On Friday, Oct. 3, Luther’s Office of Advancement hosted their annual induction ceremony for the new Athletic Hall of Fame inductees. The event, emceed by associate professor of health and exercise science Brian Solberg and hosted at the Center for Faith and Life, commemorated the induction of eleven notable Luther sports alumni.
After an introductory prayer by Mya Larsen (‘27) and address by Solberg, the son of the first and sole posthumous inductee of the night, Warren Berg (‘48) was commemorated. Berg was a full-time professor at the college and the college’s first Sports Information Director from 1950-1966. For his efforts, Berg earned a Meritorious Service Award.
James Garcia-Prats (‘14) was the first of the night’s in-person inductees, awarded for his soccer accomplishments. Head Coach of Luther College Men’s Soccer, Chris Garcia-Prats, spoke about his brother.
“His humility and authenticity set him apart from others, and he made the best of all those that he played,” Chris Garcia-Prats said.
Chris also shared the opinion of one of James’ old teammates, Matt Hoffman (‘13): “James had an extraordinary relationship with every individual in our program. His ability and desire to make everyone else matter was contagious,” Chris relayed.
“Obviously, it’s a big honor and also just an honor to be a part of something bigger. It honors the teams and coaches I’ve played for, the players I’ve coached. It’s more to it than just me, and it recognizes the achievements of every team I’ve been a part of,” said James Garcia-Prats. “Luther was a big part of my life, and it’s cool to be recognized and to recognize others who I’ve been around and loved.”
Michael Pettengill (‘10) was given an award for his excellence on the swim and dive team during his time at Luther. When highlighting Pettengill’s excellence, speakers emphasized his belief in God and commitment to family. “While Michael’s commitment to swimming was strong, his devotion to his family and his faith in God were even stronger,” said Bradley Foresman (‘10), Pettengill’s old roommate and close friend. “Being closer to family far outweighed attending another school that was farther away.”
“It’s an opportunity to close a great career and a way to honor God and the blessing that he’s bestowed upon me,” said Pettengill. “It’s a great honor to be a part of Norse athletics and to encourage future generations.”
Three-time all-conference tennis placer Leah Taylor (‘00) was a significant contributor to the team’s 19 straight conference championships. Speaking on her priorities, her husband Kevin Taylor said.
“It meant a lot and it connected with me when her teammate shared stories with me about how Leah prioritized listening to friends and teammates, and encouraged them along the way during hard times,” Taylor said.
Gene Adams (‘00) was a notable wrestler at Luther, not just for his ability and athleticism, but for his humor and congeniality.
“He had the ability to work very hard while having fun, all the while being focused on what he wanted to accomplish,” said Luther College head wrestling coach Dave Mitchell.
“He was such a good teammate that he took it into his own hands to try and get free cable TV for all his teammates that lived down the hall from him in Dieseth,” Mitchell remembered fondly.
Holly Crowser (‘00), who achieved a batting average of .399, 152 hits and 50 stolen bases during her time on the softball team, was lauded by retired softball coach Betty Hoff:
“[Crowser had] quick reactions, great speed, a strong throw, and a determination to not let any ball drop,” Hoff said. “Holly recognized that it was the people at Luther, the teammates and coaches, who made her softball experience special.”
Crowser, like Pettengill, holds God and family near and dear to her heart, as she is currently a small groups coordinator at her church and the coach of a middle school mountain biking team.
“I think that what [this induction] represents is years of hard work that you see spelled out, not just in an award but in the recollection of all the hard work, the countless hours, the teammates who made it happen and the coach who believes in you,” said Crowser. “I think it’s just a great culmination of what sport actually means.”
“The relationship, connectedness, support of each other and humility, regardless of how good you are,” said Solberg during his remarks. “It doesn’t matter, everybody in your team is important, everyone contributes to the success. [These athletes] have obviously achieved great things, but it’s the group together, as a team, that really makes the difference.”
Solberg closed out the ceremony with these words: “It has been our honor, and what makes competing great, for our coaches to work with such an exceptional group. An honor now, for Luther College, to induct you into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Congratulations.” There was momentous applause from all the families and old friends of the inducted athletes who had come to the CFL to show their support.
