SAINT PETER, Minn. — Gage Gohl and Tyler Haddorff are the first-ever team to share the Male Athlete of the Year Award, as the two reached the pinnacle of their sport with an NCAA doubles national championship last month. They share the honor with football wide receiver Jake Breitbach, who compiled the most decorated season in Gustavus football history. 

Gohl and Haddorff finished the season 29-6 in doubles play, and are the sixth tandem in program history to claim the doubles title, and the first in 21 years, following Eric Butorac and Kevin Whipple's victory in 2003. The two capped off an already impressive sophomore season, as they were named MIAC Doubles Team of the Year, earned ITA and NCAA doubles All-America honors, claimed an ITA Regional Championship, and the ultimate culmination of the season – winning a national title. This is the fourth time the tennis program has earned the department's Male Athlete of the Year award, as the duo was preceded by Eric Butorac (2000-01), Andy Bryan (2007-08), Mohanad Alhouni (2017-18), and Nick Aney (2022-23). Both Gohl and Haddorff are rising juniors. Gohl is a communication studies major with a 3.97 GPA while Haddorff is majoring in management with a GPA of 3.51. 

"Tyler and Gage have been tremendous all year long in putting together a historic season as a doubles team," said Head Coach Tommy Valentini. "In the fall, they earned All-American honors by winning the ITA regional doubles title and making the ITA national quarterfinals. Throughout the spring they emerged as one of the top teams in the nation and were a stalwart of a pair at the top of the doubles lineup for our team against a top-caliber national schedule. To qualify for the NCAA individual championships is a great honor. To win the tournament and capture a national championship for our program and for Gustavus as sophomores was a dream come true for Gage and Tyler.

"To follow up their remarkable regular season with their nationals performance was beyond special," continued Valentini. "In both the round of 16 and the quarterfinals, they were pushed to third set tiebreakers. In the final, they came from a set down against the fall national champions to take the title. They showed poise, trust, grace, energy, courage, and the highest standard of sportsmanship at every turn. We are certainly proud of them and grateful for their outstanding record, All-American honors, and for their national title. But we are even more proud and more grateful for the ways in which they live out our values, for who they are as people and teammates, and for how they represent our program, our family, and all of Gustavus on and off the tennis court." 

The men's tennis team was also honored as the men's team of the year, as voted on by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The team earned their 35th consecutive MIAC regular season championship and 52nd in program history, and their 13th consecutive playoff championship, punching a ticket to the NCAA tournament for the 36th time. The Gusties advanced to the second round of the tournament after defeating Kalamazoo, where they ended their season in the round of 32 against No. 14 UW-Whitewater. The Gusties posted wins over six nationally-ranked opponents, and collected eight All-America awards, boasting several players in the regional and national rankings. This is the second consecutive season that the men's tennis team has been selected by SAAC members as the team of the year. 

This year's Athlete of the Year ballot included five women and five men. The men were Gohl and Haddorff, Jake Breitbach (football), Marco Siviero (tennis), Matt Strom (swimming & diving), and Spencer Swanson (basketball). The three winners finished in a perfect tie after counting every head coaches' vote, while Strom took third on the ballot. Track & Field's Megan Geraets was the sole Female Athlete of the Year, followed by Katie McCoy (hockey) and Kasie Tweet (volleyball) in the voting. Volleyball was named the Women's Team of the Year, while swimmers Stella Anderson Moye and Logan Cyr collected Newcomer of the Year honors. 

Gustavus Athletes of the Year
2000-01: Andrea Kleven (first year, swimming, track & field), Eric Butorac (sophomore, tennis)
2001-02: Sarah Moe (senior, hockey), Ryan Hoag (junior, football, track & field)
2002-03: Molly Biehn (junior, softball), Luke Speltz (senior, track & field)
2003-04: Angie Peterson (senior, basketball), Luke Benoit (senior, golf)
2004-05: Tara Houlihan (junior, volleyball, tennis), Joe Hartwell (senior, soccer)
2005-06: Hailey Harren (junior, cross country), Bobby Kroog (senior, soccer)
2006-07: Andrea Peterson (senior, hockey), Tony Konicek (senior, baseball)
2007-08: Lisa Brown (junior, track & field), Andy Bryan (senior, tennis)
2008-09: Rachael Click (senior, softball), Matt Stewart (senior, swimming)
2009-10: Melissa Mackley (senior, hockey), David Martinson (senior, hockey)
2010-11: Janey Helland (senior, track & field), Whitaker Davis (senior, swimming)
2011-12: Alissa Tinklenberg (sophomore, swimming), Ross Ring-Jarvi (senior, hockey)
2012-13: Lindsey Hjelm (senior, hockey), Alex Kolquist (senior, golf)
2013-14: Alissa Tinklenberg (senior, swimming), Jeffrey Dubose (senior, football)
2014-15: Jenny Strom (senior, swimming), David Lilly (senior, soccer)
2015-16: Alex Kopp (senior, gymnastics), Matt Boyce (senior, football)
2016-17: Nora Holtan (sophomore, volleyball), Tanner Sonnek (sophomore, swimming)
2017-18: Nora Holtan (junior, volleyball), Mohanad Alhouni (senior, tennis)
2018-19: Nora Holtan (senior, volleyball), Michael Hensch (senior, track & field)
2019-20: no awards presented due to pandemic-shortened and canceled seasons
2020-21: no awards presented due to pandemic-shortened and canceled seasons
2021-22: Birgen Nelson (junior, track & field), Jack Hanson (senior, baseball)
2022-23: Birgen Nelson (senior, track & field), Nick Aney (senior, tennis)
2023-24: Megan Geraets (junior, track & field), Jake Breitbach (senior, football), Gage Gohl/Tyler Haddorff (sophomores, tennis)