(LONG BEACH, CA) – The outstanding tradition of Long Beach City College (LBCC) intercollegiate athletics will be recognized with the induction of its 12th class of members into the college’s Hall of Champions on Friday, March 22, in the Hall of Champions Gymnasium (Bld. R) of the Liberal Arts Campus (LAC), 4901 E. Carson St.
The induction dinner begins at 6:45 p.m., preceded by a 6:00 p.m. reception. Tickets are $60 per person, with proceeds going toward men’s and women’s athletics and enhancement of the 2,400-square foot Hall of Champions, located in the gymnasium foyer. The facility showcases important memorabilia and the numerous accomplishments of Viking student-athletes and teams.
Ticket reservations are due by Thursday, March 21. For further information on the Hall of Champions, contact the LBCC Athletic Department at (562) 938-4237.
Eleven individuals will be honored at the dinner and will join a list of 155 previous inductees.
The 2013 Hall of Champions honorees are:
- Nate Fernley (Baseball, 1996 & 1999): Fernley had one of the finest pitching careers in LBCC history. He twice earned first-team All-South Coast Conference honors and as a sophomore in 1999 was named All-American and All-Southern California. Over two seasons, Fernley compiled a 14-2 overall record, struck out 141 batters in 153 1/3 innings pitched, and compiled a 2.52 earned run average. Fernley transferred to Brigham Young University and was one of the top pitchers in the nation. As a senior in 2001, he posted a NCAA-leading 16-3 record with a 3.12 ERA and struck out 133 batters. He was named second-team All-American as well as first-team All-Mountain West Conference. Fernley was also named the MWC tournament most valuable player. He signed a professional baseball contract with the Cleveland Indians and also played in the Chicago Cubs organization. Fernley returned to LBCC in 2005 to serve as pitching coach for the Vikings and in 2006 helped lead the college to a state championship. In 2007, he took the head coaching job at El Camino College where he has won two conference titles (2007, 2010).
- Tom Hicks (Baseball, 1975): Hicks was a one-year standout for the Vikings in 1975. Hicks had an impressive .381 batting average, totaling 56 hits out of 147 at bats on his way to being named LBCC team MVP as well as All-Metropolitan Conference at catcher. Hicks went on to play at USC for three seasons (1976-78) and was a member of the 1978 National Championship squad. Hicks began a long coaching career the following season as an assistant coach at USC in 1979. He would go on to serve as head coach at Azusa Pacific University (1981-83) and El Camino College (1984-89). Hicks was also an assistant coach for the USA Baseball national team in 1982 and served as a member of its Board of Directors from 1983-2001. He also founded the Tom Hicks Baseball Camp in 1989.
- Paula Libby-Herbaugh (Softball & Volleyball, 1991-93): Libby was a two-sport standout for LBCC in softball and volleyball. While at LBCC, she twice helped lead the Vikings to the softball state championships final four. Following LBCC, Libby closed out an impressive two-year career (1994-95) at St. Mary’s College. As a freshman, she set St. Mary’s single-season hits record. Her two-year .297 career batting average currently ranks No. 10 all-time at the college. Libby went on to coach, serving as a LBCC assistant in softball in 1996 and from 2000-03. She would also coach volleyball and softball at St. Anthony High School from 1997-99. In volleyball, Libby earned All-South Coast Conference honors as a sophomore for LBCC in 1992.
- Stefan Ludecke (Water Polo, 2001 & 2002): Ludecke was the first of many standouts to play for current head coach Chris Oeding. Ludecke was twice named All-American and was a two-time South Coast Conference MVP as well as a two-time All-Southern California selection. In 2002, he helped lead the Vikings to a third-place finish at the state championships. After LBCC, he went on to play at nearby Long Beach State before getting into coaching. He served as an assistant at Long Beach State from 2006-09 before taking over as head coach at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College (2009-10). Since 2011, Ludecke has been a member of the coaching staff at USC.
- Shellie McCall (Softball Coach, 1993-2004): McCall followed in the footsteps of coaching great Patty Gasso and continued the level of excellence that was in place. In 10 years as head coach, McCall compiled an overall record of 398-83-3, led LBCC to two state championships (1995, 2001), four state runner up finishes, and reached the state final four eight times. Her teams won eight consecutive South Coast Conference titles and had a 139-16 record in conference games. During her career, she racked up the postseason honors. McCall was named SCC softball coach of the year four times, SCC all-sports coach of the year twice, and state softball coach of the year in 1996. In 2004, she was inducted into the City of Long Beach Softball Hall of Fame.
- Bob Meredith (Football, 1974 & 1975): Meredith was a two-year standout for the Vikings in football during the mid 1970s. He was twice named All-Metropolitan Conference at defensive line, including being named first-team as a sophomore in 1975. Also that year, he earned All-American status. Following LBCC, Meredith went on to play the University of California (Berkeley) for two seasons (1976-77). While at Cal, he played in the PAC 8/Big 10 Challenge Bowl All-Star game. In 1976, Meredith signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers.
- Rich Plante (Basketball & Golf, 1970-1972): Plante was a great all-around athlete and made a major impact on the basketball and golf teams. On the court, Plante was named the Metropolitan Conference MVP, LBCC team MVP, and earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the state championships. As a sophomore in 1972, Plante earned All-American honors as he averaged 24.2 points per game and finished second on the all-time LBCC scoring list. On the links, Plante led the Vikings to state championships in 1971 and 1972. He was named the conference and state golfer of the year. Following LBCC, Plante went to Oregon State University and was a member of the Beavers’ basketball and baseball teams. He went on to an impressive slow-pitch softball career (1986-96) and was inducted into the Washington Hall of Fame.
- Carmelo Rios (Cross Country & Track, 1978-1980): Rios excelled for both the track and field and cross country teams at LBCC. Rios was a two-time (1979-80) state and Metropolitan Conference champion in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. He was also the Southern California champion in the 10,000 meters in 1979. In cross country, Rios won the conference and Southern California individual championship and went on to finish third at the state meet in 1979. Following LBCC, Rios transferred to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo were he set school records in the steeplechase and 10,000 meters. He won NCAA championships in the steeplechase and 5,000 meters and was a two-time All-American in the steeplechase (1981 & 1983). Rios captured a silver medal at the 1983 Pan-American games and won the steeplechase at the 1983 World Championships in Finland.
- John Sagehorn (Basketball & Baseball, 1973 & 1974): Sagehorn was a two-sport standout for the Vikings. As a sophomore in 1973, Sagehorn helped lead Long Beach to a state championship runner up finish and was named to the all-tournament team. On the field, Sagehorn was a two-time All-Metropolitan Conference selection and ranked up the postseason honors in 1973. He was named first-team All-State, All-Southern California, and was the conference MVP. He transferred to Southern Methodist University (1974-75) and was a two-year starting guard and team captain. In baseball at SMU, Sagehorn led the Southwest Conference in hitting and earned first-team all-conference honors.
- Steve Tully (Track, 1980 & 1982): Tully made a huge impact as a sophomore in 1982 for the Vikings. Tully was the Metropolitan Conference and Southern California champion in both the pole vault and javelin. Tully finished in second at the state meet in both the javelin and pole vault. He would set school records in both events on his way to all-conference, All-Southern California, All-State, and All-American honors. After LBCC, Tully took his talents to Arizona State University and set the ASU pole vault record in 1984. That season her earned All-American honors and was the pole vault champion at the prestigious Penn Relays.
- Karen Vigilant-Goodman (Track, 1994 & 1995): Vigilant’s name can still be found in the Long Beach City College record book. Vigilant was a two-time South Coast Conference champion in the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles (194-95) and also helped lead the 4x400-meter relay team to consecutive titles as well. As a freshman in 1994, Vigilant was state championships in the 400 hurdles and was a member of the winning 4x400 relay. And as a sophomore in 1995, she was the 100 hurdles state champ and paced the 4x100 relay to a first-place state finish as well. She also won Southern California championships in the 400 hurdles (1994-95), and 100 hurdles (1995). She currently holds school records in the 400 hurdles, 4x100 relay, and 4x400 relay. Following LBCC, Vigilant competed at Arizona State University. She returned to LBCC in 2003 and is currently the head coach of the women’s track and field and cross country teams.
Past Hall of Champions inductees include: (2002) Ron Allice, Susie Atwood, Valerie Brisco, Betty Crilley, Bob Cvrtlik, Greg Harris, Joe Hicks, Earl McCullouch, John Rambo, Kate Schmidt, George Timberlake and Del Walker; (2003) Buck Andreasen, Dee Andrews, Ron Crawford, John Fleitz, Bill Fraser, George Marmion, Jerry Mitchell, Monte Nitzkowski, Maureen (Mo) O’Toole, Jeff Smith, Jim Stangeland and Greg Townsend; (2004) Ricardo Azevedo, Toni Bell-Skeen, Dennis Dummit, Damion Easley, Dave Frost, Gary Garrison, Patty Gasso, Dr. Charles A. (Chuck) Kane, Joe Lanning, Lorie Lindahl, Chuck Terry, and George Van Zant; (2005) Chuck Bittick, Craig Dykema, Lisa Lawrence, Bob Myers, Jeff Severson, Ann Simmons, Robbie Stuart, Homer Williams, Joe “Cowboy” Forbes, Paul Johnson, Norm Kettering, Cliff Meyer, and Bert Smith; (2006) Neo Aoga, Dominique Arnold, Ed Babtkis, Kenny Booker, Margaret Graves-Bos, Mike Giers, John E. Kashiwabara, Pam Marshall, Dan Peters, Tom Amberry, Grant Denmark, Sam Dimas, Hank Ennen, Mel Griffin, Bob Howard, Bill Jessup, Dave Levy, Bill Millington, Vince Reel, and Dewey Tompkins; (2007) Keith Cordes, Myisha Delaney, John Gonsalves, Gerry Gregory, Hank Kraychir, Dave Marshall, Bill Meyers, Samoa Samoa, Peggy Stoll-Grigonis, William C. Barnes, Tom Clark, Gene Gillies, Rollie Eilerts, Irvin “Red” Meairs, Dick Fischl, Roger Hull, Darryl Rogers; (2008) Greg Barton, Paul Chafe, Craig Chamberlain, Cleveland “Chick” Harris, Jennifer Jamie-Rocha, Jim Kelsey, Mark Neal, Donna Prindle, Jeanne Teissere-Knox, Charlie Church, Marvin Motley, Frank Newell, and Jack Salveson; (2009) Ed Crosby, Ron Drake, Laura Fetzner-Castro, Cary Hardwick, Jack Hinton, Gary “Jake” Jacobsen, Nicki Kephart-Trimble, Ernest S. McBride, Henry Andrews, Duane Baptiste, Mickey Byers, John Callard, Bob Humphreys, and Bob Seymour; (2010) Albert Dorsey, Dean Decker, Dan Gausepohl, Bernie Holloway, Willie Martin, Larry Reisbig, Allan Treffry, Cassie Zebisch, Walter “Artie” Boyd, Gus Knickrehm, Jim Lee, Don Menke, Jim Milhorn, Joe Riddick; (2011) Trevor Baker, Michele Bannister, Bill Cecil, Jim Ferguson, Crystal Irving, Kari Jondle, Lute Olson, Tim Russell, Bill “Crutch” Crutchfield, Baruch Elias, Bill Ellis, Rusty Fairly, Terry Hendrix, and Paul Zack; (2012) Kevin Beal, Rod Gaspar, Sarah “Cheech” Gibson, Brad Harris, Rick “Truck” Miller, Christine Phillips, Dennis Putman, Dan Ripley, Scott Cathcart, Tom DeLong, Ed Knox, Harry Nelson, Bill Sprague, and Kent Taylor.