2003 inductees

Dr. Richard Dykstra ‘65
Football

A versatile athlete as well as a diligent student, Dykstra was a three-time all-Iowa Conference football running back/defensive back selection and an NAIA all-district pick.

Dykstra served as a co-captain of the 1964 team that shared coach Ron Schipper’s first league title. The team posted a 7-1-0 record. That year, the Dutch recorded their biggest win in the history of the college with an 83-0 victory over Iowa Wesleyan. Central shut out opponents in four games Dykstra’s senior season.

The Runnells, Iowa, native was also an all-league selection in baseball.
Dykstra earned his Ph.D. degree in just three years at the University of Iowa, and then taught at the University of Missouri for 14 years before becoming a professor of statistics at Iowa in 1982. The author of numerous professional journal articles and a recognized leader in his academic field, Dykstra received Central’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1991.

Gertrude Beintema
Athletic Department Secretary

A Central College employee for more than 30 years, beginning in 1972, Gert joined the athletic department staff as office manager in 1979. Her position quickly expanded to also include serving as the ticket manager, business manager, banquet coordinator and travel director for Central’s 19 intercollegiate sport teams.

Known for her tireless effort and attention to detail, Beintema is even more deeply appreciated for the maternal guidance and friendship she provided for the hundreds of Central student-athletes it is her joy to serve.

Beintema will retire from her position at the end of this month.

Marcie Thurn Rohach ‘83
Women’s track and field

The former Marcie Thurn led Central to the 1982 NCAA Div. III women’s track and field crown and also to two other national top-10 team finishes.

The St. Olaf, Iowa, native was Central’s first NCAA Div. III individual champion. She took the long jump title in 1982 (18’4”) and was also the anchor on Central’s national champion 4x100-meter relay teams in 1982 and 1983. In 1981, she was on the runner-up 4x100-meter relay unit.

The four-time letterwinner earned all-America recognition nine times in five events (400-meter relay, 800-meter medley relay, 100-meters, 200-meters, and long jump) over three seasons.

At one point, Rohach held seven school records: 220 yards, 440-yard relay, 400-meter relay, 880-yard relay, 800-meter relay, 1600-meter relay, and the long jump.

Rohach set five Iowa Conference records her senior season. She topped out in the long jump at 19’1/4”, set marks in the 100-meters (12.28) and 200-meters (25.2). Rohach was also part of the record setting 400-meter relay unit (49.4) and 1600-meter relay foursome (4:04.72).

An athletic apparel designer, Rohach has worked for several sporting good manufacturers, creating uniforms, jackets, caps and warm-up gear for numerous NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA athletes and teams, including Nike’s first Div. I collegiate basketball uniforms.

Clarence Wilkins ‘32
Men’s basketball

An anchor in the middle for Central’s storied “Wonder Team,” Wilkins helped the Dutch basketball squad win an Iowa Conference-record 35 games in a row from 1930-32.

Tiny, a 6’3 center from Morrison, Illinois, led the league in scoring as a freshman in 1928-29. He was an all-Iowa Conference selection in 1930-31 and was also a first-team pick for the Des Moines Register’s all-state team as Central won three straight championships in what was then a 14-team league. The Dutch compiled a 60-6 record in three seasons while Wilkins played.

Wilkins also competed in football and baseball, earning all-conference honors in football in 1930.

He later owned and operated a hardware and appliance business in Ida Grove, Iowa for more than 30 years. He died in 1992.

Brian Goldsworthy ‘85
Men’s golf

Winning in a sudden-death playoff, Goldsworthy captured the individual NCAA Div. III men’s golf championship in 1985, the school’s first men’s national title. His performance helped the Dutch golfers finish fifth in the team standings, their highest finish. With Goldsworthy’s help, Central placed tenth at the national championships in 1982, sixth in 1983 and 1984.

Goldsworthy holds the school’s best 72-hole score at an NCAA tournament where he shot rounds of 70-70-77-80-297 at Monroe Golf Course in Pittsford, New York in 1985. He also is tied for Central’s best 18-hole score at an NCAA tournament shooting a 70 twice.

A member of four Iowa Conference championship teams, Goldsworthy was also the league MVP in 1985.

He was a CoSIDA Academic All-America pick in 1985 and a two-time member of the All-America Scholars golf team.

After receiving his M.B.A. degree from the University of Tulsa, Goldsworthy became director of strategic business analysis for Target Base Marketing in Irving, Texas.