Former Gopher Mayasich nominated for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame

Photo: Courtesy of the USA Hockey Hall of Fame
John Mayasich.

Updated: August 12, 2019 02:03 PM

The only player in Gopher Hockey history to have his number retired, John Mayasich, has now been nominated for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame.

Already a U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and two-time Olympic medalist, Mayasich is among the 2019 nominees for this year's Hall of Fame class. A native of Eveleth, Minn., Mayasich competed for the U.S. Men's National Team longer than any other player in history, helping Team USA to a silver medal in 1956 and a gold medal in 1960. Additionally, he led Eveleth to four-straight high school state championships before becoming a three-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, where he still holds the program record for career scoring.

Fans can learn more about this year's finalists and cast their votes at TeamUSA.org/vote.

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame was established in 1979, and celebrates the achievements of Team USA's premier athletes and teams. The first hall of fame class was inducted in 1983, and since then, nearly 150 individuals and teams have been honored for their contributions to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movements.