Latest class includes multiple state champions, successful coaches

Editor’s note: The is the last in a two-part series. Information used for the biographies below was provided by the Albert Lea High School Athletic Hall of Fame committee.

Donna (Boom) Turner

Donna (Boom) Turner was a 1995 graduate of Albert Lea High School.

She is one of the top girls’ golfers is school history and won the Class AA state tournament in 1994.

Turner was a four-year letterwinner in golf and a two-time team captain. She was medalist in the Big Nine Conference meet in 1994 and 1995, and led the Tigers to a team championship in 1995.

After finishing third as a ninth-grader, Turner was Section 1AA champion during her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She was also named Big Nine All-Conference four times.

Away from high school, Turner was a Minnesota Golf Association regional champion in 1992 and 1993, and was Minnesota Junior PGA Player of the Year in 1991 through 1995.

She was also a National Maxfli qualifier and finished 31st nationally, and finished second in the Texas-Oklahoma National Junior Golf Tournament in 1994.

After graduating from ALHS, Turner received a scholarship to play golf at the University of Minnesota where she was a two-time letterwinner.

Turner was twice named Academic All-Big Ten and graduated, with honors, in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Turner currently lives with her husband, Jim, in Savage.

Roger Neist

Roger Neist graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1966 and was state-champion gymnast.

Neist began gymnastics as a ninth-grader, the first year it was offered. He competed in seven of eight events, including the trampoline, floor exercise, tumbling, horizontal bar, parallel bars, rings and all-around. He did not compete in the pommel horse.

During his junior season in 1965, Neist placed first in state in the parallel bars and second in the horizontal bar and all-around.

During his senior season, Neist placed first in the horizontal bar, parallel bars, ring and all-around, second in the floor exercise and third in tumbling. He led the Tigers to a state championship that season and scored 44 1/2 of the team’s total 68 1/2.

Neist attended the University of Iowa on a gymnastics scholarship. The team placed second nationally in 1968 and first an 1969. Neist was injured, though, in 1970 a week before the Big Ten championships.

Neist graduated from Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy before attending the University of Minnesota Medical School and becoming an ophthalmology surgeon.

While at ALHS, Neist was also a four-time letterwinner in track and field and set the school pole vault record his senior year at 12 feet.

Neist currently lives in Fairmont.

Jeff Brooke

Jeff Brooke graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1962 where he was an accomplished football player, wrestler and field athlete.

As a 175-pound and heavyweight wrestler, Brooke compiled a 59-9 record, which included 39 pins.

Brooke was the state champion at heavyweight in 1961 and Big Nine Conference champion at 175 pounds in 1960, by vote of sports writers.

Brooke was a three-time regional champion and district champion, and four-year letterwinner. As a two-time team captain, Brooke led the Tigers to five District 1 titles and three Region 1 titles.

As a football player, Brooke was a four-year letterwinner and co-captain in 1961. He was twice named All-Conference and led the Tigers to a Big Nine championship in 1960 and third-place finish in 1959.

On the track and field team, Brooke competed in the discus throw, shot put and 440-meter relay.

He was district champion in the discus and shot put, and set ALHS school records in both.

After graduating, Brooke continued in athletetics at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. There he wrestled and was a three-year letterwinner on the football team, including team captain in 1965.

Brooke currently lives with his wife, Ann, in Phoenix, Ariz.

Rich Oliphant

Rich Oliphant graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1961 where he led the Tigers football team to its first Big Nine title since 1934.

Oliphant joined the football team in 1957 as a ninth-grader and was named All-Conference as a junior after leading the Tigers to a 7-2 conference record.

As the team’s quarterback, Oliphant was again named All-Conference during his senior season as the Tigers finished 7-0-1 and won the Big Nine championship. Oliphant was also named Team MVP and All-State after his senior campaign.

After graduating, Oliphant attended the University of Northern Iowa where he was starting quarterback his junior and senior seasons. At UNI, Oliphant led the team to a conference championship and Pecan Bowl title.

Oliphant also played basketball and baseball for the Tigers, and was a three-year letterwinner in each sport.

As a football coach, Oliphant coached at Blue Earth High School for six year and Faribault High School for 26 years, beginning in 1974. There, he compiled a 151-96 record.

Oliphant currently lives in Albert Lea.

Craig Dahl

Craig Dahl was a 1971 graduate of Albert Lea High School where he was a standout football and hockey player and hurdler.

As a football player, Dahl was named Big Nine All-Conference and All-State, and led the Big Nine in total passing yards.

As a hurdler, Dahl was the District 2 champion in the 120-meter high hurdles, and as a hockey player, Dahl was elected to the Southern Minnesota All-Start League, was a Big Nine first-team defenseman and an All-State honorable mention.

Dahl went on to coach Division 1 men’s hockey at St. Cloud State University.

Dahl currently lives in Pittsford, N.Y.

Hall of Fame banquet order forms available

The Albert Lea Athletic Hall of Fame banquet will be held at 6 p.m. on July 8 at Wedgewood Cove Golf Club. The cost is $40 per person and order forms are available at Tiger City Sports, Motor Inn Company and Wedgewood Cove Golf Club, as well as on the ALHS website.