PACIFIC ATHLETIC HALL OF
FAME
The 1999 Inductees of the
Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame
Click
here for the complete list of the Pacific Athletics Hall of
Fame
Ken Earle
In the 61-year tradition of Tiger golf, only one Pacific golfer
has been honored twice as the Most Valuable Player in the
conference, and that was Ken Earle in both 1983 and 1984.
During his tenure, Earle led the Tigers to four team tournament
titles in three years. He was an individual medalist in seven
tournaments from 1982 to 1984 on his way to earning All-Conference
and All-America mentions in 1982, 1983, and 1984. He added an
Academic All-America award to those honors in 1983-84.
Ken placed among the top ten in tournament finishes ten times
during the 1982-83 season. He finished 20th in the 1983 NCAA Finals
and 24th in 1984. In the PCAA Championships, he placed sixth in
1982 with a three round score of 219, second in 1983 with a score
of 223, and seventh in 1984 with a score of 212, and was twice
named Pacific Coast Athletic Association MVP.
His medalist performances included a 70-67-73 (210) at the
Elkhorn Invitational in 1981-82, a 72-69 at Silverado the same
season, and a 74-70-66 (210) with a second hole playoff win at the
Aztec Invitational in 1982-83.
Earle continued his consistent play during his junior and senior
seasons with a 66-68-72 (206) at the Southwestern North Ranch in
1983-84, a 70-77-69 (216) at the Murietta Invitational in 1983-84,
and a 74-73 (147) at Silverado in 1983-84.
Since finishing his college career, Ken has continued to play
competitive golf. He was runner up in the San Diego City Amateur
Tournament in 1986 and 1988, and he won the San Diego County Match
Play Championship in 1987. He has also captured the International
Father/Son Championship twice, in 1990 and 1997.
Earle graduated from Pacific in 1984 with a Business/Marketing
degree and an emphasis in Computer Science. He currently works as a
manufacturer's sales representative, working primarily within the
semiconductor industry. Ken and his wife, Lucy, live in San Diego
with their three children: Andrea, Sydney, and Scott.
Jack Layland
Playing a tough independent schedule, when the 1966 and 1967
Tiger football gladiators went for ground yardage, fullback Jack
Layland was the dependable workhorse.
So much so, that Layland ranks tenth on the University of the
Pacific's all-time rushing list with 1,751 yards, despite playing
only two seasons for the orange and black.
But probably more important to Jack Layland then his yardage
totals, was the fact that he led the Tigers to Homecoming victories
over arch-rival opponents in both of those seasons.
In 1966, Jack piled up 168 yards on only 20 carries to headline
a 38-35 win over San Jose State and, in 1967's Homecoming game, he
bulldozed to 184 yards on 28 carries in a 32-20 triumph over Fresno
State.
Jack was named Team MVP in 1966 after averaging almost 6 yards
per carry and leading the team in rushing with 830 yards. In 1967,
Layland once again led the Tigers in rushing with 921 yards on 180
carries and he accounted for 66 percent of the team's total yards
on the ground that year. After the 1967 season, Jack was honored
with the Robert E. Burns President's Award for Excellence of
Performance. He also received Honorable Mention All-America honors,
All Coast honors, and finished 15th in the nation in rushing.
Layland graduated from Pacific with a degree in Physical
Education and a minor in Speech. In 1968, he signed a contract with
the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League, but was
unable to play that year because of a leg injury. In 1969, Jack was
once again signed by the Packers, but during his pre-season
physical it was discovered that he had heart disease. Layland
returned to Pacific as a graduate assistant coach for the football
team, and later went on to become a member of the California Pro
Rodeo Association during the 1970's.
After teaching and coaching football at Tokay High School for
over ten years, Layland has settled into his career as a contractor
and developer. Jack's wife, Bucky Reynolds Layland, was head coach
of the 1983 Tiger softball team that was inducted into the Pacific
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997. Jack and Bucky live in Clements,
California, with their three children: Drew, Emily and Callie.
Elaina Oden
Elaina Oden is remembered as one of the most decorated women's
volleyball players in University of the Pacific history. Oden is
being inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame for the third
time. She was the key player on the 1985 and 1986 Tiger women's
volleyball teams that have already been inducted into the Pacific
Athletic Hall of Fame. Highlights of those seasons included defeats
of UCLA and Stanford for the NCAA title in 1985 and the
steamrolling of Texas and Nebraska en route to the 1986 crown.
Oden is Pacific's all-time single season hitting percentage
leader (.380 in 1985) and she was named PCAA Most Valuable Player
in 1985. Until recently, Elaina held the Pacific single season kill
record (547) and the all-time career kills mark (1,485). Oden's
.357 hitting percentage in 1986 places her third on Pacific's
all-time list.
In leading the Tigers to back-to-back NCAA Championships, Oden
was named an All-America at the middle blocker position in both
1985 and 1986 as the Tigers amassed a combined record of 75-6.
Volleyball Monthly recognized her as its 1986 National Player of
the Year. Elaina added a third All-America honor in 1989, helping
the Tigers to a record of 29-5.
When it comes to career records, the seven-year member of the
United States National Team currently ranks second in career
hitting percentage (.341), third in digs (1,229), third in block
solos (138), fourth in block assists (396), and fourth in total
blocks (534). In addition, Oden set the Pacific freshman record of
547 kills in 1985.
During her tenure on the U.S. National Team, Oden played in the
1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and the 1996 Olympics in
Atlanta, Georgia. She also competed in the 1986 Goodwill Games and
the 1986 World Championships. Elaina was a member of the U.S.
Junior National Team in 1985 and was nominated for the NCAA's
Broderick Award in 1985 and 1986. She is one of three Tiger
volleyball players to have their jersey number retired by the
Pacific Athletic Department. She graduated from Pacific in 1990
with a degree in Sociology.
Following her playing career, Elaina spent one season as an
assistant coach at the University of Notre Dame, before serving in
the same capacity at the University of Indiana for the past two
years. Elaina is single and currently resides in Irvine,
California.
Rick Paulsen
Rick Paulsen is being inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of
Fame for his outstanding work as a benefactor and volunteer for
Pacific Athletics.
Since joining the Pacific Athletic Foundation (now the Pacific
Tigers Athletics Association) as a volunteer in 1983, Rick has
raised an average of $100,000 per year and has consistently ranked
as the top fund drive worker for more than a decade. Rick has
personally raised over $1.5 million dollars for the Pacific Tigers
and he has recruited dozens of other volunteers to join the
fundraising efforts for Pacific Athletics.
"Most Inspirational" are the two words that would probably best
sum up Rick's accomplishments as an athlete at Pacific from 1978 to
1982. As a sophomore, Paulsen figured prominently in the Tigers'
first Pacific Coast Athletic Association basketball championship
during the 1978-79 season. Rick made his first shot during every
game of that championship season and, during a crucial 16-game
stretch, he shot .549 from the field.
Inspiration, both on and off the court, was really Paulsen's
highest contribution to the Tigers year after year. A teammate of
Paulsen's could never be certain what he might find planted in his
dorm room at anytime by Paulsen to inspire them for the next game
... such as a life-size poster of the player he would be going
against next, affixed to the ceiling over his bed. At one practice,
Rick arranged for Pacific's marching band to parade through the
gym.
At the start of his junior season, head coach Dick Fichtner
named Paulsen the team captain for both his junior and senior
years. Despite two serious knee injuries, Rick battled back to make
24 of 33 shots (.727) over a five game stretch during his senior
season.
Paulsen was also a member of the Pacific baseball team from
1980-82, appearing in 20 games as a pitcher and posting a record of
2-4 over three seasons.
Rick serves as a partner and president of Resource Management
Group, a company which specializes in life insurance policies and
financial planning. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Stockton with
their two sons: Max and Grant.
Jim Rowse
Jim Rowse was the first Tiger golfer to compete in the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament, when he traveled
to Bermuda Run at Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1979.
The next season, Rowse led the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA
Tournament appearance as a team, as Pacific placed 20th in the NCAA
finals at Ohio State in 1980. He finished in 38th place among
individuals that year. Jim completed his collegiate career by
playing in the 1981 national championships at Stanford.
Averaging in the low 70s, Rowse became the first Tiger to be
selected as an All-American, as he was honored in 1979, 1980, and
1981. He also qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship in both
1977 and 1978.
Two of Rowse's best individual performances were a 67 at the
Yolo Fliers in 1977 and a 66 against Stanford in 1978. He led the
Tigers to a team victory at the Rancho Murietta Tournament in 1977
and helped the Tigers to finish in a tie with Stanford for the 1978
Silverado crown.
Rowse's win at the 1978-79 Aztec Invitational was the first
triumph for a Pacific golfer competing against a strong national
field. Jim had consistent rounds of 69, 71, and 73 for a total
score of 213 as he took home the prestigious Aztec Invitational
title.
Jim had a low season average of 73.1 in 1979-80, on a team that
won both the Wolf Pack Classic and the UC Davis Invitational. In
1980, he captured fifth place at the PCAA conference tournament
with a 215 finish. The Tigers also won the Wolf Pack Classic in
1980 and 1981, as well as the Silverado Classic in 1981.
Rowse majored in Business at Pacific and currently serves as
Director of Sales for Pizza Blends Inc. Jim and his wife, Lori,
live in Pleasanton, California, with their four children: David,
Kelly, Molly, and Stephen.
Bob Steel
Bob Steel constantly broke records during the four years that he
led the Tigers to swimming dominance from 1947 to 1950.
Rolling up records both in the sprints and as a member of the
freestyle and medley relay teams, Steel was named Most Valuable
Swimmer and team captain twice. The sprinter became Pacific's first
All-America swimmer in 1950, and trained with the United States
Olympic Team.
He led the Tigers, coached by Chris Kjeldsen, to two California
Collegiate Athletic Association titles, one close second place
finish, and the mythical Northern California Championship as an
independent powerhouse in 1950.
Pacific's first CCAA title came in 1947 as Steel, only a
freshman, set a conference record of 24.1 seconds in capturing the
50-yard freestyle. In 1949, Bob broke two and tied one conference
record as the Tigers captured their second CCAA championship. A
48-27 win over California in the Golden Bears' pool cemented the
Tigers' 1949 swimming reputation, as Steel won the 50 yard free in
24.2, won the 100 yard free, and anchored both the 100 yard and 400
yard relay teams.
In 1950, during a season-ending battle of unbeatens, Pacific
defeated Stanford 45.5-29.5 before an overflow crowd to decide
Northern California swimming dominance that year. Steel won the 100
free, helped set a pool and college record in the 300 medley of
2:36.1 and upset Stanford in the 400 yard relay with a pool record
of 3:39.6.
A special fund drive raised $500 to send the medley team of Bob
Steel, Frank Poucher, Jon Stebbins and Dick Cullenward to the NCAA
Nationals at Ohio State in 1950. Steel was also a member of
Pacific's water polo team in 1948.
After completing his master's degree in 1955, following his
degree in Physical Education and Health, Steel began his teaching
career. He taught for 33 years at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in
the Physical Education Department and coached swimming, football
and track. The swimming pool at Stagg High School is now named in
Bob's honor. Steel initiated and was the first coach of the
Stockton Swim Club.
Steel, now retired, lives in Stockton with his wife, Jane.
Janet Whitney
Janet Whitney is the second Pacific women's basketball player of
the modern era to be inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of
Fame.
During her four-year career at Pacific from 1982 to 1986, Janet
amassed impressive marks in career scoring, rebounds, steals and
blocks. She is second on the all-time scoring list at Pacific with
her career total of 1,698 points (15.9 points-per-game average),
and she ranks third all-time in rebounds with a total of 849 boards
(7.9 rebounds-per-game). She also ranks fifth in school history in
career steals with 146, and ninth in career blocks with 28.
Whitney scored 32 points in an 84-79 victory over the University
of Arizona during the 1983-84 season, and tallied 31 points against
Sonoma State in the Tigers 110-43 victory in 1984-85.
During her senior year, Whitney had six games of 28 points or
better as she averaged a record 18.5 points-per-game during the
1985-86 season. Her scoring efforts included 465 in 1983-84, 449 in
1984-85, and 517 points in 1985-86 to stand as the team's leading
scorer for each of those three seasons. Whitney was among the top
20 scorers in the nation in 1984-85, before being slowed by an
ankle injury.
The Fresno native was honored with an All-Conference selection
as a junior and she earned first team All-PCAA honors as a senior.
Janet also received All-America consideration after her senior
season. In 1991, Whitney was inducted into the Fresno Basketball
Hall of Fame.
From 1986 to 1988, Janet served as a graduate assistant with the
Pacific women's basketball team. She graduated from Pacific with a
bachelor's degree in physical education in 1986.
Janet currently works as a teacher at Morada Middle School and
lives in Stockton.
1968 Baseball Team
The 1968 Pacific baseball team re-wrote the Pacific record book
when it went on a late season streak that propelled the team to 16
wins in its last 18 games. The 1968 Tigers broke 27 school records
and tied another five to clearly claim the position of best team in
school history up to that point in time.
With an overall record of 32-15 that year, the 1968 Tigers set a
then-school record for most wins in a season, and the team's .681
winning percentage still rates among the best-ever recorded by a
Pacific baseball team. The Tigers finished in second place during
their first season in the West Coast Athletic Conference with a
14-6 league record.
Included among the records set by the 1968 baseball team were 32
wins, 331 hits, 13 home runs, 445 total bases, 177 RBI's, and 179
walks. Defensively, the team turned 36 double plays, while pitching
22 complete games with 363 strikeouts and a 3.21 Team ERA.
Quite a few outstanding players emerged during the Tigers'
remarkable 1968 season, and five of those players went on to play
professional baseball, including two in the major leagues.
Sophomore Steve Franceschi provided one of the best highlights of
the season by pitching a perfect game against Cal State Hayward on
the Pioneers' home field. Franceschi went on to play professional
baseball for the San Francisco Giants organization in the
1970's.
One of the most recognizable names from that 1968 team was
pitcher John Strohmayer, who went on to pitch in the major leagues
for the Montreal Expos from 1970-73 and the New York Mets from
1973-74. As a Tiger, Strohmayer won eight games in 1968, recording
complete games in each of his eight victories. Strohmayer pitched
105 innings that year, and struck out 114 batters over 13 starts
that season. Strohmayer and first baseman Terry Maple were
co-captains on the 1968 team. Maple was second on the team with
three triples.
Outfielder Robbie Sperring, who was also a basketball mainstay
for the Tigers, played at Pacific until 1971, and went on to play
in the major leagues for the Chicago Cubs. Sperring was an
individual inductee into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987,
and Strohmayer was inducted into the Tigers' Hall of Fame two years
later.
Other members of the 1968 team who went on to play professional
baseball include infielder Ralph Manfredi and left-handed pitcher
John Nilmeyer, who both played for the Baltimore Orioles
organization. Manfredi had 46 hits and 10 doubles in 1968, and was
a key component for a defensive unit that compiled a .959 fielding
percentage that year. Manfredi and infielder Bob Buck tied for the
team lead with 23 RBI's.
Glenn "Rip" Van Winkle established a single-season record with
eight triples in 1968 and he still ranks second on the Tigers'
all-time triples list with 12. The hard-hitting catcher had 22
RBI's that year and played in 48 games without an error. Dan Flores
had a .288 batting average and 20 RBI's in 1968, and showed great
patience at the plate by drawing a school record 27 walks that
year.
The 1968 Tigers were coached by Dr. Tom Stubbs, a longtime coach
and administrator at Pacific, who was an individual inductee into
the Tigers Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996. Stubbs led the Tiger
baseball fortunes from 1964 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1981,
compiling 410 wins against 384 losses for a .516 winning
percentage, the highest of any Tiger baseball coach to manage for
more than one season.
Members of the 1968 Pacific Baseball
Team:
Russ
Antracoli
Rick Arucan
Bob Buck
Bob Carruesco
Dan Flores
Steve Franceschi
Jeff Friestedt
Nick LaPlaca
Ralph Manfredi
Terry Maple
John Nilmeyer
Mike Normoyle
Bernie Phipps
Barry Potthoff
Dave Scatena
Robbie Sperring
John Strohmayer
Glenn Van Winkle
Tom Stubbs - coach
Dennis Pilati - coach
Don Russell - mgr.
