Grinnell Welcomes Six New Inductees to Athletics Hall of Fame

Sept. 9, 2016 — Over the Labor Day weekend, Grinnell College inducted six new members to its Athletic Hall of Fame: Judy Mahle Lutter '61, Stanley G. Norman '61, Neil Goodspeed '96, Dinah Zebot '03, Adam Booth '04, and Sarah Spencer Perry '08. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Athletics Hall of Fame, and with the inclusion of this year's members, a total of 89 Grinnellians have been inducted.

Speakers, such as President Raynard S. Kington and Athletic Director Andy Hamilton '85, discussed the history of athletics at the College, particularly George Gates' — Grinnell College's third president — emphasis on a sound body as well as a sound mind. They also expressed gratitude for all the contributions of John and Emily Pfitsch.

Congratulations to the six newest members of the Grinnell College Athletics Hall of Fame:

  • Judy Mahle Lutter '61, a marathon runner and triathlete. Lutter finished 16th in the 1978 Boston Marathon and later consistently led her age group in races, triathlons, and cross country ski races. In 1982 she co-founded the Melpomene Institute, which researches the link between physical activity and the health of girls and women.
  • Stanley G. Norman '61, a track runner and swimmer. He set conference records in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle and won all but one race in his varsity career. He also anchored the 400 freestyle relay, which took the conference championship two years in a row.
  • Neil Goodspeed '96, a soccer player and golfer. A three-time selection as an All-Conference soccer player, he scored 46 goals and tallied 25 assists in his career, making him the all-time leader in the history of Grinnell. Goodspeed was also a two-time All-Conference golfer and a division medalist who was voted team MPV three times.
  • Dinah Zebot '03, a volleyball and softball player. In volleyball Zebot holds the all-time Grinnell record for most career kills with 1,682, which places her fourth in conference history. She also set the Grinnell records for most kills in a single season (572) and most kills in a single match (34). On the softball diamond, she ranks second all-time in career runs and hits and third in RBIs and home runs.
  • Adam Booth '04, a cross country runner. Booth was a three-time Midwest Conference champion, and he never lost a conference race during that time. Named an All-American, he then placed fourth at the National Division III Championships. Booth still holds Grinnell records in the indoor 3k, indoor 5k, and cross country, where he is the school's fastest runner ever over 8,000 meters.
  • Sarah Spencer Perry '08, a cross country runner. She is a two-time Midwest Conference champion in cross country and a four-time Midwest Conference champion in indoor track. She was a seven-time Academic All-Conference and a three-time All-American. She placed third at the NCAA Cross Country Championship and led the Grinnell team to a seventh-place national finish — the best team finish of any sport in Grinnell history.