2001 CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE COMMISSION ON ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

Track and Field's Stacy Dragila, Football's Jeff Garcia, Tennis' Bob Rump and Football's Hal Sherbeck to be honored at COA Athletic Convention, March 22

Sacramento, CA - United States Olympic Track and Field star Stacy Dragila, Football star Jeff Garcia, longtime Grossmont men's and women's tennis coach Bob Rump, and legendary Fullerton College football coach Hal Sherbeck comprise an impressive 2001 induction class into the California Community Colleges Commission on Athletics (COA) Hall of Fame. Dragila, Garcia, Rump and Sherbeck will be honored Thursday, March 22, at the 4th annual Commission on Athletics Convention at Silver Legacy Hotel. The induction banquet begins at 11:30 p.m. Tickets for the luncheon are $40 if puprchased prior to March 1. Reservations should be made with the COA by phoning (916) 444-1600. A summary of the class of 2001 follows:

Stacy Dragila, Yuba College Stacy Dragila capped her 2000 season with a gold medal in the Olympic Games. She is the first and only women's pole vault champion and is currently the World and United States record holder in both indoors and outdoors pole vault. On February 2, 2001 she broke her own indoor record with a jump of 15' 2 1/4" at the Millrose Games and again last week, topped that mark. Dragila won her first World indoor title in 1997 and captured her first outdoor world competition in 1999. She is also a 4-time U.S. outdoor champion ('96, '97, '99, '00), a 4-time U.S. indoor champion ('96, '97, '98, '99), 2000 Olympic Trials Champion and last summer captured gold at the inaugural Olympic women's pole vault. In 2000, Stacy also won the Jesse Owens award, which is given annually to the outstanding female track & field performer. Dragila began her career as a hurdler at Placer High School in Auburn. She also competed in goat tying and breakaway roping. She honed her skills in hurdles at Yuba College, training under venerable coach John Orognen. She transferred to Idaho State University, where she participated in the heptathlon. She currently resides in Pocatello, Idaho with her husband, Brent. With what little time Stacy has left, she works at ISU as an assistant coach, conducts coaching clinics for aspiring young vaulters, and is active in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. She is the current spokesperson for Reebok, Visa, Pontiac/GM, Oakley, UCS Spirit and NBC Olympics.com.

Jeff Garcia, Gavilan College Jeff Garcia began his athletic career as a two-sport star in basketball and football at Gilroy High School in San Jose. In 1989, Garcia served as the starting quarterback for Gavilan College. He earned community college honorable mention All-America honors after throwing for 2,038 yards and 18 touchdowns as a freshman. Garcia then transferred to San Jose State University, where he started for three years. At San Jose State, he ranks first in school history in total offense, third all-time in passing yards, passing completions and passing efficiency. As a junior he earned UPI All-America honors. Garcia began his professional career in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders. He was named All-Canadian quarterback once and West Division all-star four times. In 1998, he capped off his CFL career by leading the Stampeders to a Grey Cup Championship and was named MVP of the Grey Cup. The 49ers signed Garcia as a free agent in 1999 to backup Steve Young. He started 10 games when Young went down with an injury. Garcia continued his success in 2000, when he was named to his first Pro Bowl. In 2000, he broke the 49ers team record for most passing yards and became only the second 49er quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season.

Bob Rump, Grossmont College Bob Rump grew up in Fremont, Nebraska, where he earned all-state honors in football, basketball and tennis. He attended the University of Nebraska in the fall of 1948 and competed on the freshmen football and basketball teams. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War before returning to Midland College, where he competed in football, basketball and tennis. His career spanned five decades and he mixed in teaching, coaching and administrative jobs during that time. From 1962 – 1986, he coached the men’s tennis program at Grossmont College, where his teams won 13 conference titles, four southern California regional championships, and appeared in five state championship finals, winning one state team championship. From 1987 to 1993, he coached the women’s tennis team at Grossmont and captured six conference championships, six regional championships and four state championships. In 1997, Bob was inducted into the international tennis hall of fame and he has received numerous other awards between 1983 and 1998. He and his wife, Jeanne, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in May 2001. They have four children and three grandchildren.

Hal Sherbeck, Fullerton College Few coaches at any level have enjoyed the kind of success that became a trademark of Hal Sherbeck’s 31 years at Fullerton College. But for Sherbeck, success was nothing new. At Olympia College in Bremerton, WA, he lettered in football, baseball and basketball, and again lettered in all three at UM. In 1961, he was hired as head coach at Fullerton College and an era of complete gridiron dominance began. Sherbeck posted a couple of six win seasons before the Hornets stumbled in 1963, finishing with a 3-5-1 record. It was the only losing season in Sherbeck’s tenure at Fullerton. In 1965, Sherbeck took Fullerton College to the pinnacle of success, winning a national championship and that served as the beginning of a 47-game unbeaten streak, with just one tie during that time. In 1967, Fullerton captured its second national championship and the Hornet football dynasty had been established. He added a third national title in 1983. When Sherbeck retired after the 1991 season, football lost a legend. At the time, Sherbeck’s 241 victories were the most ever by a community college football coach. His teams won 16 conference titles, appeared in 13 bowl games, and sent more than 500 student-athletes to four-year colleges and universities. Sherbeck also coached more than 100 All-Americans during his reign as the top coach in community college football. He and his wife, Donna, reside in Polson, Montana and the "ol’ coach" is still coaching – helping out at UM, his alma mater. In 2000, the Grizzlies went to the Division 1-AA national title game. For more information, contact the COA office in Sacramento