BHS Hall of Fame

Jerry Zgoda, Class of 1979, is an award winning journalist who has covered sports for the Star Tribune for nearly 40 years. During his career, he’s covered nearly every local professional and college team, along with traveling on assignment to Wimbledon, the World Cup and many more. Zgoda has won several awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors’ and the Society of Professional Journalists, including for a story on the 2008 Westminster Dog Show. Over his career, he’s served as a mentor for many young reporters and writers.

April (Brown) Young, Class of 2001, was a standout athlete at Burnsville High School, lettering in hockey, track and soccer, setting a then record of 15 varsity letters. She was the school’s Athena Award winner and was a state Ms. Hockey finalist in 2001, along with several All-State and All-Conference awards. At Princeton University, Young was a member of the women’s hockey team and named to the conference All-Academic team three times. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences and was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow with the federal government. In her career in medical safety, Young has worked for the FDA to audit drug and medical device companies throughout the world before starting her own medical technology business. She also volunteers as a youth soccer and hockey coach. 

Mike Wong, Class of 1973, was a three-sport letter winner at Burnsville High School, earning All-State honors twice in football and once in hockey. He was also a member of the 1972 state championship football team. He represented Team USA in the first World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Leningrad in 1974, and became the first player of Asian descent to be drafted into the NHL when the Detroit Red Wings selected him 77th overall in 1975. Wong played 22 games for the Red Wings in 1975-76, becoming the first Burnsville High School player to play in the NHL. After his playing career, Wong was deeply involved in youth hockey, serving in several coaching and program directing positions with Lakeville Hockey for 18 years.

Jenny Ryan, Class of 1984, was an outstanding student athlete at Burnsville High School, earning varsity letters in track and field, cross country running and nordic skiing. In college at Montana State University, she was named Academic All American three times and All American once after finishing 4th in the National Collegiate Ski Association Championships in 1988. For the past 24 years, Ryan has been a coach at Northern Michigan University, having coached numeral All-Americans and national champions, while her teams have also earned All-Academic honors every year. 

Melissa Mackley Kenevan, Class of 2006, was an outstanding student athlete at Burnsville High School, earning varsity letters in hockey, soccer and golf. She was team captain for all three sports, all conference in hockey and golf, and all state honorable mention in hockey. She continued her hockey career at Gustavus Adolphus College where she was a two-time NCAA Division III All American, Gustavus Female Athlete of the Year, and an NCAA Woman of the Year Top Ten honoree. Kenevan graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 2015, was elected Chief Resident during her anesthesiology residency at Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, and currently an interventional pain physician and assistant professor of anesthesiology in the Mayo Clinic Health System. 

Doug Knutson, Class of 1979, is an internationally recognized portrait photographer who has worked for magazines including Business Week, Forbes, Time, Sports Illustrated and Fortune. Over his career, he’s been asked to take official portraits of 22 Nobel Peace Laureates, for speakers at the Peace Prize Forum, the Humphrey School’s Carlson lecture Series and the Westminster Town Hall Forum. Knutson has his work on permanent display at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and The Minneapolis Community and Technology College campus. He is also an avid volunteer, sharing his knowledge and talents with groups including Highland Friendship Club, Three Rivers Park District and Art Buddies.