SAINT PETER, Minn. – Former Gustavus gymnastics coach Jerry Connolly '77 HOF '17 will be among six individuals inducted into the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Hall of Fame during the NCGA's annual awards banquet on Friday, March 21, which will be held in conjunction with the 2025 Division III National Championship in Saint Peter. 

A 2017 inductee into the Gustavus Athletics Hall of Fame, Connolly is the seventh Gustie elected to the Division III Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Heather Fitch '96 HOF '16 was the last inductee as a member of the 2023 class. Shasta Lininger Johnson '95 HOF '13 and Shannon McGee '96 HOF '13 were both inducted in 2019, while Rhoda Gorseth Alberts '93 HOF '12 (2017) and Amanda Murdock Diehl '92 HOF '11 (2015) received the honor a few years prior. Legendary Gustie coach Nancy Baker '56 HOF '97 was a member of the inaugural class in 2011.

"I was part of the NCGA in the early days when we were figuring it out as we went along," Connolly said. "We were coaches dedicated to providing an avenue for the Division III gymnast to compete at the highest level, I have never worked with a more selfless and caring group of people than I did during my NCGA years. I don't recall us arguing with each other, but I remember us laughing with each other often."

Connolly started his gymnastics coaching career at Gustavus as a student assistant from 1973-75. He served as an assistant coach to Baker from 1987 to 1991 before taking over as head coach in 1992 following Baker's retirement. As an assistant, Connolly was a part of three NCGA national championship teams (1990, 1991, 1992), and continued the program's dominance upon taking the helm in 1992-93, leading the Gusties to back-to-back national championships in 1993 and 1994 during his first two seasons. 

Through his eight seasons as head coach, Connolly coached 16 gymnastics to 39 All-America honors, three gymnasts to five national event championships, and three to NCGA National Senior Athlete of the Year awards. Connolly was recognized as the 1999 NCGA National Coach of the Year after guiding Gustavus to a second-place finish at the national meet and serving as the meet director for the NCGA championships hosted by Gustavus, the last time the Gusties hosted the national meet on campus. Following his retirement from coaching, Connolly continued to remain involved in the program, serving as an assistant coach to former gymnast and seven-time All-American Katie Kortuem Olson '00 HOF '15 during the 2012-13 season.

Joining Connolly at the awards banquet Friday will be five fellow honorees from three other institutions. 

Lisa Johns Gorgal, Gymnast, UW-Oshkosh

Lisa Johns Gorgal was a three-time All-American for UW-Oshkosh, twice on floor and once on beam, where she was the national event champion in 1992. Gorgal took fourth on floor in 1992 and second in the same event in 1993. She was also the event champion in the balance beam at the WIAC meet in both 1991 and 1993. The Titans were the WIAC Champions from 1991-93 during Gorgal's tenure, and finished second at the national meet in 1991 and 1993. 

Michaela McCamey-Metropulos '14, Gymnast, UW-Eau Claire

Michaela McCamey-Metropulos competed for the UW-Eau Claire gymnastics team from 2011 to 2014 and made history as the fourth national champion in program history when she won the title on the balance beam in 2012. McCamey-Metropulos was a three-time All-American on the beam, earning the distinction in 2012 (first), 2013 (third), and 2014 (third). 

Lindsey Odom Kirkland '00, Gymnast, Hamline University

Odom-Kirkland was inducted into the Hamline Athletics Hall of Fame twice, once as an individual (2014) and a second time as a member of the Hamline 2000 National Championship Team (2010). She was Hamline's first national all-around champion, and earned the NCGA National Senior Athlete of the Year award in 2000. She was a three-time All-American, once in the all-around competition in 2000, and twice on the uneven bars (1997 and 1998). 

Patricia J. Stotzheim '91, Coach, Hamline University

Patricia "Patty" Stotzheim was both a gymnast and a coach for the Hamline Pipers, lettering in gymnastics for three years at HU, participating in every event and helping the team qualify for nationals for three consecutive years. She began coaching at Hamline in the 1994-95 season as an assistant, and was promoted to head coach following her first year. She directed the program for five years, coaching 25 NCGA All-Americans, one NCGA National Senior Athlete of the Year, and one individual national champion on floor. During her tenure, the Pipers consistently finished in the top four at nationals, finished as the 1996 runner-up, and broke all but one of Hamline's individual records. 

Julie Hardtke Sugden '85, Gymnast, UW-Eau Claire

A member of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Athletics Hall of Fame (1994 inductee), Julia Hardtke was a member of the UWEC gymnastics team from 1981-85, claiming three All-America honors as the first Blugold gymnast to win an individual national title. She won the 1985 balance beam individual championship, and was an All-American on vault (sixth), beam (first), and all-around (third) in the same year. She took ninth in the vault at the 1984 national championships, and was the 1982 WIAC Champion in the event, as well. She was three times named the Blugold's team MVP, and was the WIAC runner-up in the all-around competition in 1985.

About the NCGA Hall of Fame

Established in 2011, the NCGA Division III Gymnastics Hall of Fame was created to pay tribute and give deserved recognition and honor to outstanding former athletes, coaches and administrators who have shown distinctive and exceptional ability while participating within or supporting Division III gymnastics.