Jeff Brown, Gonzaga University
A three-year standout for the Gonzaga men's basketball team, Jeff Brown was a key player in Gonzaga's early stages of becoming a basketball powerhouse. After transferring from the University of Washington, Brown started the next three seasons for the Bulldogs.

As a senior during the 1993-94 season, Brown led the WCC in scoring at 21.0 points per game, leading the Bulldogs to a 22-8 record, their inaugural WCC regular-season championship and a berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) for the program's first-ever postseason appearance.

Brown, a three-time All-WCC First Team member, earned WCC Player of the Year honors in 1994. In addition, he was named to GTE/College Sports Information Directors of America All-District VIII first team, GTE/College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America first-team and was named Men's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year with 3.68 GPA in finance/pre-med.

Brown is still listed in several statistical categories in the Gonzaga record books, ranking seventh on the Zags' career scoring charts with 1,646 career points, fifth in field goals made (618), 9th in field goal percentage (55.5) and 4th in free throws made (390).

Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount University
A high school and college teammate of 2009 Hall of Honor inductee Hank Gathers, Bo Kimble was an integral part of a historic Loyola Marymount offense that still owns the five highest single game scoring totals in NCAA history, including the record-setting 186 point effort against U.S. International in 1991. After the tragic passing of Gathers in the 1990 WCC Tournament, Kimble led the Lions to one of the most memorable post-season runs in NCAA Tournament history. The run was best symbolized by the right-handed Kimble shooting his first free throw in each NCAA Tournament game left-handed in memory of Gathers.

Kimble led the 11th-seeded Lions through the first two rounds of the tournament by recording 45 points and 18 rebounds in a 111-92 first round win over sixth-seeded New Mexico State and 37 points in a 149-115 second round win over defending champion and third-seeded Michigan. The Lions then beat seventh-seeded Alabama 62-60 in the West Regional Semifinals before falling to eventual national champion UNLV in the Elite Eight.

Kimble turned in one of the most prolific statistical seasons in WCC and NCAA history as a senior in 1990 by leading the nation in scoring with 35.3 points per game. He was named WCC Player of the Year, a six-time WCC Player of the Week and a Second-Team All-American in his senior season.

Dr. Gail Hopkins, Pepperdine University
Dr. Gail Hopkins, who became the first person in his family to attend college when he selected Pepperdine over Stanford, California and UCLA in order to both play baseball and study religion, played baseball at Pepperdine from 1962-64 and earned All-America honors as a junior in 1963.

Hopkins helped Pepperdine qualify for the NCAA Playoffs in both 1962 and 1963 and he became the first Pepperdine baseball player to ever reach the Major League when he broke in with the Chicago White Sox in 1968. He primarily played first base in seven seasons in the majors with the White Sox, Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers, and hit a career-best .286 with Chicago in 1970. Hopkins was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers team that won the National League Pennant and played in the World Series in 1974.

He earned a Bachelor's degree from Pepperdine in 1966 as a double-major in Religion and Biology, a Master's in Religion from Pepperdine in 1974, a Ph.D. in Biology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1977 and an MD from Rush Medical College in 1981. In addition, he will complete a Masters of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary in May of 2010. Hopkins is believed to be the only player in Major League Baseball history to have earned both an MD and a Ph.D.

Joe Etzel, University of Portland
When Joe Etzel was appointed director of athletics in 1970, the University of Portland's intercollegiate athletic program consisted of three coaches and five men's teams. When he retired in 2003, those figures increased to 13 full-time and 11 part-time coaches for 16 men's and women's teams, all competing at the NCAA Division I level. In addition, the University also built four athletic facilities throughout the Etzel era: The Earle A. and Virginia H. Chiles Center (basketball/volleyball), Louisiana-Pacific Tennis Center, Pilot Stadium (baseball, which later was renamed in his honor), and Harry A. Merlo Field (soccer). Etzel retired as the longest tenured Athletic Director at the NCAA Division I level.

As an undergraduate at the University of Portland, Etzel lettered four years in baseball as a pitcher and once in basketball. He still ranks near the top of many of the school's career pitching records. Etzel is first in career win percentage (.741) with a 20-7 record. He is second in career ERA (2.45) and wins (20), fourth in walks per nine innings (2.18) and led the Pilots to the NCAA playoffs in 1957 and 1958.

Etzel's 21-year reign as the university's head baseball coach began in 1966. He took on the director of athletics position in 1970 and served in both capacities until his coaching retirement following the 1986 baseball season.

He was later inducted into the University of Portland Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993, the State of Oregon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 and the National Athletic Directors (NACDA) Hall of Fame in 2008.

Anja Suomalainen (Bordt), Saint Mary's College
After playing her freshman season at California, Anja Suomalainen (Bordt) starred for three seasons at Saint Mary's (1988-89 through 1990-91). Suomalainen was a two-time WCC Player of the Year (1990 and 1991) and led the conference in scoring and assists in all three of her seasons.

In 1991, she was named the West Coast Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year and an Academic All-American. Suomalainen was also named the NCAA Woman of the Year in 1991 for the state of California. She ranks in the top five in the West Coast Conference's all-time assists, points, and steals categories.

Suomalainen, who was inducted into the Saint Mary's Hall of Fame, played professionally in Finland, Germany and Spain and was named the Finland Player of the Year in 1991 and a German Bundesleague All-Star in 1995-96. She played in over 120 games for the Finland National Team.

Zuzana Lesenarova, University of San Diego
Zuzana Lesenarova became the first NCAA Division I Champion in the history of the University of San Diego when she won the 1999 NCAA Women's Singles Tennis Championship. A three-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year and three-time WCC All-Academic selection, Lesenarova shared 1999 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Player of the Year honors with James Blake of Harvard.

Lesenarova, who was a four-time ITA All-American, spent most of the 1999 season ranked No. 1 in the nation and won three of the four collegiate grand slam events that season. She also earned No. 1 national rankings in both singles and doubles in 2000.

As a Torero, she finished with an overall record of 202-55 (139-25 in singles and 63-30 in doubles). Lesenarova, who played in the 1999 U.S. Open, was inducted into the University of San Diego's Chet & Marguerite Pagni Family Athletic Hall of Fame on May 2, 2009.

Bob St. Clair, University of San Francisco
Bob St. Clair was a member of what many consider to be one of the most dominant college football teams of all time. The 1951 University of San Francisco Dons went a perfect 9-0 with an average winning score of 32-8. Nine players on that team were drafted in the NFL, and three ended up in the Pro Football Hall of fame.

St. Clair began his pro career in 1954. He didn't have to travel far as he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. Over the next 11 seasons, St. Clair would cement himself in history as one of the greatest offensive tackles to have ever played the game. He was a nine-time All-Pro selection, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, named to the 1950`s NFL's All-Decade Team, and in 1990, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

St. Clair holds the distinction of being one of the few players in history to have spent almost his entire playing career in the same city, playing in the same stadium. In 2001, as a tribute for playing a total of 17 seasons and 189 home games at Kezar Stadium, the city of San Francisco renamed the stadium's field in honor of St. Clair.

Brandi Chastain, Santa Clara University
Brandi Chastain is one of the most decorated players in women's soccer history with two World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals to her credit.

In 1989 she transferred to Santa Clara University from California. Chastain would be a two-time All-American at Santa Clara, leading the team to the Final Four in 1989 and 1990 seasons.

In 1990, Chastain was the recipient of the Honda Women's Soccer Award, given to the top player in the nation. She was also named the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America Player of the Year. That season, Chastain recorded 22 goals and 50 points, which still ranks among Santa Clara's all-time leaders.

In 1991, Chastain represented her country in the FIFA Women's World Cup, where she scored five consecutive goals in a 12-0 US win against Mexico. Team USA went on to win that World Cup in China.

In 1996, Chastain was selected to play on the US National team. She led the U.S. to the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta in the first-ever Olympic women's soccer tournament. She played every minute in the U.S.'s five matches, and assisted on the first goal in Olympic women's soccer history.

At the 1999 World Cup, she provided one of the greatest moments in the history of women's sports when she peeled her jersey off in celebration after the decisive penalty kick in the championship match. In the months after the match, she was named one of People Magazine's Most Intriguing People and one of Street & Smith's 100 Most Powerful People in Sports in 1999.

She was also member of the 2004 Olympic Soccer Team that won gold in Athens and the 2000 Olympic team that won the silver in Sydney. Overall, she appeared in 192 career U.S. National Team matches, which ranks among the top 10 in U.S. history.

Chastain's influence on women's soccer continues today, as she is one of the founding members of the Bay Area/San Jose Cyber Rays professional club, and is currently playing with the FC Gold Pride of Women's Professional Soccer. She also continues to serve as a soccer broadcaster for ABC, NBC and ESPN.

Frank Burgess, Gonzaga University
Frank Burgess came to Gonzaga right out of the Air Force in 1958. The 6-1 sharpshooter led the Bulldogs in scoring for three seasons and won the national collegiate scoring crown for the 1960-61 season with 842 points in 26 games and a 32.4 scoring average. Burgess scored what is today still a school-best 2,196 points in his three years at Gonzaga (he spent a pre-military year at Arkansas AM&N) and scored more than 40 points in a game seven times including a school-record 52 against California-Davis his senior year.

Burgess was a Helms Foundation All-American selection in his junior and senior year and was an All-American choice by the major wire services in his senior year. After two seasons with Hawaii in the professional American Basketball League, he returned to Gonzaga to attend law school and graduated near the top of his class. He was inducted into the Inland Empire Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. Gonzaga University retired his No. 44 jersey Feb. 19, 2005, and today it hangs in the McCarthey Athletic Center rafters.

Hank Gathers, Loyola Marymount University
One of the greatest players in West Coast Conference history, Loyola Marymount's Hank Gathers became the conference's first two-time tournament MVP and is the leading scorer in the event's 19-year history. Led by Gathers, the Lions won back-to-back tournament titles in 1988 and 1989 and set a WCC record for most points in a tournament with 323 total points (107.7 ppg) in 1988. Gathers' 1988 tournament was highlighted by an amazing 33-point, 18-rebound performance in LMU's first round win over Portland. In that same season, he became the second player in history to lead NCAA Division I in scoring and rebounding in the same season, averaging 32.7 points and 13.7 rebounds per game.

Gathers passed away tragically during the semifinal game of the 1990 WCC Tournament, which resulted in the tournament being suspended and Loyola Marymount being given the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In seven career WCC Tournament games, Gathers scored a record 186 points for a 26.6 points per game average, the highest clip in league history.

Doug Christie, Pepperdine University
Doug Christie, a 6'6" shooting guard, was the WCC's MVP in 1991 and 1992. In both seasons, Christie was also named All-American and a member of the All-WCC First Team, as he led the school in scoring, assists, and steals. His 1,392 career points made him the school's 15th leading scorer while his 395 assists placed him third in school history.

Swingman Christie attracted dozens of NBA scouts to Firestone Fieldhouse and was later selected 17th overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. Christie played for the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Clippers, where he would end his professional career. While playing for the Kings, Christie developed into one of the league's best defenders and was perennially named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

Clive Charles, University of Portland
Clive Charles was the greatest coach in more than a century of University of Portland athletics, leading his women's and men's soccer teams to 439 victories, 20 national playoff berths, 13 conference titles, and a national championship. His players went on to play on the national teams of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and also play in the professional ranks in America and Europe and Asia. Others earned Olympic gold medals and won World Cups. He coached the United States Olympic Team (1996-2000) and Women's National Team (1993-1996). He was a professional soccer star in England, Wales, and North America, and was named to the all-time North American Soccer League team.

Just before the Olympics in August 2000, Charles was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Despite the harsh news, Charles still coached the U.S. to a fourth place finish in the Olympic Games. Charles also continued to coach both the men's and women's Portland teams until his death. During his last season (2002), the Portland women's team won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship.

Tom Meschery, Saint Mary's College
Tom Meschery was a 6'6" power forward who played for Saint Mary's from 1957-1961. Averaging 16.7 points and 13.6 rebounds per game, Meschery concluded his collegiate career as the school's leading rebounder (916) and his 1,126 career points ranked 12th all-time at Saint Mary's. Meschery's No. 31 was the first basketball number ever retired by the college.

Meschery then went on to play 10 seasons in the NBA. The first six seasons were spent playing for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, where he competed in the 1963 NBA All-Star Game. The Warriors also retired his jersey number (No. 14). Meschery then spent his last four seasons with the Seattle Supersonics before retiring in 1971, the same year in which he became head coach of the ABA's Carolina Cougars. Meschery was also inducted to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Bernie Bickerstaff, University of San Diego
A point guard for two seasons at USD (1964-1966), Bernie Bickerstaff was team captain and MVP his senior year. Named USD head coach in 1969, he was an assistant to legendary coach Phil Woolpert for three years (1966-69). His 1972-1973 squad that finished with a 19-9 record and his own four-year mark of 55-49 highlighted his USD coaching career. Bickerstaff was inducted into USD's Chet & Marguerite Pagni Family Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.

After USD, he joined the Washington Bullets as an assistant coach. As the top assistant in 1978, the Bullets won the NBA Championship. Hired by the Seattle Supersonics in 1985 as head coach, Bickerstaff led the team to the NBA playoffs three times and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1987. After Seattle, Bernie served as head coach and held high ranking administrative roles with the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats. With over 30 years of coaching & administrative experience in the NBA, Bernie is currently an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls.

Joe Ellis, University of San Francisco
Joseph (Joe) Franklin Ellis attended USF from 1962-1966 and captured First Team All-Conference honors in all three seasons as a varsity player. The 6'6", 175 pound, Ellis, who departed USF as the third leading scorer in program history (1,120), earned Northern California Player of the Year accolades and All American honorable mention selection. He was also one of four juniors chosen in 1965 to represent the United States in the World University Games. Inducted into the USF Hall of Fame in 1973, Ellis was named one of 75 "Legends of the Hilltop" in 2006 for the 150th anniversary of the University of San Francisco.

Upon graduation, Ellis was selected by the San Francisco Warriors in the second round (13th pick overall) of the 1966 NBA Draft. The Oakland native averaged double-figure scoring averages in three successive seasons, including a career-best 15.8 points per game in 1969-70. In eight NBA seasons - all with the Warriors - Ellis scored 4,825 points, averaging 8.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Carroll Williams, Santa Clara University
Carroll Williams, former San Jose State basketball star and Stockton native, was the winningest coach in Bronco basketball history. During his 22 years as head coach of the SCU men's basketball team, Williams compiled a 344-274 career record and led the Broncos to five post-season appearances, including one trip to the NCAA Tournament and four to the NIT. Some of his players include two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash and former Los Angeles Laker Kurt Rambis.

As the Bronco Athletic Director, Williams guided athletic programs at Santa Clara University to continued levels of national prominence. His final year as athletic director was highlighted by a second consecutive year of NCAA semi-final appearances by the Bronco men's and women's soccer teams. During his eight years, he oversaw 19 West Coast Conference championships in seven sports and 23 post-season tournaments. He also added two sports teams (women's water polo and women's golf), increased scholarship support for student athletes, and revamped the campus' athletic facilities.