University of the Pacific

Stockton, Calif. - Pacific Athletics honored distinguished alumni Ces Ciatti ('56), Heather Cox ('92) and Paul Latzke ('65) at the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award of Merit Recognition Luncheon on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. 

The Amos Alonzo Stagg Award of Merit was established in 1981 by former Graduate Manager of Athletics Bob Breeden, Pacific Alumni Director Kara Brewer, and Director of Athletics Elkin Isaac.  The award recognizes alumni who participated in athletics at Pacific and achieved distinction in their professional lives through the notable examples of integrity, dedication, idealism, and team spirit that Mr. Stagg personified and to which Pacific is dedicated. 

Ces Ciatti ‘56

Ces was a three-year letterwinner in men’s basketball at University of the Pacific from 1953 to 1956 playing for head coach Van Sweet.  In 1952-53, he was named Freshman MVP for the Tigers before moving up to the varsity, where he played alongside some of the greatest basketball players in school history including Don Brownfield, Clyde Conner, Dave Davis, Nick Romanoff and John Thomas.  As a senior in 1955-56, Ces was elected team captain for a Tiger team that would go on to win 9 of their last 11 games to finish second in the league behind the defending - and eventual repeat - national champions, the USF Dons.

Ces joined the United States Steel Corporation after graduating from Pacific in 1956 with a degree in Business Administration.  During his 40-year career with US Steel, he was promoted to various management positions in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, PA, New Orleans, Birmingham, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Pittsburg, CA.  Ces retired from US Steel in 1995 as Vice President of Sales for the Commercial Western Area and Pacific Region. 

During his career, Ces proudly coached CYO basketball in several states for 12-14 year olds, and led his teams to championships in Baltimore and Sonoma County.  Always dedicated to community service, Ces served as chairman of the Defense and Space Committee for the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce and worked closely in fundraising for the Campaign for Children’s Diabetes, the American Heart Fund, and the Contra Costa County Food Bank.  Ces was also a board member and volunteer for the Vine Village Community for the mentally challenged and he spent ten years on the board and currently serves as treasurer for the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Council. 

As an alumni volunteer for University of the Pacific, Ces developed a detailed program on “How to organize a successful class reunion” that has continued to be used as a basis for future class reunions.  Ces served on the Pacific Alumni Association Board of Directors in 1999 and 2000 and was a member of the Design Committee for the new Vereschagin Alumni House on campus.  In 2006, Ces began his current term on the newly formed Pacific Fund Advisory Board, helping to raise funds for general scholarship support and leading the effort to launch the innovative Pacific Fund Grants program for undergraduate students.

Ces married his college sweetheart, Dorothy Fischer, three days after graduation in 1956.  They have three children and 10 grandchildren.  Dorothy passed away in 1999 and Ces is now married to Shannon Williams Ciatti; they live in Alamo, CA. 

Heather Cox ‘92

Heather Schoeny Cox was a member of Pacific’s women's volleyball teams from 1988 to 1991.  She served as captain on a team that was ranked in the top five nationally all four years, reached the Final Four and was a national championship runner-up in 1990.  Heather also competed at the United States Olympic Festival in 1990. She graduated with magna cum laude honors from Pacific with a degree in communications in 1992 and went on to play professionally in the National Volleyball Association as team captain of the Sacramento Stars. 

Heather began her broadcast career as a basketball analyst for Fox Sports Net in 1993 and covered college football, professional basketball and volleyball during her tenure at Fox Sports Net.  She was a columnist for the Pac-10 Conference, writing a weekly national volleyball column in 2000.  From 1999 to 2000, she served as a reporter on Running with the Pac magazine show.  Heather made her NBC debut reporting from both the volleyball and beach volleyball competitions at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and went on to serve as a reporter for NBC Sports coverage of beach volleyball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.  From 2003 to 2010, she served as a reporter on NBC's AVP pro beach volleyball coverage.  In 2004, Heather received the USA Volleyball E. Douglas Boyden Media Recognition Award. 

Since 1995, Heather has served as a reporter for ABC Sports and ESPN's coverage of the NBA, college football, NCAA men’s basketball, golf, the WNBA and professional volleyball.   In 2012, Heather was named ABC Sports' lead reporter, responsible for ABC's Saturday Night Game of the Week, which includes the Rose Bowl and the BCS National Championship Game.  Since 1994, she has also served as the analyst for ESPN's coverage of the men's and women's NCAA volleyball championships and NCAA women’s basketball.  Heather has also worked for CBS Sports, reporting on the Men's NCAA Basketball tournament, motor cross and auto racing and as an analyst on its women's college basketball coverage.  From 2002-2008, she reported on the NBA Playoffs for Turner Sports and also served as an analyst and reporter for the 1998 and 2001 Goodwill Games for Turner Sports.

Heather has worked with a number of non-profit organizations over the years in her home community of Boise, Idaho, including the Wyakin Warrior Foundation, the World Humanitarian Sports Hall of Fame and Women in Business.  In addition, she has done speaking engagements and served as a volunteer for Coaches vs. Cancer, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.  She has also dedicated her time to mentor aspiring sportscasters and collegiate athletes.  

After transferring to University of the Pacific in 1962 he was again elected captain.  Paul was a two-way starter on the offensive and defensive lines for the Tigers and won the "Iron Man" award for most minutes played in 1964.  He continued to show his versatility by playing basketball at Pacific during his senior season in 1964-65. Paul graduated from Pacific with a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Physical Education in 1965, and would later earn a Master's degree in Physical Education from San Jose State University.  His playing career extended to the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL), where he played center for the San Francisco 49ers (1965), San Diego Chargers (1966-68) and Denver Broncos (1969-70). 

Following his professional football career, Paul’s first teaching job was at Robert Louis Stevenson High School in Pebble Beach.  Paul then began his coaching career at Gavilan College in Gilroy where he spent the next 32 years from 1972-2004 in one coaching capacity or another.  As a football coach at Gavilan, Paul was an assistant for six different head coaches, coached numerous Junior College All Americans, was an assistant coach on 10 bowl teams and six championship teams, and helped Gavilan earn the mythical national championship in 1973.  During his tenure at Gavilan, Paul also coached softball and served as director of athletics.

Long active in the community, Paul has been a steady volunteer for the Gilroy Garlic Festival, served as a Cub Scout Master and was a volunteer instructor for the American Red Cross.  In addition, he has been a member of the board of trustees for the Pasatiempo Country Club Homeowners Association, a member of the Community Speakers Bureau and served on the Community College Academic Senate.  In 2005, Paul worked as a volunteer helping in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Paul was inducted into the Gilroy High School Hall of Fame in 1996 and was elected into the California Junior College Hall of Fame for his coaching accomplishments in 2000.  He was inducted into the Menlo College Hall of Fame in 2008.  Paul had the thrill of a lifetime when he got to caddy for legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus at the 1972 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.  

Paul resides part time in Nehalem, Oregon, and part time in Loreto, B.C.S., Mexico.   He has two adult children, Brooke and Aaron, and recently became a grandfather with the arrival of Oscar.