OHS announces 2026 Hall of Fame class

State champions and Golden Gophers are featured in the 2026 class of the Owatonna High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

            Karyn (Stordahl) Utecht (Class of 1999) won the state golf championship her senior year and continued her career at the University of Minnesota. She played tennis in high school and was crowned Miss Minnesota in 2005.

            Andrew Stelter (Class of 2014) was a member of the first Prep Bowl championship football team for OHS in 2013 and still holds the sacks record. He played football for the Gophers and spent time in a professional league. Stelter went to state for shot put and discus and played basketball.

            Daniel Humes (Class of 1970) ran cross-country and track for Owatonna, earning All-State in each. He ran for the University of Minnesota.

            Adam Hanna (Class of 1999) was part of a state runner-up golf team and backstopped the Huskies to the state hockey tournament. He played hockey at St. John’s University and was named DIII National Player of the Year in 2006.

            Neal Davis coached football from 1957-66. His teams won six or seven games several seasons in the time before every team qualified for playoffs. The 1959 Indians went 7-1. Davis entered the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1980.

            The 1979 OHS girls cross-country squad is the Team of Distinction. Coached by Ev Berg, they won the Class AA state title. The induction is Friday, Sept. 11.

Top athletes

            Kendra Bogen and Carter Flatland are the Oldenburg Senior Athletes of the Year at OHS. Bogen said, “I’m so glad for my (fellow) nominees that were up here. I know every single one of them worked hard from the seniors to the juniors to the people that weren’t mentioned. It’s an amazing award… You push yourself every day and you get noticed for it.”

            Flatland transferred to OHS sophomore year. “I couldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the people that I have in my life. My family, the coaches, everybody who came and supported me. There’s no way I could achieve what I’ve done here without them.”

            Other finalists were Kyleah Miller, Paige Thompson, Ayoub Farah and Wyatt Macy.

            Grace Mitchell and Nolan Rolloff are the Junior Athletes of the year. Mitchell was excited to share the stage. “I think it’s really special. And I feel like any of the nominees would have been great recipients for it. Jersey (Coleman) and Norah (Cederstrom), they’re great athletes and my good friends too… I’ve been really lucky to have good coaches throughout the years.”

            Rolloff said, “It’s great to represent my teammates and my school, my coaches as well, with winning this award. Also, my family and God. I’m really appreciative of everyone around the school.”

            Micah Gentz and Willie Moore were the other finalists.

Giving their all

            Lucy Jacbos and Cooper Aul are the 110% Award winners.

            Jacobs is a runner. Coach Tasheena Cooke stated, “She has been a light to Owatonna girls cross-country for the past six seasons…She is a true champion by the way she lifts others up even when the load she carries is heavy.”

            Track coach Robb Winterfeld is impressed with her growth. “She has emerged this year as one of our top three two-milers, while setting numerous personal bests.”

            Aul finished top five in defensive points in football. Coach Jeff Williams shared, “Early in his senior season, he cracked the starting line-up at safety and never looked back. He became an outstanding back-end defender and a key to our defensive improvement last season.”

            A four-year letter winner in lacrosse, Aul “is a very physical player,” states coach Scott Seykora. “His willingness to leave it all out of the field makes him a role model for all players.”