Paul Halpin - 1978W

Football 2 years, Basketball 2 years, Golf 1 year, Baseball 1 year - 6 Varsity letters.

All-Conference in both football and basketball and was even names to the Edina Sun Current’s All-Century Edina Football team in 1999.

Paul joined Edina Men’s Softball League in 1975, while still in high school. He was a consistent presence and revered player for 45 years and in 2018 was inducted into the Edina Slow-Pitch Hall of Fame.

Paul still lives in Edina, plays a lot of golf and occasionally still takes a few swings on the softball diamond.

Jeff Mace, Head Girls Swim & Dive Coach, 1999-present 

Jeff joined Edina High School as a teacher in 1996 and the staff of the Girls Swim & Dive team in 1999. Became Head Coach in 2006. In 2016 he also joined the Edina Boys Swim and Dive coaching staff. Over his 25 years with the Girls team, he has been named Section Coach of the Year 4 times, State Coach of the Year 6 times and was National High School Swim Coach of the Year in 2021.

19 Hornet State Championships; 11 Conference Titles; 10 Section Championships; 9 State Championships (Girls) & 4 Runner-Up finishes. Since 1999, The Girls program has won 34 individual event State titles, 30 Relay State titles & set 14 State Records; Combined, the Hornets have had 53 Individual All American Performances and 28 Relay All American Performances since 1999.

Coach Mace and his wife Joyce live near Northfield MN. They have 3 grown children, and 3 grand kids. Jeff enjoys playing golf in the summer and practicing on his simulator in the winter.

Scott Johnson, Head Boys Swim & Dive Coach, 1992-present

Scott was a teacher & assistant coach with the Edina Boys' Swimming and Diving team from 1992-2018 and became head coach in 2018, following the retirement of veteran head coach Art. He also coached with the Edina Girls' Swimming and Diving team from 1992-1996.

Coach Johnson has a current dual meet win-loss record of 39-5 (.886). 12 conference championships, 17 section championships, and 9 MSHSL team state championships. He has coached Edina swimmers to 67 Edina team records, 32 MSHSL individual/relay state championships, 4 MSHSL state records, and 85 NISCA All American performances throughout his career. He has been nominated and/or selected as MSHSCA section and state Coach of the Year several times.

After 32+ years of teaching, Coach Johnson retired in 2021 but continues to coach the Boys Swim and Dive team. He and his wife, June, live in Chaska and spend as much time as possible with their two married children and granddaughter.

One of Scott’s many cherished coaching memories was being a part of the swimming career of his son, Drew (EAB HOF Class of 2022).

Chris Sherman, 2004

Varsity Tennis 5 years

Chris won three Team State Championships, two 3^rd Place finishes, 5 consecutive Conference Titles and 5 consecutive Region titles. Individually, was named to the All-Conference team 4 times, had a career record in singles of 114-10. His senior year, Chris was a Team Captain, won the Individual Singles State Championship, had a record of 33-0 & was named team MVP.

Chris played tennis for Penn State University where he was an Academic All-Big10 and All-American, an NCAA Tournament participant, a 4-year letter winner and was named winner of the 2006 team’s Iron Man Award.

Chris is President at Sherman Associates, a Commercial Real Estate company as well as President of the Board of Directors for Rethos; and board member for Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, Minnesota Minority Junior Golf Association, Twin City Housing Alliance and The Sanneh Foundation. In 2021, Chris was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Chris and his wife Greta live in downtown Minneapolis.

Jay Moore, 1986

Varsity Hockey 3 years, Soccer 2 years 

Jay was on the 1984 State Championship hockey team. His Senior year, Jay was also named to the Maroon-Gold All Star Team. Jay also played Varsity Soccer for two years.

Jay continued to play hockey for Denver University. At DU he had 150 total points, was named to the WCHA All-Academic team 4 times, was on the WCHA All- Tournament team, was team Captain and won the 1991 Denver University Most Valuable Player Award.

Jay is the Senior Vice President of Development at Oppidan, a Commercial Real Estate firm where he’s been for 23 years. He and his wife Laura Moore live in Victoria with their 2 sons. Jay is an active member of the Victoria Lions Club and an avid outdoorsman.

Nikki Larson, 2012

Varsity Swimming 4 years.

State Champion in four individual events and a member of three State Champion teams. She still holds 16 Edina High School or EHS Pool records; was named an All-American 18 times (an Edina High School record) and was team Captain and Swimmer of the Year her Senior Year. She was a Captain of the Mock Trial team her Senior Year, an AP Scholar with Distinction, USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and Edina Scholar Athlete.

Nikki continued her swim career at Princeton University where she set a team record for the 100 Butterfly and was an NCAA Qualifier in two events. She was an Individual Ivy League Champion and 2-time Ivy League Team Champion. She is No. 2 on Princeton’s all-time list in both the 100 and 200 butterfly.

Nikki lives in New York City where she continues to swim with the US Masters Swimming program and works as a Senior Product Manager for the New York Times.

Megan Gaard Gunderson, 2008

Varsity Tennis 5 years

Megan was All-Conference & Team State Champion all 5 seasons. Individual Doubles State Champion as a Junior (with Emily Warner) and Team Captain and finished 3rd place for State doubles her Senior year. Varsity Basketball 3 years; 2 time Team Captain, Exceptional Leader award, All Conference & 3^rd place finish in State.

8 total letters.

Megan still holds two records for Edina Girls Basketball: Tied for 4th overall in career assists with 246 and 3rd overall for 3pt shots made in a single season with 55.

Megan attended Gustavus Adolphus College & played both Tennis and Basketball. In Tennis, she was a Division III All American and qualified for NCAA Tournament in doubles twice.

Megan works at Interlachen Country Club as Head Racquet Sports Professional. Megan and her husband Marcus Gunderson live in Minnetonka with their 2 young children, Reese and Cameron.

Jason Velgersdyk, 1979E

8 varsity letters, 2 Football, 3 Basketball, 3 Track.

Jason was the basketball team’s leading scorer and rebounder 2 consecutive years, Team Captain & All Lake Conference 2 times. In Track, he was on the WCCO All-State track team in 1978 & set an Edina High Jump record at 6’9” (remains 2^nd highest in school history). Jason finished 1^st place for the High Jump in the Region tournament winning by a 5” margin. He finished 3^rd place in the State Tournament and competed in the National High School Track Championships.

At Bethel College he was a 3-time Basketball All-MIAC selection, Scored over 1400 career points, 3rd most rebounds and 2nd most blocks in Bethel history and first player in MIAC history to record 1000+ points, 900+ rebounds, and 100+ blocks. As a High Jumper, he is 3rd all-time in high jumping at Bethel history, was NCCAA All-American 1981-82, Team Captain and Team MVP both his Junior and Senior years.

Jason Played professional basketball in West Germany and tried out for the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets.

Jason and his wife Sandi live in Savage where he teaches Physical Education, have two grown sons, and remain die-hard Edina Hornet fans.