by Chrissy Zehrbach
Assistant Editor
Seven former University of La Verne athletes and coaches were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at the sixth annual induction ceremony Saturday night in the Sheraton Suites ballroom.
Inductees included Bob Dyer, Julie (Ewens) Frick, George Jaeger, Chris (Kuehl) Jones, Jack Maloof, Roy Smith and Jim Paschal.
Dyer, class of 1963, played four years of basketball for La Verne College. In 1962, Dyer was named to the All-Golden State Tournament Team. In 1963, he received District III National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics honorable mention.
Dyer also played two seasons of baseball at LVC. He has served on the Alumni Board and as president of the La Verne Athletic Association. He is known as the “voice of the Leos,” announcing ULV’s football games since 1988 and basketball games since 1991. In 1996, Dyer was named ULV Alumnus of the Year.
“I’m still stunned that I’m in this elite group,” Dyer said.
Frick, class of 1980, was a four-year starter for the La Verne women’s volleyball team. In 1978 and 1979, Frick was named Most Valuable Player and First Team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In 1979, the team was SCIAC Champion. Frick also played one year of basketball.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to even be considered for this,” Frick said. “I never would have dreamt this in those days of sweat and tears.”
George Jaeger, class of 1973, excelled in track and field while at LVC. Jaeger was named most valuable player three years in a row, 1971-73.
He was a National Collegiate Athletic Association national qualifier in the long jump and triple jump, and finished 13th nationally in 1971 in the long jump competition.
Jaeger’s personal record in the triple jump, 48′ 6,” was a school record for over 30 years.
Jaeger was also a three-year starter for the football team and was once named Pomona Valley Defensive Player of the Week.
“This is indeed the highlight of my athletic career,” Jaeger said.
Chris (Kuehl) Jones, class of 1981, played four years of women’s volleyball at LVC.
In 1980, Jones became the team’s Most Valuable Player, First Team All-SCIAC, Division II All American and a member of the AIAW All Tournament Team.
She also played basketball and was a three-time All-SCIAC athlete and two-time team MVP in the sport.
“So many memories have come flooding back to me,” Jones said.
Maloof, class of 1971, excelled in baseball at LVC. In 1970, Maloof was given NAIA honorable mention.
That same year, he set a school record with 89 hits in a season. In 1971, he was named a NAIA District III All American.
Maloof also played football for LVC.
Maloof went on to play baseball professionally for the Minnesota Twins, and has since coached for the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins and Atlanta Braves.
Smith, class of 1936, was an all-around athlete at LVC. He participated in four seasons of track and field where he set school records in the 100 and 440-yard dashes. In four seasons of football, he was named all conference twice.
Smith also played baseball for two years and track and field one year. In 1985, he was named ULV Alumnus of the year.
Paschal has served as a coach and athletic director for ULV. He began coaching women’s volleyball in 1974 and did so for 24 years, leading the team to 13 SCIAC championships.
In 1981, his team won the NAIA National Championship. In 1982, it was the NCAA Division III National Champion. That same year, Paschal was named Division III National Coach of the Year by the Collegiate Volleyball Coaches Association.
In 1988 and 1989, Paschal was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association West Region Coach of the Year. Paschal has served as athletic director since 1991 and will resign at the end of this year to teach in the Movement and Sports Science Department.
“It is a pretty distinguished group committed to athletics,” Paschal said of the members of the Hall of Fame.
To be considered for the Hall of Fame, athletes must have earned at least two letters in one sport or one letter in two or more sports while at ULV for a minimum of two years.
They must also have graduated five years prior to their induction and make a contribution to the ULV community, among other criteria.
For coaches to qualify, they must have served ULV for at least 10 years.
A nomination list is compiled and placed before the Hall of Fame selection Committee where selections are made.
Some of the recognition taken into consideration are whether the athletes have been named All Conference, Player of the Year, All-American or if they have set any school records.
“Most of the inductees have been All-Conference in their respective sports. Those take precedence,” said Will Darity, sports information director and selection committee member.
Faculty, staff, coaches, past inductees and friends and families were all present to honor the inductees.
The ceremony included welcoming speeches, dinner and a University President’s Message from Stephen Morgan, who said the evening was about bringing different generations together to see how athletics have changed, followed by the induction itself.
As the introductions began for each inductee, he or she came to the podium to share his or her experiences. The only inductee that could not make it was Maloof, who was busy with spring training.
Each inductee shared stories of his or her athletic experiences at La Verne, along with the feelings of joy to be inducted.
For many of the inductees, it was a time to reunite with former coaches and teammates.
In the emotional speech that brought her to tears, Frick expressed how special it was for her to be inducted at the same time as her former teammate and coach, Jones and Paschal.
Plaques depicting the inductees and their accomplishments will be placed in the Supertents, joining the other 45 Athletic Hall of Fame Members.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.