University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Three Former Gophers Inducted into MSHSL Hall of Fame
4/20/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Men's Hockey, M Club
Road to the Hall of Fame: Meet Randy BreuerRoad to the Hall of Fame: Meet Paul MartinRoad to the Hall of Fame: Meet Lou Nanne
Breuer, Martin, Nanne headline Class of 2026
ST. PAUL - Three former standout student-athletes from the University of Minnesota were inducted into the Minnesota State High School League's Hall of Fame as part of the 12-member Class of 2026. Randy Breuer, Paul Martin, and Lou Nanne were permanently enshrined during the official induction ceremony Sunday in downtown St. Paul.
Since 1991, the Minnesota State High School League's Hall of Fame has served as the gold standard of recognition programs. The hallowed hall features elite individuals who have been honored and recognized for excellence among Fine Arts Educators, Contributors, Officials, Administrators, Coaches and Athletes. There are now 257 individuals who have been enshrined, including the Class of 2026.
Randy Breuer | Student-Athlete | Lake City
Breuer was a three-year standout at Lake City High School, leading the Tigers to consecutive Class A championships. In his three-year varsity tenure, Lake City amassed a 70-3 record. As a senior with the Tigers, he averaged 28 points and 13.7 rebounds en route to 1979 Minnesota Mr. Basketball honors. To this day, Breuer still holds state tournament records for most field goals made in three games and most points.
Breuer went on to play for Minnesota and became a two-time All-Big Ten center. As one of the program's top big men, he averaged 14.9 points in his career and 6.1 rebounds. As a freshman with Minnesota, Breuer led the Gophers to the 1980 NIT finals at Madison Square Garden. He rewrote the Gopher record book, closing his career first in total games played (119), sixth in single-season scoring (593), ninth in career rebounding (730), fourth in career scoring (1,777), and second in career blocked shots (228). His career points and career blocked shots remain fourth and second in school history, respectively.
Drafted in the first round of the 1983 NBA draft, he played 11 seasons with Milwaukee, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Sacramento, averaging 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. His jersey was retired in a Williams Arena ceremony in 2015.
Paul Martin | Student-Athlete | Elk River
Martin is arguably the best all-around athlete to ever play at Elk River High School. In football, he was a state-record holder at wide receiver, setting then-career records of 189 receptions for 3,009 yards while being a three-time all-metro and two-time all-state selection. In baseball, he was an all-conference player and a threat at the plate and in the field. On the ice, Martin was Minnesota's Mr. Hockey Award winner as a senior and named the prestigious Mount Olivet Lutheran Church Award winner given to Minnesota's top scholar athlete.
With the Maroon and Gold, Martin was a three-year letter winner, recording 97 points (20 goals, 77 assists) in 127 career games. The defenseman, who was an all-conference selection in each of his three seasons of college hockey, helped the Gophers to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances including back-to-back national championships in 2002 and 2003. He was named a Second Team All-American in 2003. Martin remains 16th in program history among defensemen with 97 points, while he is 13th among defensemen with 77 assists.
A second-round selection in the 2000 NHL Draft, Martin went on to play 14 seasons in the NHL with New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and San Jose. He made 870 regular-season appearances and totaled 320 career points (50 goals, 270 assists). Moreover, he led his teams to a playoff berth in each of his 14 seasons with 122 Stanley Cup playoff games and 46 playoff points. He also played for the U.S. Men's Olympic Team three times in his career (2006, 2010, 2014).
Lou Nanne | Contributor | Edina
In the State of Hockey, Nanne is arguably the most treasured of icons. He served as a television analyst for the League's Boys Hockey State Tournament for six decades. A longtime advocate of high school activities, Nanne, who is retired from the television booth, remains a media favorite through guest appearances where his vast knowledge and wit have been a part of what makes him legendary.
Nanne arrived in Minnesota and played for John Mariucci's Golden Gopher hockey teams for three seasons from 1960 through 1963 and became one of college hockey's biggest stars during the 1960s. The captain earned All-America honors his senior year in 1962-63, after tallying a career-high 43 points to become the first defenseman to win a WCHA scoring title and was named the league's MVP.
After graduating from Minnesota and becoming an American citizen, Nanne captained the U.S. 1968 Olympic hockey team in Grenoble, France. When the NHL expanded, he signed with Minnesota's expansion team and went on to score 72 goals with 167 assists as an All-Star defenseman for the North Stars. He became coach of the team in 1978 and, from 1988 to 1990, its president.
MSHSL Hall of Fame Class of 2026
Rebecca Meyer-Larson, Moorhead, Fine Arts
W Rayford Johnson, St. Paul, Fine Arts
Lou Nanne, Edina, Contributor
Robert Crowe, St. Paul, Official
Rich Matter, Maple Grove, Administrator
Dave Wicker, Minneapolis, Administrator
Kathy Gillen-Melville, Eagan, Coaches
Robin Ingram, Minneapolis, Coaches
Mark Kroulik, Stephen-Argyle, Coaches
Randy Breuer, Lake City, Athlete
Paul Martin, Elk River, Athlete
Mary Jo Miller Hmielewski, Tracy-Milroy, Athlete
Since 1991, the Minnesota State High School League's Hall of Fame has served as the gold standard of recognition programs. The hallowed hall features elite individuals who have been honored and recognized for excellence among Fine Arts Educators, Contributors, Officials, Administrators, Coaches and Athletes. There are now 257 individuals who have been enshrined, including the Class of 2026.
Randy Breuer | Student-Athlete | Lake City
Breuer was a three-year standout at Lake City High School, leading the Tigers to consecutive Class A championships. In his three-year varsity tenure, Lake City amassed a 70-3 record. As a senior with the Tigers, he averaged 28 points and 13.7 rebounds en route to 1979 Minnesota Mr. Basketball honors. To this day, Breuer still holds state tournament records for most field goals made in three games and most points.
Breuer went on to play for Minnesota and became a two-time All-Big Ten center. As one of the program's top big men, he averaged 14.9 points in his career and 6.1 rebounds. As a freshman with Minnesota, Breuer led the Gophers to the 1980 NIT finals at Madison Square Garden. He rewrote the Gopher record book, closing his career first in total games played (119), sixth in single-season scoring (593), ninth in career rebounding (730), fourth in career scoring (1,777), and second in career blocked shots (228). His career points and career blocked shots remain fourth and second in school history, respectively.
Drafted in the first round of the 1983 NBA draft, he played 11 seasons with Milwaukee, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Sacramento, averaging 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. His jersey was retired in a Williams Arena ceremony in 2015.
Paul Martin | Student-Athlete | Elk River
Martin is arguably the best all-around athlete to ever play at Elk River High School. In football, he was a state-record holder at wide receiver, setting then-career records of 189 receptions for 3,009 yards while being a three-time all-metro and two-time all-state selection. In baseball, he was an all-conference player and a threat at the plate and in the field. On the ice, Martin was Minnesota's Mr. Hockey Award winner as a senior and named the prestigious Mount Olivet Lutheran Church Award winner given to Minnesota's top scholar athlete.
With the Maroon and Gold, Martin was a three-year letter winner, recording 97 points (20 goals, 77 assists) in 127 career games. The defenseman, who was an all-conference selection in each of his three seasons of college hockey, helped the Gophers to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances including back-to-back national championships in 2002 and 2003. He was named a Second Team All-American in 2003. Martin remains 16th in program history among defensemen with 97 points, while he is 13th among defensemen with 77 assists.
A second-round selection in the 2000 NHL Draft, Martin went on to play 14 seasons in the NHL with New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and San Jose. He made 870 regular-season appearances and totaled 320 career points (50 goals, 270 assists). Moreover, he led his teams to a playoff berth in each of his 14 seasons with 122 Stanley Cup playoff games and 46 playoff points. He also played for the U.S. Men's Olympic Team three times in his career (2006, 2010, 2014).
Lou Nanne | Contributor | Edina
In the State of Hockey, Nanne is arguably the most treasured of icons. He served as a television analyst for the League's Boys Hockey State Tournament for six decades. A longtime advocate of high school activities, Nanne, who is retired from the television booth, remains a media favorite through guest appearances where his vast knowledge and wit have been a part of what makes him legendary.
Nanne arrived in Minnesota and played for John Mariucci's Golden Gopher hockey teams for three seasons from 1960 through 1963 and became one of college hockey's biggest stars during the 1960s. The captain earned All-America honors his senior year in 1962-63, after tallying a career-high 43 points to become the first defenseman to win a WCHA scoring title and was named the league's MVP.
After graduating from Minnesota and becoming an American citizen, Nanne captained the U.S. 1968 Olympic hockey team in Grenoble, France. When the NHL expanded, he signed with Minnesota's expansion team and went on to score 72 goals with 167 assists as an All-Star defenseman for the North Stars. He became coach of the team in 1978 and, from 1988 to 1990, its president.
MSHSL Hall of Fame Class of 2026
Rebecca Meyer-Larson, Moorhead, Fine Arts
W Rayford Johnson, St. Paul, Fine Arts
Lou Nanne, Edina, Contributor
Robert Crowe, St. Paul, Official
Rich Matter, Maple Grove, Administrator
Dave Wicker, Minneapolis, Administrator
Kathy Gillen-Melville, Eagan, Coaches
Robin Ingram, Minneapolis, Coaches
Mark Kroulik, Stephen-Argyle, Coaches
Randy Breuer, Lake City, Athlete
Paul Martin, Elk River, Athlete
Mary Jo Miller Hmielewski, Tracy-Milroy, Athlete
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