Ed Widseth Display
The Ed Widseth Display in the Sports Center across from Lysaker Gymnasium is a display also featuring the Ed Widseth Student Athlete Award. On it is a plaque with a list of student award recipients as well as old newspaper clippings about Ed Widseth and the first ever Ed Widseth Award recipient, Mark Olsonawski.
Ed Widseth attended the Northwest School of Agriculture in 1929 and graduated in 1932. He played football for the Aggies, leading the NWSA to the State Agriculture School Championship in 1931. Widseth went on to the University of Minnesota where he anchored the defensive line that led the Golden Gophers to three national championships from 1934-1936. A two-time All-American, Widseth served as captain and team MVP during his final season. He also won two baseball letters as a Gopher first baseman and pitcher. Later, Widseth was drafted in the first round of the 1937 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played for the Giants from 1937-1940 and he was recognized as an All-NFL player three consecutive years (1937-1938). Widseth was selected to the 1938 Pro Bowl and in 1939, he was a Second Team All-NFL player.
The field at University of Minnesota Crookston was named in Widseth’s honor prior to his death on December 3, 1998.