2022
ELK RIVER HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME 2022
Gene Belanger
Gene Belanger graduated in 1960 and was a four-sport athlete, excelling in football, basketball, baseball and track. Gene earned several all-conference awards in all four sports and was the Elk River High School Athlete of the Year in 1960. He also had a successful softball career, playing for a Honeywell team that won three national tournaments. Gene is the third Belanger in the Elk River Hall of Fame, joining brother Rich and niece Sara.
Dave Christensen
Dave Christensen played soccer, hockey and golf for Elk River but golf was where he made his name. Dave made it to the state golf tournament a couple of times, then excelled at the collegiate level for East Tennessee State where he was a two-time Division I All-American. Dave also won several state amateur golf events before turning pro and playing on the Canadian and Nationwide tours. He has played in two PGA events.
Michelle (Corrow) Ramert
Known as one of the best Elk River gymnasts of all time, Michelle (Corrow) Ramert went to six state meets as an individual and three in team competition. Michelle’s best finish was a third place in the vault in 1995. She was named both All-State and All-American five times during her career. Three times she finished in the top 10 in the state individual meet in the all-around competition. She was also All-Conference in both diving and track.
Jonna (Curtis) Albers
Jonna (Curtis) Albers played five years of varsity hockey for the Elks and still holds career records for points and assists. Jonna led her team to several state tournament appearances and was a Minnesota Miss Hockey finalist in 2012. She went on to star at the University of New Hampshire, scoring 106 points in 122 NCAA games. In 2018 she signed to play professional hockey with the Minnesota Whitecaps. She has been a star for the Whitecaps, leading the team in scoring several times. She has been named to the league all-star team three times.
Pete Hilyar
Pete Hilyar ranks as one of the best baseball players in Elk River school history. Pete won a couple of all-conference awards and sported a 13-3 pitching record in 1974 with a 0.98 ERA and 113 strikeouts. He led the Elks to the district baseball title in 1974, pitching all four games of the tournament. He was the Elks MVP twice. He played several years of town baseball, leading Hamel to the state tournament in 1982 and 1983. He was named to the all-tournament team in 1983.
Dana Hunt (Schweikert)
Dana Hunt coached the Elk River girls gymnastics team for 10 years. She built the program from an 0-13 start her first year into a state power, winning several section titles and placing in the top five at the state meet. In 1997 she was inducted into the Minnesota Girls Gymnastics Coaches Association Hall of Fame. She was an art teacher at Elk River High School until she passed away after a long battle with cancer on September 9, 1995.
Randy Klasen
Randy Klasen coached the Elks girls basketball team for 10 years and led the boys basketball team for 21 years. Between the two teams he racked up 517 victories. His girls team finished second in the state in 1990 and his boys cage squad took third at state in 2006. He won several section titles between the two teams and also some conference championships. He was also the Elks boys and girls tennis coach for several years, piling up nearly 200 victories. He was the boys tennis State Coach of the Year in 2007.
Nate Prosser
Nate Prosser became the fourth Elk River hockey player to carve out a career in the National Hockey League. He played with the Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers for 11 years before retiring. Prior to that he was a four-year star at Colorado College and captain of the team his senior year. He earned All-Conference honors twice for the Elks and led them to a state tournament berth his sophomore year. He scored the winning goal for the Wild on Hockey Day Minnesota in 2014.
Robb Rotramel
One of several Rotramels to swim for the Elks, Robb had a stellar six year career with the Elks. He was named the team's MVP four times and also earned All-Conference recognition four times. He was an eight-time All-State recipient (four times in the 50 yard freestyle and four times in the 100 yard freestyle). He took second place in the state swim meet in the 50 and 100 freestyle events in both 2007 and 2008. He earned All-American consideration while swimming for St. Cloud State.
Holly Sutton Barton
Holly Sutton was a star soccer player for the Elks for three years, setting a single season record for goals scored in 2003. She is also second on the Elk River all-time scoring list. From here she went to even greater heights at Winona State, earning conference Player of the Year honors twice and was named a Daktronics and NSCAA All-American in 2007. She was Winona State's Female Athlete of the Year in 2007 and was elected to the school's Hall of Fame in 2017. She coached the Rogers girls soccer team to an undefeated season and state championship in 2010 and was named State Soccer Coach of the Year in 2013.