M Club Hall of Fame – Class of 2010
Decia Agnew Stenzel
Track & Field, 1987-91
Decia (nee Agnew) Stenzel ushered in an amazing decade of javelin throwers in Golden Gopher women's track & field history. As a senior, Stenzel placed fourth at the 1991 NCAA Championships becoming the first of seven Minnesota javelin throwers to garner All-America honors in the decade of the 1990s. She marked the best toss of her Gopher career at the NCAA meet - 168 feet, 9 inches - a distance that ranked second in Minnesota history at the time and is still among the top 10 at No. 8.
Stenzel is one of just four athletes in Minnesota history to capture three Big Ten titles in the same event at the Conference Championships. She was the Big Ten champion in the javelin in 1998, 1999 and 1991. Gophers won the event at the Big Ten meet seven times during the 1990s.
Stenzel was a four-time letterwinner from 1987-91. She missed the 1989 season after reconstructive ankle surgery.
After her collegiate career, the Bethel Park, Penn., native excelled at the sport of Olympic-style weightlifting. Stenzel won the 1991 U.S. weightlifting title in her weight class. She broke American records in two categories, the snatch lift (204 pounds) and the clean and jerk (242 pounds). Stenzel went on to win consecutive U.S. titles from 1993-97. Though women's was not yet an Olympic sport, Stenzel did have the opportunity to compete internationally. She was a part of five world teams and her highest finish was 6th in the World Championships. In 2006, Stenzel was inducted into the Minnesota Weightlifting Hall of Fame.
Stenzel graduated from Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in human physiology in 1991. She is currently employed by Quest Diagnostics as a Director of Sales. Her husband, Tyrone Stenzel, is a strength coach at the University of St. Thomas.
Willie Burton
Men's Basketball, 1987-90
Arguably one of the greatest basketball players to ever attend the University of Minnesota, Willie Burton came to Gold Country as one of Clem Haskins first recruits and left as the second-leading scorer in program history and an NBA Lottery pick.
Burton came to Minnesota in 1986 but before he would leave for the NBA in 1990, he would lead the program to heights it hadn't seen before. Burton was a leader of a Gopher team that made it to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, including the 1989 Sweet 16 and the 1990 Elite Eight.
Burton was a four-year starter for Coach Haskins and left the university with his name all over the Gopher record books. He finished with 1,800 career points, second all-time, in 118 games for an average of 15.3 points per game, the 16th highest in program history. He is also the school leader in free throws made (426) and attempted (569).
A 6-7 forward at the 'U', Burton led the team in scoring for three straight seasons, including 557 points as a junior (tied for 12th in a season at Minnesota) and 616 points as a senior (fourth all-time). He was a three-time Team MVP (1988-90) and was named Big Ten Honorable Mention as a sophomore (1988), All-Big Ten Second Team as a junior (1989) and All-Big Ten First Team as a senior.
The ninth overall selection of the 1990 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, Burton went on to play a combined eight seasons in the NBA with the Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets. He scored over 3,000 career points, including 53 in a game as a 76er against the Miami Heat. Burton finished his career with averages of 10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 21.0 minutes per game in 316 career contests.
An All-American nominee by McDonald's, the National High School Association, Nike and Converse as a senior at DePorres High School in Detroit, Mich., as well as a two-time All-State selection, Burton is now back in the Motor City, where he runs Round Ball Development, a company that develops Green homes in the Detroit area. Burton, who is finishing his degree at the University of Minnesota, also runs a life skills program with children around the country.
Burton has four children Natasha, a student at Bowling Green University, Jaron, Noah and Bronson that live in Houston, Texas.
Tim Hartung
Wrestling, 1996-99
Tim Hartung was the star of the era that brought Golden Gopher wrestling to national prominence. He was a letter winner from 1996-99 and a three-time All-America from 1997-99. In 1998 at 190 pounds, he won his first of two national titles, becoming Minnesota's first national champion since 1991. As senior in 1999 he moved up to 197, won his second NCAA title, and became head coach J Robinson's first two-time national champion. Hartung was just the second two-time NCAA champ at Minnesota and the first in 50 years (Verne Gagne, 1948-49).
With Hartung leading the charge the Gophers won the Big Ten title in 1999, the programs first since 1959, and ended Iowa's 25-year run of championships. Hartung won his third individual Big Ten title that season as the Gophers topped the Hawkeyes by an 18-point margin.
The Gophers finished third, second and second respectively at the NCAA Championships in Hartungs final three seasons, the best three-year stretch in program history at the time. In 1999, as he won his second NCAA title, Minnesota narrowly missed on its first team national title, finishing just two points behind champion Iowa.
Hartung won the Big Ten Medal of Honor and was Big Ten Wrestler of the Year in 1999. He ended his career third all-time in career victories with 133, which still remains in the top-five. In his senior year he went 39-0, just the second undefeated season in team history, and still one of just five all-time. He won the last 58 matches he wrestled en route to his two national titles. He opened his junior season with a school record eight straight falls and ended his career with 48 all-time, then second and currently fourth all-time.
His career with the Golden Gophers ended in 2004 after five years on the coaching staff while helping Minnesota to the 2001 and 2002 NCAA titles. A native of Durand, Wis., he will be teaching and coaching at Wayzata High School this year.
Gretchen Hegener Rech
Women's Swimming, 1995-98
One of the greatest breaststrokers in University of Minnesota history with 14 All-America citations to her credit, Gretchen Hegener Rech left an indelible mark on the Golden Gopher Swimming program.
Rech set the school record for All-America honors during her four year career from 1994-95 through 1997-98, including seven first team citations. She also became the American record-holder in the 100 breaststroke in 1997, with a time of 1:00.32.
A three-time first team All-Big Ten performer, Rech became the first Minnesota women's swimmer to capture an NCAA championship with her 100-meter breaststroke win in 1997. On the conference level, she captured the 100 and 200 breaststroke Big Ten Championships in 1996-97 and 1997-98 and was a member of the Big Ten championship 200 medley relay team in 1995-96.
Rech held the school record in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, which were both set in 1996-97 and remained the school record-holder for the next 12 years before Gopher Olympian Jillian Tyler broke her record.
The Big Ten co-Swimmer of the Year in 1997, Rech was named Minnesota's Senior Athlete of the Year in 1998 and eventually was inducted into the Minnesota Aquatics Hall of Fame in the fall of 2005.
Currently a fifth grade teacher in the Denver school system, Rech grew up in Cologne, Minn. She is married and has a young son, Hunter.
Wayne Knapp
Baseball, 1959-61
One of the great Gopher baseball players, Wayne Knapp was an integral part of Minnesota's 1960 National Championship team.
A three-time first team All-Big Ten selection at first base in 1959, 1960 and 1961, Knapp also earned All-America honors in 1960 and 1961 and was just the sixth Gopher ever to be named first team All-American.
During the Gophers' historic 1960 campaign, Knapp proved to be an indispensible part of the offense. Not only did he bat .358, but he also clubbed nine home runs and collected 27 RBI.
And when the Gophers needed him most during the playoff drive, Knapp delivered. He batted .367 in three NCAA District Playoff games and .333 in four College World Series games to help Minnesota capture the national crown.
In all, Knapp batted .316 for his career, with 16 homeruns and 56 RBI.
Currently, Wayne and his wife, Carly, reside in Federal Way Washington, where Wayne is still working full time running his commercial remodeling company. Wayne has 4 children and 2 grandchildren.
Ed Kernan
Men's Basketball, 1946-48
Former University of Minnesota head basketball coach Dave MacMillan once called Ed Kernan, "the greatest freshman basketball player ever at the U," and that is saying something since MacMillan coached the likes of Minnesota Hall of Famers Johnny Kundla, Harry "Bud" Grant and Jim McIntyre.
Kernan was a three-year starter and letter winner at Minnesota from 1946-48. He was the team's second leading scorer all three seasons and was named All-Conference Honorable Mention in 1946, 1947 and 1948. He graduated in three years.
After leaving the "U", Kernan spent five years at Robbinsdale High School as the athletic director as well as the head basketball and baseball coach and 10 years as the athletic director and basketball coach at Northland College. He won four conference championships at Northland and was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984. Northland dedicated the Kernan Fitness Center in 1999.
Following his tenure at Northland College, Kernan moved into a career in the private sector. He spent seven years as a personnel manager at Price Waterhouse and 15 years as an administrative director at the Chicago law firm of Sidley & Austin.
A 10-time varsity letterwinner at Two Harbors High School, Kernan was inducted with the inaugural group into the Agate’s Hall of Fame in 1997. Ed and the late Barbara “Bobby” Kernan have three children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Kernan is retired and resides in Naples, Fla. and Eau Claire, WI with his wife Aleen.
Greg Larson
Football, 1958-60
Greg Larson played three seasons for the University of Minnesota football team, earning three varsity letters. Larson was a team captain and All-Big Ten selection in the 1960 season.
In his early football days at Roosevelt High school, Larson led his team to a State Championship in 1956. He was a second team, All-City center and he was selected to play in the Shattuck All-State game. Larson also played in two state basketball championships in 1956 and 1957.
He helped lead the Gophers to a National Championship, a co-Big Ten title and a berth in the Rose Bowl during his senior season of 1960.
Larson moved on to the New York Giants of the National Football League as a sixth-round selection in the NFL Draft. He played for the Giants from 1961-73 and still ranks No. 7 all-time in games played for the franchise (179). Larson's 13 seasons with the Giants also tie him for No. 7 on the team's all-time chart. He played right offensive tackle, right offensive guard in his first two years, respectively. In his third year he moved to the center position and started for the rest of his career. He received a Sportsman Award in 1968 and played in the NFL Pro Bowl in 1969.
In May of 2011, Larson and his wife will celebrate 50 years of marriage. They have four children and seven grandchildren. Following his football career, Larson went on to found Greg Larson Sports, a successful sports apparel company.
V. George Nagobads
Men's Hockey Team Physician, 1958-92
It's fitting the annual Unsung Hero Award for the University of Minnesota men's hockey award is named for Dr. V. George Nagobads.
Few people have had such a behind-the-scenes impact on a greater number of hockey players than Nagobads himself, serving 34 years as the team physician for the Gophers, working with countless U.S. national teams and serving on international medical committees. Nagobads worked with the University of Minnesota hockey team from 1958-92, assisting with the Gophers' national championship teams in 1974, 1976 and 1979. He was also very instrumental in coordinating the Gophers’ participation in international tournaments in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy.
Nagobads was the team physician for U.S. Olympic teams in 1968, 1972, 1980, 1984 and 1988. He also worked with 15 U.S. National teams and six U.S. National junior teams from 1967-90, in addition to numerous other tournaments. Nagobads served as the physician for the first U.S. women's national team at the 1990 world championships.
For all his work with USA Hockey, Nagobads was the 2003 recipient of the Paul Loicq Award, which is presented by the International Ice Hockey Federation to an individual who served international hockey in an extraordinary manner promoting ice hockey worldwide. He was the only American to win the award in its first 12 years of existence. This October he will be inducted in to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
In 1984, Nagobads became USA Hockey's chief medical officer and held the role until 1992. He also served on the organization's Protective Equipment Committee and the IIHF Medical Committee. In addition to his work with the Gophers, Nagobads was the team physician for the Minnesota North Stars from 1984-92 and the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey League from 1973-76.
Born in Riga, Latvia in 1921, Nagobads began playing hockey at age 10. He attended the University of Latvia and University of Giesen before earning his medical degree from the University of Tubingen in Frankfurt, Germany. He came to the U.S. to do a general residency at the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis in 1952 and came in contact with the Gopher hockey team while working at the University of Minnesota Student Health Center. Nagobads resides in Edina, Minn.
Harold Paulsen
Men's Hockey, 1940-41
One of the first great players in University of Minnesota hockey history, Harold Paulsen led the Gophers to an AAU national championship and was Minnesota's first hockey All-American.
Paulsen led Minnesota's 1939-40 team in scoring when the squad finished 18-0 and outscored its opponents 138-25. They won two games in Lake Placid, N.Y. to capture the national title, beating Brock Hall of Connecticut 9-1 in the championship game. Paulsen earned All-American honors along with defenseman John Mariucci following the season.
Paulsen captained the Gophers as a senior in 1940-41 when the squad finished 11-3-2. According to multiple accounts, Paulsen was Minnesota's all-time scoring leader upon the conclusion of his career.
Following his career at Minnesota, Paulsen signed a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, but opted to serve in the Navy during World War II and never played in a National Hockey League game. He was selected to the 1940 U.S. Olympic team before the games were cancelled due to the war. In 2001, Paulsen was selected as one of 50 Gopher Hockey "Legends on Ice."
Upon his return, Paulsen entered coaching and was the high school coach at Roseau and Thief River Falls. In 1949, he resurrected the Michigan State hockey program following a 19-year layoff and coached the Spartans for two seasons. Michigan State did not win a game in its first season and was outscored by 130 goals, but Paulsen guided the Spartans to a 6-11 mark his second year as the team was outscored by only 30 goals.
Paulsen completed a doctorate at the University of Michigan in 1956 and served as the athletic director at Slippery Rock University until 1962 when he moved his family back to Mankato. He taught in the Department of Health and Physical Education at Mankato State University until his retirement in 1988.
A Virginia, Minn. native, Paulsen and his wife, Clara Ann, had three children. He passed away on May 11, 2010 at age 91.
Clark Shaughnessy
Football, 1912-13
Clark Shaughnessy earned varsity letters in 1912 and 1913 for the University of Minnesota football team. He was a star running back in the early days of Gopher football, earning All-America and All-Big Ten honors during his senior season of 1913.
Shaughnessy shared the Gopher backfield with legendary Minnesota coach Bernie Bierman.
Following his playing career, Shaughnessy coached at Tulane and Loyola of the South from 1915-32. He was the head coach at the University of Chicago from 1933-39, where he coached Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger. Shaughnessy moved on to coach the Stanford Cardinal from 1940-41. He Stanford to victory in the 1941 Rose Bowl and earned Coach of the Year accolades following the 1940 season.
After coaching at Maryland and Pittsburgh, he joined the Los Angeles Rams as head coach. In his second season, the Rams went 8-2-2 and won their division. In 1951, Shaughnessy joined the Chicago Bears organization as a technical adviser and vice president and served for 11 years. He finished his career with a one-year stint as the head coach at the University of Hawaii in 1965.
Shaughnessy was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
Shaughnessy was known in football circles as an innovator. His revitalized T Formation revolutionized the game in the 1940s. Within 10 years of his installation of the new offense at Stanford, all but a handful of college football teams were using some variation.
He was equally adept at strategy on the defensive side of the ball. During his stint with the Bears, he was charged with devising a strategy to stop the T-Formation offense. He stressed man-to-man coverage, along with zone techniques, combination-style coverage and innovative blitzes to help the Bears create an attacking defense.
Shaughnessy was nominated for inclusion in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.