Earlier this month, the Edina Athletic Boosters’ Hall of Fame Committee selected eight new members for induction during homecoming week this fall.
The annual hall of fame banquet begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at Interlachen Country Club. Please look for ticket information on the Edina Athletic Boosters’ website: edinaboosterclub.com.
The selections for 2024 are two head coaches and eight former Edina athletes, representing four different decades.
Coaches Jeff Mace and Scott Johnson have both won multiple state team titles in swimming and diving. Mace, head coach of the Hornet girls team, is also an assistant on the boys coaching staff. Head boys coach Johnson, the father of Edina Hall of Fame swimmer Drew Johnson, was the long-time assistant to retired head coach Art Downey. Since Downey’s retirement, Johnson’s Hornet teams have won state Class AA titles five of the last six years.
Two athletes from the late 1970s received their call to the Edina Hall of Fame at the selection meeting in early June.
Paul Halpin, a 1978 Edina-West High graduate, flourished as a great all-around athlete. His four high school sports were football, basketball, golf and baseball. Edina-West head coach Stav Canakes called Halpin, “One of the best all-around players I ever coached.”
In addition to earning All-Lake Conference honors as a football player, Halpin made the All-Lake baseball team as a pitcher. Still an active golfer, Halpin is a member of the Edina Softball Hall of Fame.
Jason Velgersdyk, a 1979 Edina-East High graduate, starred in track and basketball for the Hornets. His 6-9 high jump still holds a place on the school’s leader board. Velgersdyk and his classmate, Greg Olson, led the Hornets to the Lake Red Division co-championship in basketball in 1978-79.
Olson is already in the Edina Hall of Fame and played Major League baseball for the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. Velgersdyk was the leading scorer for the Edina-East boys basketball teams in his junior and senior seasons. He made the All-Lake Conference team both years.
Jay Moore, a 1986 Edina High graduate, played on the Hornets’ 1984 state-champion boys hockey team. Moore was All-Lake honorable mention as a sophomore and All-Lake in his junior and senior seasons. All-State honors came his way from WCCO Prep Parade and Let’s Play Hockey magazine in his senior season.
The brother of Edina Hall-of-Famer Gregg Moore, Jay accepted a scholarship offer to play hockey for Denver University. The center iceman made the All-WCHA team in his sophomore year and won the Bill Masterton award. He finished his collegiate career with an even 150 points.
Moore also played soccer for Edina coaching legends Dave Jenson and Billy Garner, who are both members of the Edina Hall of Fame.
Chris Sherman, Class of 2004, joins the hall of fame as one of the most successful tennis players in Edina history.
In his senior season, Sherman won the state Class AA singles championship with a 33-0 record. He has one of the top records in program history with 114 victories and only 10 losses over a five-year span.
Edina posted a record of 99-9 in dual matches with Sherman in the starting lineup.
Among Sherman’s credits are four All-Lake Conference awards in his freshman through senior seasons. His high school coach Gary Aasen, is a member of the Edina Hall of Fame.
Megan (Gaard) Gunderson is the third member of her family elected to the Edina Hall of Fame. The 2008 graduate played the same sports as sibling hall-of-famers Justin and Jaime - tennis and basketball.
Megan had the distinction of playing on five state championship teams in tennis with hall-of-famer Steve Paulsen as her head coach. For all five of her varsity tennis seasons, Megan was named All-Lake Conference. She won the state doubles title with partner Emily Warner in 2006.
In basketball, Megan played guard on the Hornet team that took third place in state her junior season.
Nikki Larson’s tally of All-American high school swimming awards, reached double figures during her amazing career with the Edina Hornets.
The 2012 graduate was the key performer for two consecutive Edina state-championship teams (2010-11).
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