2010 COACHING-WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL INDUCTEE DENNIS JANZEN The Janzen name is synonymous with women’s volleyball, national championships and Fresno Pacific University. But even more impressive than his five NAIA titles and the coaching of 62 All-Americans is the fact that 96 percent of his volleyball players had graduated at the time of his induction into the…
2010 COACHING-TRACK & FIELD INDUCTEE GENE ESTES The Craigmount/Lewiston, Idaho native believed in teamwork, loyalty to staff and athletes, and keeping a low profile during an extraordinary coaching career at Fresno State capped by his induction into the U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2000. Estes competed in the discus and shot put…
2010 VOLLEYBALL INDUCTEE TRACY AINGER Quite possibly the best all-around female athlete in Fresno County history, she was a four-year letter-winner and star performer in basketball, volleyball, and tennis at Reedley High School. She appeared poised to make her mark at the collegiate level in basketball, a sport where she set the Reedley career scoring…
2010 BASKETBALL TEAM INDUCTEE 1955 FRESNO CITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL The Rams had it all: height on the front line, speed in the backcourt, good shooters everywhere and a demanding coach in Joe Kelly, who could match wits against everyone. Using these ingredients, the team put together a magical season, winning the state championship before a…
2010 BASEBALL TEAM INDUCTEE 1950 SANGER HIGH SCHOOL VALLEY CHAMPION BASEBALL After claiming his first San Joaquin Valley high school championship in 1947 and making the playoffs the following two seasons, Sanger High coach Huntley Dayton knew that his team in the spring of 1950 had the makings of something special. Like many small-town coaches…
2009 FOOTBALL INDUCTEE MARQUEZ POPE Ten-year NFL veterarn Marquez Pope stated, “I just always asked the Lord to send me wherever he thought I should be and I guess he wanted me to be in California.” The native of Nashville, Tennessee was recruited by many colleges who were interested in his abilities on the football…
2009 GOLF INDUCTEE JOAN PITCOCK The late Al Pitcock said that when his nine-year-old daughter Joan hit her first golf ball with a club, it went 150 yards straight down the middle. He knew then she was going to be something special. Once Joan got hooked on the game, she benefited from the teaching of…
2009 SWIMMING INDUCTEE MIKE MEALIFFE When Mike Mealiffe and his twin brother, Pat, were growing up in Santa Clara, the twelve-year-old boys were active youngsters. One of the things that they loved was going to the municipal pool. Noticing the athletic abilities of the boys, swim coach George Haines suggested that the Mealiffe twins try…
2009 GOLF INDUCTEE GRANT HALSTEAD Public golf courses dot the landscape in Central Valley towns today, but the first never would have been created had it not been for the untiring work of one of California ‘s pioneering golf club professionals, Grant R. Halstead. The Visalia-born Halstead spent over forty-six years in the role of…
2009 FOOTBALL INDUCTEE TRENT DILFER When Trent Dilfer first came to Fresno State University in 1990, some people who saw him thought that the 6’4″, 237-pound athlete was recruited as a linebacker or tight end. Quite a few teams did scout him with the idea that the big kid from Aptos High School could fill…