University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Gymnastics to Honor 2020 HOF Class
12/23/2019 12:22:00 PM | Men's Gymnastics, Gymnastics
The Minnesota Gymnastics Foundation has announced that the 2002 University of Minnesota Women's Gymnastics National Qualifying team, Craig Carlson, John Tobler, Braxton Battaglia, Larissa Schafer and Ella Hagelin will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 2020 University of Minnesota Gymnastics Hall of Fame Banquet.
The Hall of Fame Banquet is an annual event that recognizes and honors individuals who have impacted the sport in Minnesota. There are three categories for the 2020 Hall of Fame Banquet: Alumni Athletes, Lifetime Service and the Abby Szott Courage Award.
Alumni Athletes
2002 University of Minnesota Women's Gymnastics National Qualifying Team
The 2002 Women's Gymnastics team finished second overall in the Big Ten (195.775), second at Regionals (196.050) and ninth as a team at the NCAA Tournament (195.700). The team was 23-10 overall.
The 2002 team was comprised of Megan Beucken, Catie Christensen, Leigh Dixon, Carrie Hortsch, MaryAnne Kelley, Annie Laatsch, Courtney Norman, Alicia Opsahl, Tara Schroeder, Mary Skokut, Kelly Watson, Carolyn Yernberg, Nicole Yunker and current Gopher head coach, Jenny Hansen (Alf).
The team produced seven Academic All-Big Ten, three NACGC/W Academic All-Americans and four All-Big Ten honorees. The 2002 squad still holds the program record for highest team vaut score (49.600), which was set at UCLA on 3/3/02.
Minnesota boasted two NCAA Championship All-Americans: MaryAnne Kelley (First Team: BB, Second Team: all-around) and Annie Laatsch (First Team: FX). Kelley tied for first on floor at the 2002 NCAA Regionals, was a Honda Award nominee and also became the Gophers first Big Ten Gymnast of the Year since 1989. Laatsch was the 2002 Big Ten uneven bars champion.
"The 2002 team enjoyed a tremendous season however their defining accomplishment was their 9th place finish at the NCAA Championships, the highest of any Gopher team at the time," Head coach Jenny Hansen said. "They were led by an incredible senior class that helped set the standard for generations of Gopher Gymnasts to come."
Craig Carlson
Craig Carlson attended the University of Minnesota from 1969-1973 and competed for the men's gymnastics team. He lettered in all four years he was on the team and had great success as a Gopher. In his junior season, Craig placed third in the Big Ten on floor and qualified for nationals. As a senior, he was crowned the Big Ten floor champion and came in seventh in the event at nationals. He was Minnesota's first-ever Big Ten floor champion, and one of only six Gophers to bring home the honor to this day.
Carlson went on to coach and judge gymnastics for many years following his time at Minnesota, assisting fellow alums Brian Meeker and Bob Hoecherl at Edina High School to a high school boys gymnastics championship.
In addition to his legacy as a gymnast, Carlson is an actor and performer. He graduated with two degrees from the University of Minnesota: one in theater and one in radio and television broadcasting, and he has made great use of both. Craig has worked with the Harlem Globetrotters, Los Angeles' Magic Castle, the Shrine Circus and performed on Late Night with David Letterman twice. He has appeared in three films and over 100 commercials.
Nowadays, Craig is coaching through the Midwest Amateur Gymnastics Association and is still performing regularly at the Renaissance Festival and Screamtown as well as writing screenplays.
Lifetime Service Award
John Tobler
John Tobler has been a fixture in the Minnesota gymnastics community ever since he began competing in high school. A Minneapolis North High School graduate, Tobler won three state titles. He went on to spend three years and compete at Bemidji State, earning national titles in each of his seasons. He attended St. Cloud State as a senior and also won another national title there.
After college, Tobler started his coaching career at Hopkins High School by kick starting their boy's gymnastics team. He has coached ever since then, for over 30 years in the area.
Tobler currently owns and operates Tobler's Gymnastics in Anoka, Minn. He has coached many local athletes who have gone on to compete at the national and international level. He also coached Gopher alums Shelly Brown Gannon, Lisa Whittwer Pitlick, Kathy Ness Lentz and Laurie Kaiser Sund.Many of his coaches have gone on to own and run their own programs throughout the state and country.
Tobler was also a world-renowned diver. He appeared on a world tour for ABC's Wild World of Sports and once held the world record for highest cliff dive.
Abby Szott Courage Award
"The Courage Award is presented every year to someone who has displayed or incorporated their love of gymnastics while encountering or overcoming obstacles in their lives," Hansen said. "The Foundation decided to name this award after someone who exemplified this type of courage – a beautiful young gymnast named Abby Szott. She was an accomplished gymnast at TAGS South and Eagan High School before losing her battle with cancer in March of 2006."
Braxton "Brax" Battaglia
Braxaton Battaglia will be one of three honorees receiving the Abby Szott Courage Award. Braxton was diagnosed with B-Cell Accute Lymphoblastic Leukema (B-Cell ALL) in Jan. 2019.
She was a level four gymnast at Twin City Twisters and was named the Twin CIty Twisters' Fast Track Most Valuable Gymnast in 2018. Brax is currently in remission and is set to end chemo on May 28th, 2021. Outside of gymnastics, Brax is a 3M Open Masonic Children's Hospital Representative and is busy with the TB1F - TeamBrax1 Fund, a fund created by Baxton to help patients and families at the Masonic Children's Hospital.
Larissa Schafer
Larissa Schafer was diagnosed with a brain tumor in Feb. 2017 at the age of nine. After months of radiation and treatment, she was able to return to the mat in Nov. 2017 to compete for the first time. Larissa loves to work with different organizations that help children with cancer. She collects donations and books for the Children's hospital and collects pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House.
Ella Hagelin
Ella Hagelin was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma in Jan. 2015 at the age of five. She will be five years cancer free in May 2020. Her athletic achievements include being a 2018 Xcel Silver State AA Champ, 2018 Level 4 State AA Champ and a 2019 Level 5 State Qualifier.
"Larissa, Ella & Braxton have fought bravely through their individual battles and inspire us everyday with their positive energy and attitudes as they continue to pursue the sport they love," Hansen added.
The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, Jan. 3 at the Courtyard Marriott at 1500 Washington Ave. S. in Minneapolis. There will be a social hour at 6 p.m., with dinner following at 7.p.m. You can register for the event 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 17 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.
The Hall of Fame Banquet is an annual event that recognizes and honors individuals who have impacted the sport in Minnesota. There are three categories for the 2020 Hall of Fame Banquet: Alumni Athletes, Lifetime Service and the Abby Szott Courage Award.
Alumni Athletes
2002 University of Minnesota Women's Gymnastics National Qualifying Team
The 2002 Women's Gymnastics team finished second overall in the Big Ten (195.775), second at Regionals (196.050) and ninth as a team at the NCAA Tournament (195.700). The team was 23-10 overall.
The 2002 team was comprised of Megan Beucken, Catie Christensen, Leigh Dixon, Carrie Hortsch, MaryAnne Kelley, Annie Laatsch, Courtney Norman, Alicia Opsahl, Tara Schroeder, Mary Skokut, Kelly Watson, Carolyn Yernberg, Nicole Yunker and current Gopher head coach, Jenny Hansen (Alf).
The team produced seven Academic All-Big Ten, three NACGC/W Academic All-Americans and four All-Big Ten honorees. The 2002 squad still holds the program record for highest team vaut score (49.600), which was set at UCLA on 3/3/02.
Minnesota boasted two NCAA Championship All-Americans: MaryAnne Kelley (First Team: BB, Second Team: all-around) and Annie Laatsch (First Team: FX). Kelley tied for first on floor at the 2002 NCAA Regionals, was a Honda Award nominee and also became the Gophers first Big Ten Gymnast of the Year since 1989. Laatsch was the 2002 Big Ten uneven bars champion.
"The 2002 team enjoyed a tremendous season however their defining accomplishment was their 9th place finish at the NCAA Championships, the highest of any Gopher team at the time," Head coach Jenny Hansen said. "They were led by an incredible senior class that helped set the standard for generations of Gopher Gymnasts to come."
Craig Carlson
Craig Carlson attended the University of Minnesota from 1969-1973 and competed for the men's gymnastics team. He lettered in all four years he was on the team and had great success as a Gopher. In his junior season, Craig placed third in the Big Ten on floor and qualified for nationals. As a senior, he was crowned the Big Ten floor champion and came in seventh in the event at nationals. He was Minnesota's first-ever Big Ten floor champion, and one of only six Gophers to bring home the honor to this day.
Carlson went on to coach and judge gymnastics for many years following his time at Minnesota, assisting fellow alums Brian Meeker and Bob Hoecherl at Edina High School to a high school boys gymnastics championship.
In addition to his legacy as a gymnast, Carlson is an actor and performer. He graduated with two degrees from the University of Minnesota: one in theater and one in radio and television broadcasting, and he has made great use of both. Craig has worked with the Harlem Globetrotters, Los Angeles' Magic Castle, the Shrine Circus and performed on Late Night with David Letterman twice. He has appeared in three films and over 100 commercials.
Nowadays, Craig is coaching through the Midwest Amateur Gymnastics Association and is still performing regularly at the Renaissance Festival and Screamtown as well as writing screenplays.
Lifetime Service Award
John Tobler
John Tobler has been a fixture in the Minnesota gymnastics community ever since he began competing in high school. A Minneapolis North High School graduate, Tobler won three state titles. He went on to spend three years and compete at Bemidji State, earning national titles in each of his seasons. He attended St. Cloud State as a senior and also won another national title there.
After college, Tobler started his coaching career at Hopkins High School by kick starting their boy's gymnastics team. He has coached ever since then, for over 30 years in the area.
Tobler currently owns and operates Tobler's Gymnastics in Anoka, Minn. He has coached many local athletes who have gone on to compete at the national and international level. He also coached Gopher alums Shelly Brown Gannon, Lisa Whittwer Pitlick, Kathy Ness Lentz and Laurie Kaiser Sund.Many of his coaches have gone on to own and run their own programs throughout the state and country.
Tobler was also a world-renowned diver. He appeared on a world tour for ABC's Wild World of Sports and once held the world record for highest cliff dive.
Abby Szott Courage Award
"The Courage Award is presented every year to someone who has displayed or incorporated their love of gymnastics while encountering or overcoming obstacles in their lives," Hansen said. "The Foundation decided to name this award after someone who exemplified this type of courage – a beautiful young gymnast named Abby Szott. She was an accomplished gymnast at TAGS South and Eagan High School before losing her battle with cancer in March of 2006."
Braxton "Brax" Battaglia
Braxaton Battaglia will be one of three honorees receiving the Abby Szott Courage Award. Braxton was diagnosed with B-Cell Accute Lymphoblastic Leukema (B-Cell ALL) in Jan. 2019.
She was a level four gymnast at Twin City Twisters and was named the Twin CIty Twisters' Fast Track Most Valuable Gymnast in 2018. Brax is currently in remission and is set to end chemo on May 28th, 2021. Outside of gymnastics, Brax is a 3M Open Masonic Children's Hospital Representative and is busy with the TB1F - TeamBrax1 Fund, a fund created by Baxton to help patients and families at the Masonic Children's Hospital.
Larissa Schafer
Larissa Schafer was diagnosed with a brain tumor in Feb. 2017 at the age of nine. After months of radiation and treatment, she was able to return to the mat in Nov. 2017 to compete for the first time. Larissa loves to work with different organizations that help children with cancer. She collects donations and books for the Children's hospital and collects pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House.
Ella Hagelin
Ella Hagelin was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma in Jan. 2015 at the age of five. She will be five years cancer free in May 2020. Her athletic achievements include being a 2018 Xcel Silver State AA Champ, 2018 Level 4 State AA Champ and a 2019 Level 5 State Qualifier.
"Larissa, Ella & Braxton have fought bravely through their individual battles and inspire us everyday with their positive energy and attitudes as they continue to pursue the sport they love," Hansen added.
The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, Jan. 3 at the Courtyard Marriott at 1500 Washington Ave. S. in Minneapolis. There will be a social hour at 6 p.m., with dinner following at 7.p.m. You can register for the event 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 17 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.
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