The Athletics Hall of Fame Committee and the office of Alumni Relations at California State University Stanislaus are inducting six former student-athletes and a long-time supporter for its 2011 class.
The induction ceremony is to be held on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m. at the campus Main Dining Hall. The newest members of the Hall of Fame will also be guests of honor for that evening’s home basketball games at the Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena. They will be introduced at halftime of the men’s game when the Warriors host defending national champion Cal Poly Pomona.
“I am delighted to welcome these outstanding student-athletes to our exclusive California State University, Stanislaus Athletics Hall of Fame. Each of these individuals excelled on behalf of Warrior Athletics and are great examples of the outstanding student-athletes we have at our university,” said CSU Stanislaus President Hamid Shirvani.
This is the first Athletics Hall of Fame class named since the 2006. The following, listed in alphabetical order, are short biographies of the seven inductees:
Paul Brogan, Men’s Basketball (1987-89)
Paul Brogan was a long-range sharp-shooter on the men’s basketball team. He still holds the school record with 133 three-pointers in his two-year career when he made 46.8 percent of his three-point attempts. Brogan also holds the single season record with a .475 three-point field goal percentage in 1987-88.
Brogan, currently in his 10th season as the head coach at Modesto Junior College, also holds the record with 15 20-point games during the 1988-89 season. His 39-point effort on Dec. 2, 1988 against Whitter College is still the second-best single game total. At one point during the 1988-89 season, Brogan made 27 consecutive free throw attempts, a mark that held up for 19 years.
Brogan was a member of the 1989 team that won the Division II West Regionals and advanced to the quarterfinals when the Warriors fell to Centre, 124-123, in overtime.
Shannon Donnelly, Women’s Basketball (1999-2003)
Shannon Donnelly is the most decorated women’s basketball player in the program’s history. A three-time WBCA third-team All-American, Donnelly currently holds 38 Cal State Stanislaus records. Donnelly, who was a four-time All-Region and All-CCAA selection, was also named to the 2000 WBCA All-Freshman Team.
With 2,088 points and 1,191 rebounds, she is the only Warrior to ever score 2,000-plus points with 1,000 or more rebounds. During her stellar career, she averaged 19.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Donnelly had 70 double-doubles and 52 20-point games in her career and holds the record with 42 points in a game.
The 2002-03 Warrior Athletics Female Athlete of the Year led the team to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2003 when the Warriors dropped an epic battle against Cal State Bakersfield, 116-106, in overtime.
In 2003, Donnelly’s No. 35 jersey number became the first to be retired by the basketball programs.
Nate Dunn, Men’s Golf (1995-1998)
Nate Dunn was a two-time All-American in 1997 (honorable mention) and 1998 (second team) while being named the school’s athlete of the year in 1998. During his four-year career, he help led the Warriors to three NCAA Championship tournaments which included a fourth place finish in 1996.
Dunn, who was a member of the district championship team in 1997, was also a two-time Academic All-American (1997, 1998).
Lance Johnson, Men’s Golf (1992-94)
Lance Johnson earned three All-American honors as a third team selection in 1992 and 1993 and a second-team pick in 1994.
In 1994 he was named the district’s most valuable player after helping the team to a district championship. He also made the All-District team in 1993.
During his three-year career, the Warriors advanced to the NCAA Championship tournament three times with a best showing of a fourth place finish in 1993.
Amanda Oliver, Women’s Volleyball/Track & Field (2000-2004)
Amanda Oliver was a two-sport standout from 2000 to 2004 when she excelled in both volleyball and track and field.
Oliver was a four-time All-American and eight-time All-Conference track athlete in the heptathlon and high jump. She won three CCAA championships in heptathlon and won the high jump title in 2000. Oliver still holds the school record in the high jump with a height of 5-7 ¾ set in 2000.
In volleyball, she was a member of the record setting 2002 team that won 19 matches. Oliver holds the single match hitting percentage record of .654 and is second in her career in that category. In 2002, Oliver set the single season record with a .311 hitting percentage and is second in single season kills (412, set in 2002), second in total blocks (110) and second in kills per set (3.55).
Oliver also excelled in the classroom as a four-time Academic Scholar and was the university’s Academic Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2004.
Abe Rojas, Supporter & Volunteer (1970-present)
Abe Rojas has been involved with the University and the Athletics program for nearly 40 years. Since 1970, he has be a part of the Warriors basketball game staff as a game or shot-clock operator. He was also involved with the softball program as a scorekeeper and announcer, as well as a baseball umpire in the 70s.
Prior to volunteering for the University, he worked for Turlock Van and Storage and in 1962 helped the University moved from the fairgrounds to the current location.
Rojas has always been involved with the sports scene in our community. He was the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Turlcok from 1969 to 1993. He was the pioneer that started the program that built the Pedretti Sports Complex. Rojas has also coached football, basketball and baseball at Turlock High School and is currently on the board of trustees for the Yosemite Community Colleges.
Cole Sprague, Men’s Track & Field (2002-05)
Cole Sprague was a seven-time All-American in men’s outdoor and indoor track and field between 2002 and 2005.
In outdoor track & field, Sprague was a two-time All-American in the hammer throw (2002, 2005) and a 2005 All-American in shot put. He set two Stanislaus records in 2005 in both the hammer throw (209-3) and shot put (56-4 ½) and has the second best mark in the discus (161-9, 2002).
In indoor track & field, Sprague was a two-time All-American in both the weight throw and shot put (2003, 2005) and is the school record holder in both events. He set the school records in 2005 with a 56-7 ½ in shot put and 65-1 ¼ in weight throw.
Sprague was named Cal State Stanislaus’s male Athlete of the Year in 2005.
Tickets for the induction ceremony are $20 per person. For more information on the Athletics Hall of Fame and to purchase tickets, please contact Shannon Egleston at (209) 667-3931.
The induction ceremony is to be held on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m. at the campus Main Dining Hall. The newest members of the Hall of Fame will also be guests of honor for that evening’s home basketball games at the Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena. They will be introduced at halftime of the men’s game when the Warriors host defending national champion Cal Poly Pomona.
“I am delighted to welcome these outstanding student-athletes to our exclusive California State University, Stanislaus Athletics Hall of Fame. Each of these individuals excelled on behalf of Warrior Athletics and are great examples of the outstanding student-athletes we have at our university,” said CSU Stanislaus President Hamid Shirvani.
This is the first Athletics Hall of Fame class named since the 2006. The following, listed in alphabetical order, are short biographies of the seven inductees:
Paul Brogan, Men’s Basketball (1987-89)
Paul Brogan was a long-range sharp-shooter on the men’s basketball team. He still holds the school record with 133 three-pointers in his two-year career when he made 46.8 percent of his three-point attempts. Brogan also holds the single season record with a .475 three-point field goal percentage in 1987-88.
Brogan, currently in his 10th season as the head coach at Modesto Junior College, also holds the record with 15 20-point games during the 1988-89 season. His 39-point effort on Dec. 2, 1988 against Whitter College is still the second-best single game total. At one point during the 1988-89 season, Brogan made 27 consecutive free throw attempts, a mark that held up for 19 years.
Brogan was a member of the 1989 team that won the Division II West Regionals and advanced to the quarterfinals when the Warriors fell to Centre, 124-123, in overtime.
Shannon Donnelly, Women’s Basketball (1999-2003)
Shannon Donnelly is the most decorated women’s basketball player in the program’s history. A three-time WBCA third-team All-American, Donnelly currently holds 38 Cal State Stanislaus records. Donnelly, who was a four-time All-Region and All-CCAA selection, was also named to the 2000 WBCA All-Freshman Team.
With 2,088 points and 1,191 rebounds, she is the only Warrior to ever score 2,000-plus points with 1,000 or more rebounds. During her stellar career, she averaged 19.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Donnelly had 70 double-doubles and 52 20-point games in her career and holds the record with 42 points in a game.
The 2002-03 Warrior Athletics Female Athlete of the Year led the team to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2003 when the Warriors dropped an epic battle against Cal State Bakersfield, 116-106, in overtime.
In 2003, Donnelly’s No. 35 jersey number became the first to be retired by the basketball programs.
Nate Dunn, Men’s Golf (1995-1998)
Nate Dunn was a two-time All-American in 1997 (honorable mention) and 1998 (second team) while being named the school’s athlete of the year in 1998. During his four-year career, he help led the Warriors to three NCAA Championship tournaments which included a fourth place finish in 1996.
Dunn, who was a member of the district championship team in 1997, was also a two-time Academic All-American (1997, 1998).
Lance Johnson, Men’s Golf (1992-94)
Lance Johnson earned three All-American honors as a third team selection in 1992 and 1993 and a second-team pick in 1994.
In 1994 he was named the district’s most valuable player after helping the team to a district championship. He also made the All-District team in 1993.
During his three-year career, the Warriors advanced to the NCAA Championship tournament three times with a best showing of a fourth place finish in 1993.
Amanda Oliver, Women’s Volleyball/Track & Field (2000-2004)
Amanda Oliver was a two-sport standout from 2000 to 2004 when she excelled in both volleyball and track and field.
Oliver was a four-time All-American and eight-time All-Conference track athlete in the heptathlon and high jump. She won three CCAA championships in heptathlon and won the high jump title in 2000. Oliver still holds the school record in the high jump with a height of 5-7 ¾ set in 2000.
In volleyball, she was a member of the record setting 2002 team that won 19 matches. Oliver holds the single match hitting percentage record of .654 and is second in her career in that category. In 2002, Oliver set the single season record with a .311 hitting percentage and is second in single season kills (412, set in 2002), second in total blocks (110) and second in kills per set (3.55).
Oliver also excelled in the classroom as a four-time Academic Scholar and was the university’s Academic Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2004.
Abe Rojas, Supporter & Volunteer (1970-present)
Abe Rojas has been involved with the University and the Athletics program for nearly 40 years. Since 1970, he has be a part of the Warriors basketball game staff as a game or shot-clock operator. He was also involved with the softball program as a scorekeeper and announcer, as well as a baseball umpire in the 70s.
Prior to volunteering for the University, he worked for Turlock Van and Storage and in 1962 helped the University moved from the fairgrounds to the current location.
Rojas has always been involved with the sports scene in our community. He was the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Turlcok from 1969 to 1993. He was the pioneer that started the program that built the Pedretti Sports Complex. Rojas has also coached football, basketball and baseball at Turlock High School and is currently on the board of trustees for the Yosemite Community Colleges.
Cole Sprague, Men’s Track & Field (2002-05)
Cole Sprague was a seven-time All-American in men’s outdoor and indoor track and field between 2002 and 2005.
In outdoor track & field, Sprague was a two-time All-American in the hammer throw (2002, 2005) and a 2005 All-American in shot put. He set two Stanislaus records in 2005 in both the hammer throw (209-3) and shot put (56-4 ½) and has the second best mark in the discus (161-9, 2002).
In indoor track & field, Sprague was a two-time All-American in both the weight throw and shot put (2003, 2005) and is the school record holder in both events. He set the school records in 2005 with a 56-7 ½ in shot put and 65-1 ¼ in weight throw.
Sprague was named Cal State Stanislaus’s male Athlete of the Year in 2005.
Tickets for the induction ceremony are $20 per person. For more information on the Athletics Hall of Fame and to purchase tickets, please contact Shannon Egleston at (209) 667-3931.