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March 15, 2007
Release: #0705

News Release
For Immediate Release

Sacramento, CA . . . The Commission on Athletics (COA) is pleased to announce the induction of four new members into the California Community College Sports Hall of Fame at the 10th Annual COA Convention in Ontario, CA. The 2007 inductees are Zelda Bolden (Mt. San Antonio College), Denny Crum (L.A. Pierce College), James Newman (L.A. Harbor and Compton Colleges), and Arnie Robinson (San Diego Mesa College).

The COA Sports Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed in California community college athletics. Founded in 1984, the Hall of Fame has sought to recognize those who have made the most of their experiences as California community college student athletes, coaches and administrators, maximizing their own potential to better themselves and those with whom they come into contact. The four new inductees will join eighty-four previous inductees in the Hall, which features some of the most recognizable names in the last half-century of amateur and professional sports.

The COA Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and Ceremony will be held on Thursday, April 5 at 6:00 p.m. at the Doubletree Ontario Airport Hotel in Ontario, CA. To purchase tickets, print, complete, and return the convention registration form available at www.coasports.org/convention.

Zelda Bolden (Mt. San Antonio College, 1983-1985)
Zelda Bolden grew up in Ft. Worth, Texas and was the second of five children. After moving to California, her athletic career took root at Garey High School in Pomona where she ranked among the top ten high school runners for three consecutive years. She was a California Prep State finalist in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. At the 1982 California State Finals, Zelda captured second place in the 200-meter dash with an impressive time of 23.65 seconds.

In 1983, Bolden enrolled at Mt. San Antonio College and quickly established herself as a premier athlete as she shattered community college records in the 100-meter dash (11.23 seconds) and 200-meter dash (23.12 seconds). Both times remain California community college records and the National community college record for an American-born athlete.

Bolden continued her student-athlete career at the University of Washington, where she set the school record in the 100-meter dash with a mark of 11.47 seconds in 1985, a record that remains today. Her time of 7.50 seconds in the 60-meter dash is third on the school's all-time list.

In 1987, Bolden was hired as an outreach recruiter in Mt. San Antonio College's Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), a department that provides access to higher education for students with academic and financial disadvantages. From 1989-1993, she worked for the Los Angles Urban League as an employment advisor and from 1993-1997 she served as a job developer for the "Los Angeles Projects With Industry" program.

She returned to Mt. San Antonio College in 1997 as a job developer within the Student Services Division, where she oversees specialized job fairs, student job search advising and assisting challenged students to find employment opportunities.

Denny Crum (L.A. Pierce College, 1954-56, 1964-68)
The seeds of Denny Crum's coaching career were planted at an early age. While playing three varsity seasons at San Fernando (CA) High School, Crum coached a summer league team as a 10th grader. He went on to star for L.A. Pierce College, averaging 27 points per game as a freshman and earning All-Southern California honors. He led Pierce to its conference championship as a sophomore and was named Player of the Year.

Crum then played two years at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden. In 1956-57 he helped lead the Bruins to a 22-4 record and was named the team's best first-year player. In Crum's senior year, the team went 16-10 and he was named the most-improved player.

Upon graduation from UCLA, Crum coached the Bruins' freshman team before returning to L.A. Pierce as head coach in 1964. After four successful seasons at Pierce, Crum returned to UCLA as an assistant to coach Wooden, helping lead the Bruins to NCAA Championships in 1969, 1970 and 1971. He accepted the head coaching position at the University of Louisville in 1971.

Crum led the Louisville basketball program for 30 seasons, building a record of 675-295, with 23 NCAA tournament appearances, 6 final four finishes, and NCAA championships in 1980 and 1986.

The honors and accolades Crum has collected during this brilliant career are numerous. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference Co-Coach of the Year in 1973, the Metro Conference Coach of the year in 1979, 1980, 1983 and 1994, and the Conference USA Coach of the Year in 1996. He was named the Basketball Weekly Coach of the Year in 1980, and the Sporting News Coach of the Year in 1983, and 1986. The Lexington Herald-Leader named Crum Sportsman of the Year in 1986 and the Sportsman of the Decade in 1990. In 1990, he was enshrined into the UCLA Hall of Fame, in 1992 he was inducted into the California Community College Men's Basketball Hall of Fame, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2002, L.A. Pierce inducted Crum into the college's Hall of Fame and retired his #8 jersey.

Crum is a 2002 recipient of the Legends of Coaching Award, presented annually by the John R. Wooden Award Committee. On February 7, 2007, Louisville's home floor at Freedom Hall was officially named the "Denny Crum Court."

James Newman (L.A. Harbor and Compton Community College, 1970-75)
James Newman began his basketball career at L.A. Jefferson High School, which at the time boasted one of the most powerful basketball teams in the region. After high school, he attended L.A. Harbor Community College, where he earned MVP and All-State honors as a freshman. As a sophomore, Newman set the L.A. Harbor single season scoring record and led the team to its first ever state championship, where he was named the state MVP. Newman continued to scorch the hardwood at Arizona State University, where he led the team in scoring during both his junior and senior seasons. The NBA's Syracuse Nationals drafted Newman, but he declined to join the pro team in order to pursue an administrative and coaching career.

Newman's professional accomplishments demonstrate his varied talents as a leader. He held the title of physical educator/athletic director at Willowbrook Junior High, head of the Cultural Enrichment Program at Compton High School, liaison officer for the Compton Unified School District, and financial aid director and assistant dean of student personnel services at Compton Community College.

However, it is Newman's accomplishments as a coach that have immortalized him in the history of California community college athletics. As a head coach of Compton High's junior varsity squad, his team went 44-1 over two seasons. He served as a varsity assistant coach on the Compton High team that went undefeated with two national championships with a combined record of 64-0 in 1968 and 1969. As a head coach at Centennial High, Newman led his teams to a record of 38-18 over two seasons.

In his five seasons at Compton Community College, Newman tallied a record of 140-24, including two state championships in 1970 and 1973. The 1970 team won the title with the second-ever undefeated season in California community college basketball history, finishing 33-0. Newman went on to serve as an assistant coach at the University of New Mexico and Arizona State and a head coach at California State Los Angeles.

Arnie Robinson (San Diego Mesa College, 1967-69, 1984-present)
Arnie Robinson was born and raised in San Diego California. He attended Morse High School, where he was the first four-year letter-winner in school history. Robinson competed for San Diego Mesa College in 1967 and 1969, setting impressive marks in the high jump (6'-8"), long jump (25'-6"), and the triple jump (48'-5"). His efforts at San Diego Mesa earned Robinson a scholarship to San Diego State University, where he won a NCAA title in 1970 in the long jump with a mark of 25'-10" and was selected as an All-American in both his junior and senior seasons (1970 and 1971).

In 1970 Robinson was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served nearly two years before embarking on his Olympic career. In the 1971 Pan Am Championships, he won the long jump with a mark of 26'-2". At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Robinson earned a bronze medal with a long jump of 26'-2 ¾". Four years later, in Montreal, Robinson captured Olympic gold with a long jump of 27'-4 ¾". In 1977, Robinson won the World Cup Championship with a leap of 26'-9".

Robinson was enshrined into the San Diego Breitbard Hall of Fame in 1985, the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2000, and the California Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

Following his athletic success, Robinson pursued a career as an administrator and coach. He has spent 23 years as the head track and field coach at San Diego Mesa. He was the USA Track and Field Youth Chairman from 1994-2004, and served as the association's vice president from 1997-2007. He hosts youth track and field meets at San Diego Mesa to involve children in the sport, and is currently teaching part-time at the college.

Complete listing of COA Hall of Fame membership

About the COA
The Community College League of California Commission on Athletics (COA) is a non-profit organization per IRS Section 501 (c)(3). The COA establishes the rules and regulations to administer the athletic activities of the nearly 25,000 student athletes at California's community colleges. To view the latest news, information, and updates of all 23 COA-sanctioned sports visit www.coasports.org.

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