San José State Spartans
Encyclopedia
The San Jose State Spartans is the name of the athletic teams representing San Jose State University
. SJSU sports teams compete in the Western Athletic Conference
(WAC) at the NCAA
Division I level. (Football Bowl Subdivision formally known as Division 1-A for football.) The university has participated in athletics since it first fielded a baseball
team in 1890.
San Jose State University sports teams have won NCAA titles in track and field
, cross country, golf
, and boxing
. As of 2010, SJSU has won 10 NCAA team championships and produced 50 NCAA Division 1 individual champions. SJSU also has achieved an international reputation for its judo program, winning 43 out of 46 collegiate national championships in the sport (as of 2008).
SJSU alumni have won 18 Olympic medals (including seven gold medals) dating back to the first gold medal won by Willie Steel
in track and field in the 1948 Olympics. Alumni also have won medals in swimming
, judo and boxing.
The legendary track team coached by "Bud" Winter
earned San Jose the nickname "Speed City," and produced Olympic medalists and social activists Lee Evans
, John Carlos
and Tommie Smith
. Smith and Carlos are perhaps best remembered for giving the raised fist
salute from the medalist's podium during the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City
.
As of 2010, current head coaches from the baseball, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men's soccer, and women's soccer programs had all received conference “Coach of the Year” honors.
After 1887, the official name of the San Jose campus was the State Normal School at San José. The school's athletic teams initially played under the "Normal" identity, but they gradually shifted to the State Normal School identity, as evidenced by images of the SNS football and basketball squads from this era. Despite the SNS identity, the school continued to be referred to as the California State Normal School, San José in official publications. A recent historical exhibit in the Martin Luther King Library
on the San José State campus featured a number of pieces of State Normal School memorabilia, including a SNS pennant.
San Jose State first fielded a football team in 1893 and has won 16 conference championships dating back to 1932. During the 1930s and 1940s, the Spartan football program was considered a powerhouse, winning eight conference championships over an 18-year span. The 1939 team went 13-0, the only undefeated season in school history.
San Jose State shares football rivalries with Stanford
and Fresno State. The annual game played between Stanford and San Jose State is titled the Bill Walsh Legacy Game, after distinguished SJSU alumnus, the late Mr. Bill Walsh. The Fresno State and San Jose State game is simply known as the Valley Rivalry game.
Additional Football Facts
program was established in 1937 for the Police Studies Department. In 1940, sophomore biology major Yosh Uchida
was hired as the student-coach. The program was disbanded during World War II
, and reestablished in 1946 upon Uchida's return to the college.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Uchida and University of California, Berkeley
coach Henry Stone established rules to allow their students to compete with each other, including a weight class system. Uchida and Stone convinced the Amateur Athletic Union
to sanction judo as a sport, and San José State hosted the first AAU national championship in 1953.
In 1962, the Spartans won the first National Collegiate Judo Championship. They would continue to dominate the event to the present day, winning their 43rd national championship in 2008.
In 2005, alumnus and coach Mike Swain
announced the establishment of the Swain Scholarship, the first full athletic scholarship
in judo at an American university. In 2008, the SJSU judo program was named one of six National Training Sites by USA Judo
.
Notable SJSU Judoka
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
. SJSU sports teams compete in the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) at the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I level. (Football Bowl Subdivision formally known as Division 1-A for football.) The university has participated in athletics since it first fielded a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team in 1890.
San Jose State University sports teams have won NCAA titles in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, cross country, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, and boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. As of 2010, SJSU has won 10 NCAA team championships and produced 50 NCAA Division 1 individual champions. SJSU also has achieved an international reputation for its judo program, winning 43 out of 46 collegiate national championships in the sport (as of 2008).
SJSU alumni have won 18 Olympic medals (including seven gold medals) dating back to the first gold medal won by Willie Steel
Willie Steel
William 'Willie' Steel was a Scottish footballer who played for Liverpool.-Life and playing career:...
in track and field in the 1948 Olympics. Alumni also have won medals in swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, judo and boxing.
The legendary track team coached by "Bud" Winter
Lloyd (Bud) Winter
Lloyd C. Winter, better known as "Bud" was the USATF Hall of Fame Track Coach. He was regarded as one of the greatest sprint coaches in the world. Over a 39-year coaching career at the then San Jose State College, he produced 102 All-Americans, 27 who went on to become Olympians...
earned San Jose the nickname "Speed City," and produced Olympic medalists and social activists Lee Evans
Lee Evans (athlete)
Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
, John Carlos
John Carlos
John Wesley Carlos is a Cuban American former track and field athlete and professional football player. He was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics and his black power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy...
and Tommie Smith
Tommie Smith
Tommie Smith is an African American former track & field athlete and wide receiver in the American Football League. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith won the 200-meter dash finals in 19.83 seconds – the first time the 20 second barrier was broken...
. Smith and Carlos are perhaps best remembered for giving the raised fist
Raised fist
The raised fist is a symbol of solidarity and support. It is also used as a salute to express unity, strength, defiance, or resistance. The salute dates back to ancient Assyria as a symbol of resistance in the face of violence.-History:Assyrian depictions of the goddess Ishtar show her raising a...
salute from the medalist's podium during the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
As of 2010, current head coaches from the baseball, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men's soccer, and women's soccer programs had all received conference “Coach of the Year” honors.
Current athletics programs
As of 2009, San Jose State University competes at the Division 1 level in each of the following sports:- Baseball
- Basketball (Men)
- Basketball (Women)
- Cross Country (Men)
- Cross Country (Women)
- Football
- Golf (Men)
- Golf (Women)
- Gymnastics (Women)
- Soccer (Men)
- Soccer (Women)
- Softball
- Swimming/Diving (Women)
- Tennis (Women)
- Volleyball (Women)
- Water Polo (Women)
Nickname and mascot history
Due to the school's original designation as a teachers' college, SJSU's mascot changed many times before the school finally adopted the Spartans as the official mascot and nickname in 1925. Mascots and nicknames prior to 1925 included the Daniels, the Teachers, the Pedagogues, the Normals, and the Normalites.After 1887, the official name of the San Jose campus was the State Normal School at San José. The school's athletic teams initially played under the "Normal" identity, but they gradually shifted to the State Normal School identity, as evidenced by images of the SNS football and basketball squads from this era. Despite the SNS identity, the school continued to be referred to as the California State Normal School, San José in official publications. A recent historical exhibit in the Martin Luther King Library
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is a 136 foot tall public library in Downtown San Jose, California, United States that opened on August 1, 2003. As of 2007, it is the largest library building in the western United States built in a single construction project with over 475,000 square feet ...
on the San José State campus featured a number of pieces of State Normal School memorabilia, including a SNS pennant.
Baseball
- The SJSU baseball team has earned three Western Athletic Conference (WAC) pennants in recent years (1997, 2000 & 2009).
- In 2000, the SJSU baseball team competed in the College World SeriesCollege World SeriesThe College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
.
- Under current head coach Sam Piraro, the SJSU baseball team has reached the 30-win mark 15 times and has appeared in the national rankings 47 times.
- The SJSU baseball team has fielded sixteen All-Americans including four first-team selections.
- As of 2009, four former Spartans are actively playing Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Basketball
- The SJSU men's basketball team has garnered 12 conference titles beginning with a California Coast Conference championship victory in 1925. The Spartans' most recent conference championship victory occurred in 1996 when SJSU defeated Utah StateUtah State UniversityUtah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
in overtimeOvertime (sports)Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
to win the Big West championship tournament.
- The SJSU men's basketball team has made three NCAA tournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearances (1951, 1980 and 1996). SJSU was defeated in the first round all three times.
- The SJSU men's basketball team has made one National Invitation TournamentNational Invitation TournamentThe National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
(NIT) appearance (1981), but was defeated in the first round.
- Eleven former SJSU men's basketball players have been drafted into the NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Football
San Jose State shares football rivalries with Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and Fresno State. The annual game played between Stanford and San Jose State is titled the Bill Walsh Legacy Game, after distinguished SJSU alumnus, the late Mr. Bill Walsh. The Fresno State and San Jose State game is simply known as the Valley Rivalry game.
Additional Football Facts
- The San Jose State Spartans football team served unexpectedly with the Honolulu Police DepartmentHonolulu Police DepartmentThe Honolulu Police Department is the principal law enforcement agency of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawai'i, headquartered in the Alapa'i Police Headquarters in Honolulu CDP....
during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The team had just arrived in Honolulu to play the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the Shrine Bowl, but was stranded on the islands after the Pearl HarborPearl HarborPearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
attack.
- SJSU earned more Big West ConferenceBig West ConferenceThe Big West Conference is an NCAA-affiliated Division I mid-major college athletic conference. When the conference began in 1969, its name was the Pacific Coast Athletic Association . After nineteen years, in 1988, its name was changed to the Big West Conference. The conference stopped...
football championship titles than any other team in the history of the Big West conference. - The SJSU football team has made eight bowl appearances. Its most recent bowl appearance occurred in 2006 when the Spartans defeated the University of New MexicoUniversity of New MexicoThe University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
in the New Mexico Bowl2006 New Mexico BowlThe 2006 New Mexico Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game held on December 23, 2006 at University Stadium on the University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque as part of the 2006-07 NCAA bowl season. The game, telecast on ESPN, featured the from the WAC and the hometown from...
.
- SJSU, the University of DaytonUniversity of DaytonThe University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
, Eastern Illinois UniversityEastern Illinois UniversityEastern Illinois University is a state university located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a comprehensive university with a...
and the University of ArkansasUniversity of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
are the only schools known to have produced two alumni who would go on to serve as head coaches of Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
-winning teams. - SJSU has produced over 70 All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
team members, including five first-team selections. - SJSU has sent 110 football players to the NFL, including six NFL Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selections, six first-round draft picks, two MVP award winners, and one NFL Rookie of the Year. - As of the 2010-2011 season, seven former SJSU Spartans are actively playing in the NFL. Among them is SJSU alumnus James JonesJames Jones (wide receiver)James Deandre Jones is an American football wide receiver with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Packers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, a starting wide receiver for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. The Packers are the defending national football champions, after defeating the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in Super Bowl XLVSuper Bowl XLVSuper Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
in February of 2011.
Golf
- The SJSU women's golf team has garnered three NCAA championship titles, one NCAA individual champion, 17 conference championship titles, and 37 All-America honors. The team's most recent championship title came in 2011, when the Spartans won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) tournament for the third year in a row.
- The SJSU men's golf team has garnered one NCAA championship title and two NCAA individual champions.
- The SJSU men's golf team has garnered 12 Western Intercollegiate tournament team championships and 12 individual Western Intercollegiate championships, thus earning its place as the winningest team in tournament history.
- The SJSU men's golf team has produced 26 All-America team members (including four 1st-team members) and seven different PGA tour winners.
Hockey
- Founded in 1990, the San Jose State men's ice hockey team garnered one PCHA Division ll championship (1992) and four PCHA Division l championship titles (1993, 1994, 1995 and 1997), before withdrawing from the PCHA and becoming an independent American Collegiate Hockey AssociationAmerican Collegiate Hockey AssociationThe American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
(ACHA) Division ll team in 1998.
- In 1992, the team went undefeated, finishing the season with a 17-0 record.
- The team finished 26-1-1 (18-0-1 at home) in 2006, and went undefeated through 42 consecutive home games from 2004-2007.
- The SJSU hockey team has qualified for the ACHA national championship tournament eight times, finishing as high as 10th in 2010.
- In April 2009, it was announced San Jose State will host the 2011 ACHA national tournament.
Judo
The San Jose State judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
program was established in 1937 for the Police Studies Department. In 1940, sophomore biology major Yosh Uchida
Yosh Uchida
Yoshihiro "Yosh" Uchida is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and educator who is best known for his contributions to judo...
was hired as the student-coach. The program was disbanded during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and reestablished in 1946 upon Uchida's return to the college.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Uchida and University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
coach Henry Stone established rules to allow their students to compete with each other, including a weight class system. Uchida and Stone convinced the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
to sanction judo as a sport, and San José State hosted the first AAU national championship in 1953.
In 1962, the Spartans won the first National Collegiate Judo Championship. They would continue to dominate the event to the present day, winning their 43rd national championship in 2008.
In 2005, alumnus and coach Mike Swain
Mike Swain
Michael Lee Swain is one of the most successful American judokas. He competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984.- Biography :...
announced the establishment of the Swain Scholarship, the first full athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
in judo at an American university. In 2008, the SJSU judo program was named one of six National Training Sites by USA Judo
USA Judo
USA Judo is a non-profit organization which represents from all areas of U.S. judo practitioners, including athletes, coaches, referees and others. The organization is managed by a staff of six at the USA Judo National Office which is located at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs,...
.
Notable SJSU Judoka
- Yosh UchidaYosh UchidaYoshihiro "Yosh" Uchida is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and educator who is best known for his contributions to judo...
, head coach 1964 United States Olympic Judo Team - Ben Nighthorse CampbellBen Nighthorse CampbellBenjamin Nighthorse Campbell is an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005 and was during his tenure the only American Indian serving in the U.S. Congress. Campbell was a three term U.S. Representative from 1987 to 1993, when he was sworn into office as a...
, gold medalist, 1963 Pan American Games - Gerardo Padilla, gold medalist, 1979 and 1983 Pan American Games
- Bobby Berland, silver medalist, 1984 Olympic Games
- Kevin AsanoKevin AsanoKevin Yoshimi Asano is a retired judoka from the United States, who won the silver medal in the men's extra-lightweight competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics. On his way to capturing the medal he beat Shinji Hosokawa, who was the reigning world champion and 1984 Gold Medalist...
, silver medalist, 1988 Olympic Games - Mike SwainMike SwainMichael Lee Swain is one of the most successful American judokas. He competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984.- Biography :...
, bronze medalist, 1988 Olympic Games; gold medalist, 1987 World Championships (first American male to win World Championships); head coach, 1996 U.S. Olympic judo team - Joe Wanang, gold medalist, 1991 Pan American Games
Soccer
- The Spartans men's soccer team went an undefeated 18-0-1 during the 2000 regular season, finishing with a 20-1-1 overall record. The team concluded the regular season as the No. 1-ranked team in the country.
- The Spartans men's soccer team has made a total of 14 NCAA championship appearances.
- The Spartans men's soccer team won the Mountain Pacific Sports FederationMountain Pacific Sports FederationThe Mountain Pacific Sports Federation is a college athletic conference whose member teams are located in the western United States. The conference participates at the NCAA Division I level.-History:...
(MPSF) championship title in 2000 and 2003. - As of 2009, seven Spartans have been taken in the Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) SuperDraft since 1998. - The Spartans women's soccer team won the Western Athletic Conference championship title in 2000, 2009 and 2010.
Additional SJSU athletics facts
- SJSU garnered 17 NCAA boxing championship titles including three consecutive national team titles (1958–1960) before the NCAA banned the sport in 1961.
- SJSU men's cross country team won the NCAA National championship in 1962 and 1963.
- The SJSU women's gymnastics team won the Western Athletic Conference title in 2004.
- In July 2007, SJSU was selected by the United States Olympic CommitteeUnited States Olympic CommitteeThe United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
to serve as the primary processing center for all Team USA members bound for the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. All team members used SJSU campus housing and dining facilities during at least two days of document checks, health exams, cultural briefings, portrait sittings, uniform fittings and last-minute workout sessions. The actual location of the processing center on the SJSU campus was kept secret for security reasons.
- SJSU softball coach Vicky GalindoVicky GalindoVictoria Galindo is an American athlete on the USA Softball Women's National Team where she plays third base and second base. She also plays for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch league...
won an Olympic silver medal competing with the United States women's national softball teamUnited States women's national softball team|- align=center bgcolor=white valign=middle|- align=center bgcolor=white valign=middle|- align=center bgcolor=white valign=middle |bgcolor=white|- align=center bgcolor=white valign=middle |bgcolor=white...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
- In April 2009, SJSU student Marc Sanchez was crowned the 132-pound weight class national boxing champion at the National Collegiate Boxing AssociationNational Collegiate Boxing AssociationThe National Collegiate Boxing Association was founded in 1976 as a non-profit, autonomous organization whose goal is to provide a safe, positive experience for student athletes pursuing the sport of boxing. The association falls under the auspices of USA Boxing...
(NCBA) championships held at the University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College ParkThe University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
. He became SJSU's first national boxing champ since the sport was banned by the NCAA in 1961.
- The SJSU women's water polo team has earned a top-10 postseason national ranking nine out of 12 seasons beginning in 1998, and earned a top-20 postseason national ranking 12 seasons out of 12 from 1998 through 2009.
Notable sports alumni
Baseball
- Jeff Ball — former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player, San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division.... - Aaron BatesAaron BatesAaron Bates is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the Rochester Red Wings.He played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Brewster Whitecaps....
— Major League Baseball player, Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Mike BrownMike Brown (outfielder)Michael Charles Brown is a former Major League Baseball outfielder born on Tuesday, December 29, 1959, in San Francisco, California. He played all or part of five seasons in the major leagues between and , and one season in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants in ....
— former Major League Baseball player, California Angels and Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions... - Ken CaminitiKen CaminitiKenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
— former Major League Baseball player, Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
et al. - Anthony ChavezAnthony ChavezAnthony Francisco Chavez is a retired professional baseball player who played 13 professional baseball seasons. He was a 50th round selection by the California Angels of Anaheim in the 1992 June Draft. He made his major league debut on September 2, 1997 against the Colorado Rockies where he record...
— former Major League Baseball player, California Angels - Chris CodiroliChris CodiroliChristopher Allen Codiroli , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1982–1988 and 1990.-Teams:* Oakland Athletics 1982-1987* Cleveland Indians 1988...
— former Major League Baseball player, Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum.... - Kevin FrandsenKevin FrandsenKevin Vincent Frandsen is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.-Career:...
— Major League Baseball player, San Francisco Giants - Gary HughesGary HughesGary Hughes is an English hard rock singer, songwriter and musician. Apart from his work as a solo artist, Gary Hughes is the front man and main songwriter of Hard Rock/Melodic Rock band Ten...
— former Major League Baseball assistant coach, Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... - Pat HughesPat Hughes (baseball)Vergil Patrick "Pat" Hughes has been the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs, working for WGN radio, since 1996. He partnered with color commentator Ron Santo, former All-Star third baseman for the Cubs from 1996 until 2010, when Santo died of cancer. Their unique on-air chemistry came to be...
— play-by-play radio broadcaster for Chicago Cubs - Jason JimenezJason JimenezJason Jimenez is a tackle for the Hamilton Tiger Cats. He is a former member of the 2006 Grey Cup champions, the BC Lions of the CFL...
— former Major League Baseball player, Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and Tampa Bay Devil Rays - Randy JohnsonRandy JohnsonRandall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
— former Major League Baseball player, Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997.... - Brad KilbyBrad KilbyBrad Thomas Kilby is a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He spent his college career at the San Jose State University. Kilby was selected by the Athletics in the twenty ninth round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft...
— Major League Baseball player, Oakland Athletics - Hal KolstadHal KolstadHarold Everette Kolstad is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox. Listed at 5' 9" Weight: 190 lb., Kolstad batted and threw right-handed...
— former Major League Baseball player, Boston Red Sox - Mark LangstonMark LangstonMark Edward Langston is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for the Seattle Mariners , Montreal Expos , California and Anaheim Angels , San Diego Padres , and Cleveland Indians...
— former Major League Baseball player, Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, California Angels, et al. - Larry LintzLarry LintzLarry Lintz , is a retired major league baseball player. He was a second baseman for the Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Cleveland Indians . In 1976, Lintz was used almost exclusively by the Athletics as a pinch-runner, appearing in 68 games with only one at-bat...
— former Major League Baseball player, Montreal ExposMontreal ExposThe Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
et al. - John OldhamJohn Oldham (baseball)John Hardin Oldham is a former Major League Baseball player who had one of the shortest baseball careers in the history of the game. Oldham batted right and threw left-handed...
— former Major League Baseball player, Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890.... - Sam Piraro — winningest head baseball coach in SJSU history
- Jason SimontacchiJason SimontacchiJason William Simontacchi is a baseball starting pitcher for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League. He has played four years in the major leagues, from - and...
— former Major League Baseball player, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Washington NationalsWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium... - Anthony TelfordAnthony TelfordAnthony Charles Telford is a former Major League baseball player who has played for the Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos, and Texas Rangers. In 2007 he was the pitching coach for the Aiken Foxhounds in the independent South Coast League...
— former Major League Baseball player, Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Montreal Expos, et al. - Carlos TorresCarlos Torres (baseball)Carlos Torres is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-College:Torres first began his collegiate career at San Jose State University, pitching in 20 games, in...
— Major League Baseball player, Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
Basketball
- Tariq Abdul-WahadTariq Abdul-WahadTariq Abdul-Wahad is a French former professional basketball player.Saint-Jean was born near Paris from parents who were natives of French Guiana. He changed his name to Tariq Abdul-Wahad after converting to Islam in 1997. He is the first player to be born and raised in France and play in the NBA...
(Olivier Saint-Jean) — former NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player (Sacramento KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
) - Ricky BerryRicky BerryRicky Alan Berry was an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings....
— former NBA player (Sacramento Kings) - Bobby Crowe — former NBA player (Baltimore Bullets)
- Coby DietrickCoby DietrickCoby Joseph Dietrick is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'10" forward/center from San José State University, Dietrick played thirteen seasons of professional basketball in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
— former NBA player (San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and Golden State WarriorsGolden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
) - Dick Groves — former NBA player (San Diego Rockets)
- Darnell "Dr. Dunk" HillmanDarnell HillmanDarnell “Dr. Dunk” Hillman is a former professional basketball player.Hillman graduated from Hiram W. Johnson High School.The 6 ft 9 in forward played college basketball at San Jose State University...
— former NBA player (Indiana PacersIndiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
et al.) - Ed Hughes — former BAABasketball Association of AmericaThe Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...
player (Washington CapitolsWashington CapitolsThe Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....
) - Stu InmanStu InmanStu Inman was an American executive and interim coach in the National Basketball Association. He was selected in the 6th round of the 1950 NBA Draft from San Jose State University by the Chicago Stags; however, he did not play in the NBA.In 1970, Inman was one of several people who started the...
— former NBA player and coach (Chicago StagsChicago StagsThe Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S..- Franchise history :The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob Cousy in a trade with the Tri-Cities...
, Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, et al.) - Chris McNeally — former NBA player (Kansas City-Omaha Kings)
- Doug Murrey — former NBA player (Golden State Warriors)
- Wally RankWally RankWallace Aliifua Rank is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'6" guard-forward, Rank played college basketball for San José State University from 1977 to 1980...
— former NBA player (San Diego Clippers) - Sid Williams — former NBA player (Portland Trail Blazers)
Football
- Courtney AndersonCourtney AndersonCourtney Jerome Anderson is a former American football tight end. Born in Greenville, Texas, Anderson attended high school in Richmond, California and played college football at Contra Costa College and San Jose State University. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the...
— former NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
tight endTight endThe tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
, Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Stacey BaileyStacey BaileyStacey Dwayne Bailey was a wide receiver in the NFL. He played for the Atlanta Falcons throughout his whole career.-High school years:...
— former NFL wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Atlanta Falcons - Kim BokamperKim BokamperKim Bokamper is a former American Football linebacker who played his entire nine year career with the National Football League Miami Dolphins from 1977 to 1985....
— former NFL linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - John BroussardJohn BroussardJohn Broussard is a former American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at San José State.Broussard was a member of the New York Giants Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions...
— NFL wide receiver, Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Gill ByrdGill ByrdGill Arnette Byrd,http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/ByrdGi00.htm is a former professional American football player. He was a two time Pro Bowl cornerback in 1991 and 1992 for the San Diego Chargers after graduating from San Jose State University. He was inducted into the Chargers...
— former NFL defensive backDefensive backIn American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
, San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
; two NFL Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
appearances - Jim CadileJim CadileJames Cadile is a former professional football offensive guard. Cadile played 11 years in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears. He currently resides in Medford, Or....
— former NFL guard, Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Matt CasteloMatt CasteloMatt Castelo is a professional American and Canadian football linebacker free agent. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
— former NFL linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
; former CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
linebacker, Hamilton Tiger-catsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium... - Steve ClarksonSteve ClarksonSteve Clarkson is an American football coach. He is considered one of the premier quarterback coaches. Clarkson has tutored Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Leinart, J. P...
— nationally renowned quarterbacks coach; founder of Steve Clarkson Dreammaker quarterback camp - Sherman CocroftSherman CocroftSherman Carlson Cocroft is a retired American football defensive back.-College career:Cocroft played college football at San José State University...
— former NFL defensive back, Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... - Clarence CunninghamClarence CunninghamClarence Cunningham , , is an American football player, currently playing free safety for the Italian Football League's Catania Elephants., and most notably playing for the Af2 Stockton Lightning, from the 2006 to 2009 af2 season where he was a Cutter's Catch of the Week Recipient, as well as an...
— former AFLArena Football LeagueThe Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
wide receiver, defensive back, running back, and kick returner; former AF2AF2AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
starter, Stockton LightningStockton LightningThe Stockton Lightning were a professional arena football team. They were members of the Western Division of the National Conferenece of the arenafootball2 .The Lightning joined af2 2006 as an expansion team...
; IFLItalian Football LeagueItalian Football League is an American football league in Italy.-History:It was founded in 2008, taking over previous league's significance...
free safety, Catania ElephantsCatania ElephantsCatania Elephants are a Professional American Football team in Catania, Italy. They currently play in the Italian Football League. The Elephants reached the IFL Super Bowl Championship game in 2010, but lost to the Parma Panthers.-External links:... - Neal DahlenNeal DahlenNeal Dahlen is a retired American football administrator, who worked for San Francisco 49ers , and the Denver Broncos , and was General Manager of the Broncos from 1999 to January 2002....
— former SJSU quarterback, NFL manager and scout; holds the record for the most earned Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
rings at seven. - Rashied DavisRashied DavisRashied Khalid Davis is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at San José State...
— NFL wide receiver, Chicago Bears - Steve DeBergSteve DeBergSteven Leroy DeBerg had a long career as an American Football quarterback. His career spanned 21 years over 3 decades. Despite the fact that large portions of his career were spent as a backup, DeBerg ultimately accumulated some impressive NFL statistics, particularly during the early 1990s, when...
— former NFL quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... - David Diaz-InfanteDavid Diaz-InfanteGustavo David Miguel Diaz-Infante is a former professional American football guard and center and current sports analyst. In the National Football League, he played for the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
— former NFL and CFL offensive guard, San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Sacramento Gold MinersSacramento Gold MinersThe Sacramento Gold Miners were a Canadian football team based in Sacramento, California. The franchise was the first American team in the Canadian Football League. The Gold Miners were originally the "descendants" of the Sacramento Surge from the defunct World League of American Football... - Terry DonahueTerry DonahueTerry Donahue is a former American football, player, coach, and executive and, currently, a football analyst. He served as the head football coach at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1976 to 1995, compiling a record of 151–74–8. From 2001 to 2005, Donahue served as...
— UCLAUniversity of California, Los AngelesThe University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
head football coach; College Football Hall of Fame inductee (attended SJSU for one year) - Carl EkernCarl Ekern-Biography:Carl Ekern was born in Richland, Washington. He attended Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, CA. Ekern was a graduate of San Jose State University and played pro football from 1976 to 1988 for the Los Angeles Rams. He died of head injuries on August 1, 1990 when the Jeep he was driving ran...
— former NFL linebacker, Los Angeles Rams; one NFL Pro Bowl appearance - Mervyn FernandezMervyn FernandezMervyn "Swervin' Mervyn" Fernandez is a former professional American and Canadian football player who played wide receiver with the NFL Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders and the Canadian Football League BC Lions....
—former NFL wide receiver, Los Angeles Raiders - Coye FranciesCoye FranciesCoye Francies is an American football cornerback He is currently a free agent . He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
— NFL defensive back, Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Jeff GarciaJeff GarciaJeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
— NFL quarterback, San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
et al.; four NFL Pro Bowl appearances - Jarron GilbertJarron GilbertJarron Gilbert is an American football defensive end for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at San Jose State....
- NFL defensive tackle, Chicago Bears - Charlie Harraway — former NFL running back, Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Paul HeldPaul Held-Career:Held was drafted in the nineteenth round of the 1953 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions and later played with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. He played at the collegiate level at San Jose State University.-References:...
— former NFL quarterback, Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Willie HestonWillie HestonWilliam Martin "Willie" Heston was an American football player and coach. He played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. Heston was the head football coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North...
— former SJSU halfbackHalfback (American football)A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
; College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
inductee (attended SJSU from 1898-1900; graduated from University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
) - James HodginsJames HodginsJames Hodgins is a free agent fullback with National Football League experience.-High school years:Hodgins attended Oak Grove High School in San Jose, California and lettered in football, basketball, and track....
— former NFL fullback, Saint Louis Rams et al. - Johnny Johnson — former NFL running back, New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
; one NFL Pro Bowl appearance; consensus choice for Rookie of the Year (1990) - Cody JonesCody JonesCody Jones is a former NFL football player. He is a graduate from San Jose State University who played pro football from 1974–1982 for the Los Angeles Rams.-References:...
— NFL defensive tackle, Los Angeles Rams; one NFL Pro Bowl appearance - James JonesJames Jones (wide receiver)James Deandre Jones is an American football wide receiver with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Packers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
— NFL wide receiver, Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Rick KaneRick KaneRichard James Kane was an American football running back in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins. Kane rushed for 1,486 yards during his NFL career. He played college football at the University of Oregon and San Jose State University. Following his...
— former NFL running back, Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... - Bob LadouceurBob LadouceurBob Ladouceur is an American football coach. He began coaching the De La Salle High Spartans in Concord, California in 1979, when he was twenty-five years old. He took over a team that had never enjoyed a winning season since the school's founding in 1965 and turned it into a perennial winner...
— among winningest high school football coaches in U.S. history; coached De La Salle High SpartansDe La Salle High School (Concord, California)De La Salle High School is a Roman Catholic Private school for boys in Concord, California, United States. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, the school was founded in 1965 as a Lasallian institution. De La Salle currently enrolls just over 1,000 students, and roughly 99% of each...
to 151 consecutive wins from 1992-2003 - Bill LeavyBill LeavyBill Leavy is an American football official in the National Football League since 1995 and is a retired San Jose, California Police Officer and Firefighter, serving for 27 years. As of the 2006 NFL season, Leavy has been assigned to nine playoff games and two Super Bowls in his NFL officiating...
— NFL referee; officiated Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season... - Dwight LoweryDwight Lowery-2008:Impressed with Lowery's versatility and ball skills, the New York Jets would draft him in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft as a cornerback/safety. An injury to cornerback Justin Miller would see Lowery debut in his first NFL game against the Miami Dolphins; Lowery performed modestly...
— NFL defensive back, New York Jets and two-time All-American at SJSU - Joe NedneyJoe NedneyJoseph Thomas Nedney is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996...
— NFL kicker, San Francisco 49ers - William Yaw ObengWilliam Yaw ObengWilliam Yaw Obeng is an American football offensive lineman for the Arizona Rattlers of Arena Football 1. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at San Jose State.Obeng has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders and San Jose...
— Arena Football League lineman, San Jose SabercatsSan Jose SaberCatsThe San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the... - Chris Owens — NFL defensive back, Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Tom Petithomme — former AFL player, San Jose Sabercats
- Art PowellArt Powell-Early career:Powell attended and played high school football at San Diego High School and played college football at San José State University.-Professional career:...
— NFL wide receiver, Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
; Raiders' 7th all-time leading receiver - Waylon PratherWaylon PratherWaylon Prather is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
— former NFL punter, New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, New York Jets and Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - David RichmondDavid RichmondDavid Richmond Major from Rhode Island in the American Revolutionary War.-Early years:Richmond was born in Taunton, Massachusetts the son of Seth Richmond a Mayflower Descendant...
— former NFL wide receiver, Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... - Scott RislovScott RislovScott Rislov is an American football quarterback most recently playing in the Arena Football League for the San Jose SaberCats in 2008.- High School career:...
— AFL quarterback, San Jose SabercatsSan Jose SaberCatsThe San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the... - Al SaundersAl SaundersAl Saunders is the current offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders.-Early life and playing career:Born in London, England, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1960, and is one of four foreign-born coaches in the NFL...
— former NFL head coach for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Rufus SkillernRufus SkillernRufus Skillern is a professional Canadian football wide receiver free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football for the San Jose State Spartans....
— CFL and NFL wide receiver, BC LionsBC LionsThe BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
and Baltimore RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... - Gerald SmallGerald SmallGerald Small is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for seven seasons for the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons....
— former NFL defensive back, Miami Dolphins - Carl SullivanCarl Sullivan-Career:Sullivan played with the Green Bay Packers during the 1987 NFL season. He played at the collegiate level at San Jose State University.-References:...
— former NFL defensive end, Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Adam TafralisAdam TafralisAdam Tafralis is an American quarterback who currently a free agent. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
— CFL quarterback, Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium... - Tyson ThompsonTyson ThompsonTyson Calvin Thompson is a gridiron football running back who is currently a member of the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at San Jose State.-Early years:Thompson played high school...
—NFL kick returner, Dallas Cowboys - Bob TitchenalBob TitchenalRobert Alden Titchenal was an American college football head coach. From 1953 to 1955, he served as the head football coach at New Mexico, where he compiled a 12–15–1 record. From 1957 to 1964, he was the head football coach at San Jose State, where he compiled a 33–46–1...
— former NFL linebacker, Washington Redskins and Los Angeles DonsLos Angeles DonsThe Los Angeles Dons were an American football team in the now defunct All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949 that played in the Los Angeles Coliseum....
; one Pro Bowl appearance; former head football coach, University of New MexicoUniversity of New MexicoThe University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
and SJSU - Dick VermeilDick VermeilRichard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
— NFL head coach; winning coach, Super Bowl XXXIVSuper Bowl XXXIVSuper Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season... - Bill WalshBill Walsh (football coach)William Ernest "Bill" Walsh was a head coach for the San Francisco 49ers and Stanford Cardinal football team, during which time he popularized the West Coast offense....
— NFL head coach; winning coach, Super Bowl XVISuper Bowl XVISuper Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
, Super Bowl XIXSuper Bowl XIXSuper Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
, and Super Bowl XXIIISuper Bowl XXIIISuper Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
; Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
inductee - Gerald WillhiteGerald WillhiteGerald William Willhite is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1982 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 210-lb. running back from San José State University, Willhite played for the Broncos from 1982 to 1988...
— former NFL running back, Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Billy WilsonBilly Wilson (American football)Billy Wilson was an American football wide receiver who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1951 to 1960...
— former NFL receiver, San Francisco 49ers; six NFL Pro Bowl appearances - Louis Wright — former NFL defensive back, Denver Broncos; 1st round NFL draftNFL DraftThe National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
pick; five NFL Pro Bowl appearances - Roy ZimmermanRoy Zimmerman (American football)Henry LeRoy Zimmerman Jr. was an American football player who played running back and quarterback in the National Football League from 1940 to 1948.-Early life:...
— former NFL quarterback, Washington Redskins; one Pro Bowl appearance
Golf
- Dina Ammaccapane — LPGALPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
golfer - Ron CerrudoRon CerrudoRonald John Cerrudo is an American professional golfer who currently works as a club teaching professional and formerly played on the PGA Tour....
— PGAPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
golfer and tour winner - Bob EastwoodBob EastwoodRobert Fred Eastwood is an American professional golfer who has won numerous amateur and professional tournaments.Eastwood was born in Providence, Rhode Island, but spent most of his youth in north-central California. He started playing golf at age 4 as a result of his father being in the golf...
— PGA golfer and tour winner - Tracy Hanson — LPGA golfer
- Pat HurstPat HurstPat Hurst is an American professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.Hurst's father is American and her mother is originally from Japan. She was born in San Leandro, California and raised in California.-Amateur career:...
— LPGA golfer and tour winner; #16 on the all-time LPGA money list - Juli InksterJuli InksterJuli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings...
— LPGA golfer; two-time U.S. Women's Open winner (1999 and 2002); #4 on the all-time LPGA money list - Mark LyeMark LyeMark Ryan Lye is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Lye was born in Vallejo, California. He attended San Jose State University, where he was a three-time All-American as a member of the golf team. He graduated in 1975 and turned pro later that year...
— PGA golfer and tour winner - Roger MaltbieRoger MaltbieRoger Lin Maltbie is an American professional golfer and on-course analyst for NBC Sports and ESPN.Maltbie was born in Modesto, California and grew up in San Jose. He attended James Lick High School where he was a teammate of former PGA Tour player Forrest Fezler...
— PGA golfer and tour winner - Janice MoodieJanice MoodieJanice C. Moodie is a Scottish professional golfer who plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour but is also a member of the Ladies European Tour.- Amateur career :...
— LPGA golfer and tour winner - Arron OberholserArron OberholserArron Matthew Oberholser is an American professional golfer.Oberholser was born in San Luis Obispo, California. He attended San Jose State University and turned professional in 1998....
– PGA golfer; AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am winner (2006) - Patty SheehanPatty SheehanPatty Sheehan is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1980 and won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame....
— LPGA golfer; two-time U.S. Women's Open winner (1992 and 1994) - Ken VenturiKen VenturiKenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
— PGA golfer; 1964 U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
winner and Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
"Sportsman of the Year" - Mark WiebeMark WiebeMark Charles Wiebe is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the Champions Tour. He has also played on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour.Wiebe was born in Seaside, Oregon and grew up in Escondido, California...
— PGA golfer and tour winner
Olympic Games
- Kevin AsanoKevin AsanoKevin Yoshimi Asano is a retired judoka from the United States, who won the silver medal in the men's extra-lightweight competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics. On his way to capturing the medal he beat Shinji Hosokawa, who was the reigning world champion and 1984 Gold Medalist...
— 1988 OlympianOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
(judoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
); silver medalist; USA JudoUSA JudoUSA Judo is a non-profit organization which represents from all areas of U.S. judo practitioners, including athletes, coaches, referees and others. The organization is managed by a staff of six at the USA Judo National Office which is located at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs,...
Hall of Fame inductee - Charles AdkinsCharles Adkins (boxer)Charles Adkins was a boxer from the USA.-Amateur career:Chuck Adkins was the Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, in the Light Welterweight class. In the final he defeated Viktor Mednov of the Soviet Union on a 2-1 decision...
— 1952 Olympian (boxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
); gold medalist - Bob Berland — 1984 Olympian (judo); silver medalist
- Vinnie Bradford — 1984 Olympian (fencingFencingFencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
) - Ed BurkeEd BurkeEdward M. Burke is alderman of the 14th Ward of the City of Chicago. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the Chicago City Council in 1969, and represents part of the city's Southwest Side. Burke has been called Chicago's "most powerful alderman" by the Chicago Sun-Times...
— 1964 and 1968 Olympian (track and field) - John CarlosJohn CarlosJohn Wesley Carlos is a Cuban American former track and field athlete and professional football player. He was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics and his black power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy...
— 1968 Olympian (track and field - 200 meters200 metresA 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
); bronze medalist; best known for giving raised fistRaised fistThe raised fist is a symbol of solidarity and support. It is also used as a salute to express unity, strength, defiance, or resistance. The salute dates back to ancient Assyria as a symbol of resistance in the face of violence.-History:Assyrian depictions of the goddess Ishtar show her raising a...
salute from the medalist's podium during the 1968 Summer Olympic Games1968 Summer OlympicsThe 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
in Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... - Jim DoehringJim DoehringJames F. Doehring was an American athlete who mainly competed in the shot put.He competed for the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, Spain where he won the silver medal in the men's shot put. At the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships, he won again the silver medal in...
— 1992 Olympian (track and field - shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
); silver medalist - Lee EvansLee Evans (athlete)Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
— 1968 Olympian (track and field - 4x400Relay raceDuring a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
meters and 400 meters400 metresThe 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
); two-time gold medalist and world record holder - Jeff FishbackJeff FishbackJeffrey Mason Fishback is a retired middle- and long-distance runner from the United States. He won the gold medal in the men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 1963 Pan American Games in Brazil....
— 1964 Olympian (track and field) - George HainesGeorge HainesGeorge Frederick Haines was a swimmer and swimming coach who coached at the Santa Clara Swim Club, Stanford University and UCLA. He also coached for seven U.S. Olympic swim teams...
— swim coach for seven U.S. Olympic teams; head swim coach at UCLA and Stanford UniversityStanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San... - Steve Hamann — 1980 Olympian (water poloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
) - Mike HernandezMike HernándezMike Hernandez was a Los Angeles, California City Councilman. In 1997 Hernandez was arrested and pleaded guilty to purchasing and possessing cocaine. Because he struck a plea agreement whereby he agreed to seek treatment, the arrest was not in his record, and he was not required to resign his seat...
— 1972 Olympian (soccer) - Mitch Ivey — 1968 and 1972 Olympian (swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
); silver and bronze medalist - Margaret JenkinsMargaret JenkinsMargaret Jenkins is a postmodern choreographer based in San Francisco, California. She was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1980 and in 2003, San Francisco mayor, Willie Brown, declared April 24 to be Margaret Jenkins Day.-Biography:...
— 1928 Olympian (track and field) - Stacey Johnson — 1980 Olympian (fencing)
- Keith Nakasone — 1980 Olympian (judo)
- Ben Nighthorse CampbellBen Nighthorse CampbellBenjamin Nighthorse Campbell is an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005 and was during his tenure the only American Indian serving in the U.S. Congress. Campbell was a three term U.S. Representative from 1987 to 1993, when he was sworn into office as a...
— 1964 Olympian (judo) - Ray NortonRay NortonOtis Ray Norton is a former American sprinter. In college he ran for San José State University, where he was coached by Lloyd Winter. He later won two gold medals at the 1959 Pan American Games. In that same year he tied Leamon King's record at the 100 meters at 10.1 seconds.In 1960 he set or...
— 1960 Olympian (track and field) - Christos PapanikolaouChristos PapanikolaouChristos Papanikolaou is a retired Greek pole vaulter.He was born in Trikala. At a young age he joined the Sports Club of Trikala. After completing his high school education he enrolled in the Sports Academy of Athens...
— 1968 Olympian (track and field - pole vaultPole vaultPole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
); world record holder (first man over 18 feet) - John PowellJohn PowellJohn Powell is a British composer, best known for his scores to motion pictures. He has been based in the United States since 1997 and has composed the scores to over fifty feature films. He rose to fame in the late 1990s and 2000s, scoring numerous animated films, and collaborating with...
— 1976 and 1984 Olympian (track and field - discusDiscus throwThe discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
); two-time bronze medalist - Ronnie Ray SmithRonnie Ray SmithRonald "Ronnie" Ray Smith is a former American athlete, winner of the gold medal in the 4×100 m relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics...
— 1968 Olympian (track and field athlete - 4x100 metersRelay raceDuring a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
); gold medalist and world record holder - Tommie Smith — 1968 Olympian (track and field athlete - 200 meters); gold medalist; best known for giving raised fist salute from the medalist's podium during the 1968 Summer Olympic Games
- Willie SteeleWillie SteeleWilliam Samuel "Willie" Steele was an American athlete who competed mainly in the long jump. Steele competed for San Jose State College, coached by Bud Winter in the early 1940's before enlisting to fight in World War II.He competed for the United States in the 1948 Summer Olympics held in...
—1948 Olympian (track and field - long jumpLong jumpThe long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
); gold medalist - Jill SudduthJill SudduthJill Sudduth is an American competitor in synchronized swimming and Olympic champion.She competed for the American team that received a gold medal in synchronized swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta....
— 1996 Olympian (synchronized swimmingSynchronized swimmingSynchronized swImming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers performing a synchronized routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music....
): gold medalist - Mike SwainMike SwainMichael Lee Swain is one of the most successful American judokas. He competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984.- Biography :...
— 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 Olympian (judo); bronze medalist; first American male to win the World Judo Championships, 1996 US Olympic Judo Coach - Lynn Vidali — 1968 and 1972 Olympian (swimming); silver and bronze medalist
- Jim ZylkerJim ZylkerJim Zylker is a retired American soccer player who spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League. He was also a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1972 Summer Olympics.-Youth:...
— 1972 Olympian (soccer)
Other
- C.J. Brown — MLSMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
soccer player (Chicago Fire) - Krazy George HendersonKrazy George HendersonKrazy George Henderson is a professional cheerleader and claimed inventor of the audience wave.Krazy George began cheerleading while a student at San Jose State in 1968, where he was also a member of the National Championship winning judo team...
— professional cheerleader and inventor of the audience waveAudience waveThe wave or the Mexican wave is an example of metachronal rhythm achieved in a packed stadium when successive groups of spectators briefly stand and raise their arms... - Ryan Lowe — ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
goaltenderGoaltenderIn ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
(Utah GrizzliesUtah GrizzliesThe Utah Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play out of West Valley City, Utah, United States, with their home games at the Maverik Center.- Franchise history :...
) - Ernie Reyes, Sr. — world-renowned martial artist
- Tony Reyes — Professional Bowlers AssociationProfessional Bowlers AssociationThe Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...
member; 17th bowler to throw a perfect 300 game on television; PBA tour winner - Ryan SuarezRyan SuarezRyan Suarez is an American soccer player, who last played in United Soccer Leagues for the California Victory....
— former MLSMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
soccer player (Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles GalaxyThe Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
and Dallas Burn) - Yoshihiro Uchida — head coach, SJSU judo team; team coach, 1964 U.S. Olympic1964 Summer OlympicsThe 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
judo team; instrumental in developing organized intercollegiate judo competition in the U.S. - Peter UeberrothPeter UeberrothPeter Victor Ueberroth is an American executive. He served as the sixth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1989. He was recently the chairman of the United States Olympic Committee; he was replaced by Larry Probst in October 2008....
— Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
Commissioner (1984 – 1989); U.S. Olympic Committee chair; Time (magazine) "Man of the YearPerson of the YearPerson of the Year is an annual issue of the United States newsmagazine Time that features and profiles a person, couple, group, idea, place, or machine that "for better or for worse, ...has done the most to influence the events of the year."- History :The tradition of selecting a Man of the Year...
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