Bemidji State University welcomed seven individuals, including Eugene “Corky” Hanson of Crookston into its Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the university’s Alumni B-Club/Athletic Hall of Fame on November 1-2.
Former Bemidji State student-athletes Paul Dashkewytch (men’s golf), John Gronski (football), Peggy Hammel-Moran (volleyball/women’s basketball) and Eugene “Corky” Hanson (wrestling) were inducted in the Athletic Hall of Fame. Established in 1978, the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame will now include 209 individuals, 25 BSU coaches, 23 teams, 11 selected for the Alumni Coaching Achievement Award and 11 John S. Glas Honorary Letter Winners.
Eugene “Corky” Hanson, of Crookston, was a staple on the national stage for the Bemidji State wrestling program. He qualified for the national tournament all four years of his career, and he was twice an NAIA All-American with sixth-place finishes. He was a two-time captain in 1977 and 1978 and amassed a 61-22-1 career record in the process, also capturing the 177-pound individual conference championship in 1978. Hanson was a member of BSU’s 1978 NIC championship squad, and he set all-time Bemidji State records with 27 wins and 115 points in his senior year in 1978. Hanson was also a member of the 1976 team that was inducted into the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
