DECORAH, Iowa - The Luther College Athletics Department inducted the 2024 Hall of Fame class on Friday, Oct. 25 in a ceremony at in the Center for Faith and Life. The class includes Kara (Reiman) Cordes ('99), Kathie (Kempf) Grider ('99), Mike Jefferson ('04), Alec Bonander ('09), David McKay ('09), Janet (Dobyns) Mundell ('09), Becca (Girvan) Zellmer ('14) and former wrestling coach Merle Foss. Receiving the Meritorious Service Award is Dave Happel who worked with the divers on the swim team for 21 years. The event also inducted the 1963 football team. 

2024 Hall of Fame Class (listed by graduation year):
 
Kara (Reiman) Cordes - Women's Golf - 1999
Reiman was the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) women's golf champion in 1998. Her team earned an invitation to the national golf coaches association championship in 1998 where she finished 30th overall individually. The Luther women's golf team was invited back to the 1999 national championship that featured both Division II and Division III teams. Reiman finished 18th as an individual. 
 
Kathie (Kempf) Grider - Volleyball / Softball - 1999
In volleyball, she earned all-conference honors in 1998. At graduation, she held the single season assist record with 1,202, the career record for assists at 3,300 which still ranks fourth in the top-10, and the career record for digs with 687. She was also a catcher for the softball team, earning all-conference honors in 1998. Kempf earned All-Midwest Region honors in 1998 and 1999 and was a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar Athlete. She still ranks tied for sixth all-time in fielding percentage (.990).
 
Mike Jefferson - Football - Running Back - 2004
As a member of the football team Jefferson earned all-conference honors in 2003. The running back still holds a place in the top-10 in several statistical categories including, career rushing yards (2,899), touchdowns (30), yards per carry (4.80), kickoff return yardage (1,833) which is the school record, and kickoff yards/return (21.92). 
 
Alec Bonander - Wrestling - 2009
Bonander was a two-time All-American wrestler at 197 pounds, finishing third in 2007 and fifth in 2008. He posted a 97-25 career record and was a four-time national qualifier. He was the IIAC champion in 2009. Academically, he was a NCAA Postgraduate Scholar, a three-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and was named the Duane Schroeder IIAC Scholar Athlete of the Year. 
 
David McKay - Cross Country / Track and Field - 2009
In cross country, McKay was a two-time All-American, an All-Region honoree and a three time All-Conference honoree. He was also the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFFCCCA) Central Region Athlete of the Year in 2008, NCAA Postgraduate Scholar and CoSIDA Academic All-America in 2009. In track he earned all-conference honors in the indoor 5,000-meter and outdoor all-conference twice in the 10,000-meter. 
 
Janet (Dobyns) Mundell - Cross Country / Track and Field - 2009
Dobyns was a member of two IIAC Championship teams and three national qualifying teams in cross country. She was a three-time All-American, four-time All-Region, a four-time all-conference honoree and a two-time conference MVP. In track, she was an outdoor All-American in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and an All-American in the 5,000. Dobyns is a two-time  outdoor conference champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and in the 5,000. Indoors she was the 3,000 conference champion and earned all-conference honors in the mile. At graduation she held school records in the outdoor steeplechase (10:20.97), outdoor 5,000 (17:00.02), indoor steeplechase (6:40.58), indoor mile (5:05.41). 
 
Becca (Girvan) Zellmer - Softball - Pitcher - 2014
The only first time eligible honoree in this year's class, Girvan and the softball team won two conference championships (2011, 2012), three conference tournament titles (2011, 2013, 2014) and made four straight NCAA National Tournament appearances (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014). She was named All-Region and All-Conference four-times, IIAC Pitcher of the Year in 2012 and earned first-team NFCA All-American honors in 2012. At graduation she held the following records: career appearances (128), career innings pitched (695.1), career strikeouts (809), career wins (87) and career shutouts (28). 
 
Merle Foss - Wrestling Coach 1959-1964
Foss built a strong foundation for the wrestling program from 1959-1964. In just five seasons he would compile a 39-14-1 overall record. His teams would record a 16-5 record in the IIAC claiming four straight championships from 1961-1964. Foss coached eight conference champions, along with two NAIA All-Americans and two NCAA All-Americans. His teams went to the NCAA College Division National Touranment in 1963 and 1964. 

Dave Happel - Diving Coach 1999-2018, 2019-2020 - Meritorious Service Award
Happel worked 21 years with the men's and women's swimming and diving teams as the diving coach. He was named the IIAC championship Diving Coach of the Meet eight times and had five divers post NCAA qualifying marks. Happel coached 14 1-meter conference champions and 28 1-meter all-conference honorees. In 3-meter he had 11 champions and 32 all-conference honorees. At the Liberal Arts Championships he had 12 divers crowned as 1-meter champions and nine 3-meter champions. 

1963 Football Team
The team was IIAC champions with a record of 9-0 and coached by Edsel Schweizer. The team set school records for single game rushing yards with 579 and the single game total offense with 601 yards against William Penn. They also scored the most points in the conference for a single season with 305. By the end of the season they were ranked no. 15 by the United Press International Small College Poll and ranked first in total offense. The offense rushed 350 yards per game which also ranked first. The defense allowed 63.4 yards per game ranking ninth in the nation. The team had seven first team all-conference selections, two players were named Associated Press All-Americans and 15 players and coaches are in the Luther College Athletic Hall of Fame. 
 
About the Hall of Fame
In order to be eligible for the Luther Athletics Hall of Fame, individuals must be a graduate of the college and must have graduated 10 years prior to their induction. Inductees must have been an outstanding athlete or coach at Luther and have contributed to community life after graduation. All honorees are selected by the Hall of Fame committee, which is composed of current and former coaches and staff members in the Luther Athletic Department.