University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Gymnastics Announces Hall of Fame Class
12/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
The Minnesota Gymnastics Foundation has announced the Hall of Fame Class of 2017. This year's inductees include: Russ Fystrom, the 1998 Minnesota Women's Big Ten Championship team, Andy Anderson and Kim Olson Miklya.
Russ Fystrom is in his 36th season as an assistant coach with the Minnesota men's gymnastics program. Fystrom is a Gophers alum, and graduated in 1973 as a four-year letterwinner and Big Ten Champion on pommel horse. Thirty-four years later he coached Kit Beikmann to that same title, as Beikmann was the 2007 Big Ten Champion on pommel horse. Again in 2014 and 2015 he coached Ellis Mannon to back-to-back Big Ten pommel horse titles as well as the NCAA pommel horse title in 2014. Following the 2016 season, Fystrom was named Central Region Assistant Coach of the year along with his counterpart, Kostya Kolesnikov. A national and international certified judge, Fystrom was selected to coach at the 1985 U.S. Olympic Festival in Houston where he coached the North Team to a Gold Medal in the Team Competition. Fystrom served as one of two Senior Coaches Representative of the USA Gymnastics Men's Program Committee (MPC) for eight years (2009 - 2016). The MPC determines the direction of the entire Men's Program in the United States and is the most powerful committee in men's gymnastics. The coaches of the (current) Senior National Team members vote for their representative on the MPC.
"It's been an honor and a privilege to coach with Russ Fystrom since my arrival at Minnesota," head coach Mike Burns said. "The value that Russ brings to our program goes far beyond his technical skills as a coach. He is a supreme advocate for what's best for the young men on our team, and he inspires and mentors all who have the good fortune to cross paths with him."
The 1998 Minnesota Women's Big Ten Championship team included: Michelle Arbogast, Stacey Batza, Judy Cavazos, Melissa Chang, Cathy Keyser, Mindy Knaeble, Shanyn Lancaster, Jenny Mazzone, Mindy Mhyre, Cami Phillippi, Lacey Purkat, Kristi Selinger, Megan Skokut, Kim Sveum and Molly Umland. The Big Ten meet was hosted by the University of Iowa, and the Gophers won the title with a score of 195.400. Keyser earned the individual title on beam. This was Minnesota's first Big Ten title since 1991. It was also the first championship for co-head coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson, who were also each named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
"We are excited to honor the tremendous accomplishment of the 1998 team," head coach Jenny Hansen said. "This team built upon the success of the 1997 NCAA Qualifying Team and brought a Big Ten Championship back to the University by performing beautiful, unique and consistent gymnastics."
Andy Anderson served as a men's gymnastics coach in the state of Minnesota for four decades, and his love of the sport has been shared with hundreds of athletes. Anderson was a coach for North Shore Gymnastics Association, Andy's Tigers, Park Center High School, Osseo Junior High, Northview Junior High and Robbinsdale High School. Several of his gymnasts have become judges and coaches of the sport. Anderson is still the voice of the John Roethlisberger Iceberg Open.
Kim Olson Miklya is an 11-time Section Coach of the Year, and was the Minnesota State Coach of the Year in 1991. She served as the coach at Apple Valley High School for 18 years, and was at Eastview High School for six years. Her team made five state tournament appearances, and were State Champions in 1989 and 2001. She coached four individual state champions (Heather Gustafson, Kristin Opdahl, Kasey Clausen, Michaela Grigg). Miklya was also a track and field coach for ten years at Apple Valley. She was a two-sport collegiate athlete, competing in gymnastics and track and field at Augsburg College.
The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017 at the Courtyard by Marriott at 1500 Washington Ave. S. in Minneapolis. A social hour at 6 p.m. will precede dinner at 7 p.m. Early bird rates are in effect if registration occurs prior to December 17, register online here.
About the Minnesota Gymnastics Foundation
The University of Minnesota Men's and Women's Gymnastics Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Minnesota Gymnastics Foundation. The Foundation has been in existence for 13 years and is a non-profit organization designed to support the gymnastics community in the state of Minnesota. Local gymnastics enthusiasts established this charitable organization, which intends to provide support to local gymnastics, with an emphasis on healthy competition and academic achievement.
The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to honor individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions to the University of Minnesota's gymnastics teams and to those who have helped develop and promote the sport of gymnastics in the state of Minnesota.
Players Mentioned
