustavus Adolphus College inducted 1982 grad Tim Kennedy. Kennedy served in the sports information department for several years. He started as an intern in 1984 and then led the department from 1990-2011. After 21 years as director he served as a Vice President of Marketing and Communications from 2012-2024 when he retired. He also served as head coach of the Women’s Soccer team for three years and Women’s Basketball for five years. He has earned several awards for his contribution and commitment to Gustie athletics and is now in the Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on the evening of Saturday, October 24 in Alumni Hall following the Gustavus football game against Hamline University.