Ten Grinnellians selected for induction into Athletic Hall of Fame
Ten outstanding former Pioneer student-athletes and coaches will become the newest members of the Grinnell College Athletic Hall of Fame this fall. The 2026 inductees are:
- Michael Daley ’72
- Ian Carlson ’95
- Heather Benning ’96
- Rebecca (Mackenzie) Ward ’09
- Jack Taylor ’15
- Adam Dalton ’16
- Hayley Levin ’16
- Beth Tsuha ’17
- Agnė Lukoševičiūtė ’21
- David Arseneault Sr.
The celebration of the newest class of Pioneer Hall of Famers will take place during the 2026 Athletics Reunion Sept 25-26. While this event has taken place around Labor Day in the past, it will be a couple weeks later this year to coincide with a weekend when many of the fall sports teams play at home. It’s also the College’s Family Weekend.
The Grinnell College Athletic Hall of Fame was created in 1995 to recognize the achievements of the College’s most accomplished student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. The September event will be the 11th induction ceremony at which time there will be 136 Hall of Famers.
The nine-member Hall of Fame Selection Committee – comprised of alums, faculty and staff members, and a student – made the selections.
Here is a closer look at the 2026 inductees:
Michael Daley ’72
Michael Daley ’72 has the rare distinction of being a successful student-athlete and coach at Grinnell College. As a swimmer, he was among Hall of Fame coach Ray Obermiller’s first All-Americans. He earned All-Conference recognition all four seasons. In 1973, Daley coached the women’s swimming and diving team in its second season of existence. His three-year tenure set the stage for the championship-caliber program. Daley still loves being on deck, having coached and taught swimmers — from infants to 96-year-olds — for the past 28 years.
Ian “Ox” Carlson ’95
Ian “Ox” Carlson ’95 was a dual-sport athlete at Grinnell, enjoying All-Midwest Conference accolades on both the baseball field and soccer pitch. In baseball, he still holds the Pioneers single-season record for batting average, hitting .486 in 1994. In soccer, he earned team MVP, Defensive MVP, and Rookie of the Year honors, while helping Grinnell win four consecutive MWC South Division titles. The Pioneers went 47-15-4 while Carlson was on the squad. In 2021, Carlson began working as a director of IT at Elevance Health.
Heather Benning ’96
Heather Benning ’96 established herself as a strong leader while guiding the women’s soccer program to unparalleled success. She is the winningest coach in Grinnell women’s soccer history, compiling a 167-100-6 record from 1998 to 2013. She led the Pioneers to five conference titles and NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in 1999, 2004, 2005, and 2006, while coaching more than 50 All-Conference selections. For the past 12 years, Benning has worked as the executive director of the Midwest Conference.
Rebecca (Mackenzie) Ward ’09
Rebecca (Mackenzie) Ward ’09 and Grinnell College women’s soccer success go hand-in-hand. During her time with the program, the Pioneers posted an impressive overall record of 53-21-3 and a 30-6 mark in the Midwest Conference. She is one of the few Grinnell players to earn All–Midwest Conference honors in all four seasons. Rebecca was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. She is now a lecturer in the Chemistry Department at The Ohio State University.
Jack Taylor ’15
It’s not often somebody jumps into the international spotlight in just one evening, but Jack Taylor ’15 did exactly that. On Nov. 20, 2012, Taylor made headlines around the world by erupting for an all-time NCAA basketball record 138 points against Faith Baptist Bible College. Over his career, Taylor earned a place in the Grinnell record book 38 times and scored 2,025 points. Today, he has his own video production company and is boys basketball coach for Black River Falls High School in Wisconsin.
Adam Dalton ’16
Adam Dalton ’16 not only enjoyed success as a student-athlete at Grinnell but went on to earn a spot in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon. As a cross country runner, Dalton took second place at the conference championships in 2014. He also claimed five conference track titles. In 2016, he swept the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races earning Midwest Conference Indoor Track Performer of the Year. Dalton now works as an independent consultant for licensed cannabis businesses ensuring regulatory, real estate, and licensing compliance.
Hayley Levin ’16
Hayley Levin ’16 set a high standard early in her swimming career at Grinnell by qualifying for nationals and continuing to flourish in her time with the program. Levin is Grinnell’s most recent All-American women’s swimmer, earning honorable mention recognition in the 400-yard individual medley with a 15th-place national finish in 2013. She was a 12-time conference champion and Midwest Conference Outstanding Swimmer twice. Levin now teaches math and coaches the girls swim team at Niwot High School in Colorado.
Beth Tsuha ’17
Beth Tsuha’s impact on Grinnell College swimming and diving is evident in the fact the 2017 graduate’s name appears in the program’s record book a whopping 43 times. She helped lead the Pioneers to four consecutive Midwest Conference championships by winning races and relays 21 times. She was named Midwest Conference Outstanding Swimmer in 2017. Tsuha currently is a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) science teacher at Matthew C. Perry High School in Japan and coaches the Tsunami Swim Team.
Agnė Lukoševičiūtė ’21
Agnė Lukoševičiūtė ’21 arrived at Grinnell College never having competed in the hammer throw. By the time she graduated, she had become an All-American, a Lithuanian national champion, and a national record holder. Lukoševičiūtė earned All-American honors at the 2019 NCAA Division III Championships by placing third in the discus and fifth in the hammer throw. Representing Lithuania at competitions across Europe and North America, she won five national championships. Today, Lukoševičiūtė works as a software engineer at Microsoft.
David Arseneault
David Arseneault etched his name in history during his time at Grinnell, inventing the fast-paced style of basketball play known as “The System,” which garnered international acclaim. During his 29-year coaching tenure, the Pioneers led the nation in scoring 20 times. A three-time Midwest Conference Coach of the Year, Arseneault finished with 343 victories at Grinnell – ranking fourth all-time in the MWC. Arseneault also coached Grinnell’s women’s golf team to five MWC titles and two NCAA Division III Championship appearances. He retired from coaching in 2018 and continues to live in Grinnell.
— by Ted Schultz