WSHS 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame class announced

(KWNO)-The Winona Senior High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct six new members at a ceremony on September 28.

Michelle Brewer Mesenburg (1988) and Jacki Lindseth Larson (1988) competed together in cross country, Nordic skiing and track and field. They were part of the 1986 state championship cross country team and on the state title winning 4×800 relay team in 1985.

Matt Papenfuss (2008) was a four-time state qualifier in swimming for the Winhawks. He set school and section records in the 100-and 200-yard freestyle and as a senior was named the Section 1AA swimmer of the year. Papenfuss swam at the University of Minnesota and in the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Beckie (Smith) Rolbiecki would almost certainly have earned championship medals in gymnastics but when she competed in the mid-1970s there was no postseason competition. Rolbiecki took her talent on bars and vault to Winona State University, graduating in 1977 and then embarked on a highly successful coaching career. She coached at Cochrane-Fountain City, WSHS and WSU. Rolbiecki was an eight-time Big Nine Coach of the Year and at the college level coached four event national champions and was named national coach of the year in 2010.

Chuck Wally (1956) starred in football, basketball and baseball for the Winhawks. On the court, he led Winona to its first state basketball tournament in more than two decades. Wally played basketball and baseball at Hamline College before becoming a math teacher and coach.

Ray Felton was the voice for many WSHS sports. Felton started by announcing Winona High girls swim meets in 1991, leading to him being on the mic for boys swimming, soccer, football and baseball. In 2019 Felton announced his 1000th WSHS athletic event and he did it all for free.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2024 will be honored during the Homecoming parade and football game on September 27. The induction ceremony is the next day at 1:00 pm at the high school.