Leonard Olson - Inducted 1974

1921 Red Wing, Minn. HS grad. 1927 Luther College grad. Olson became head coach of all sports at Augustana in 1931 and remained a member of the staff until he retired in 1968. From 1931-41, the last year Augustana was a member of the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference, Lefty's Vikings won eight conference titles in football and two in basketball. In 1942, Augustana's first year in the North Central Conference, he guided the Vikings to NCC titles in football and track. His football teams at Augustana were 77-32-2. He was a charter member of the North Central Conference Hall of Fame. He coached in the Navy during World War II. Coached football at Waldorf Junior College in Forest City, Iowa, losing only three games in four years, before taking Augustana job. Was one of the finest all-around athletes in the history of Luther College, lettering four times each in football and basketball and excelling in baseball and track as well. At Red Wing, he played on a state champion basketball team that reached the quarterfinals of the national tourney.