Oct. 1, 2014 The University's three NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship teams, athletes from three sports who had an outstanding college career and continued in their sport professionally, and a long-time athletics administrator are the 2014 inductees into the San Jose State University Sports Hall of Fame.
The 1987, 1989 and 1992 Spartans women's golf teams, all coached by Hall of Fame coach Mark Gale, men's soccer player C.J. Brown, baseball infielder Kevin Frandsen, and men's golfer Mark Wiebe and athletics department senior administrator Carolyn Lewis comprise this year's inductees.
"We are proud to welcome this year's class to the San José State University Sports Hall of Fame. The individual and collective accomplishments by our inductees are exceptional and stand the test of time," said San Jose State director of athletics Gene Bleymaier.
The 2014 inductees will be enshrined on November 14 following a banquet dinner in the San Jose State University Student Union Ballroom that starts with a 6:30 p.m. reception. Tickets for the enshrinement dinner start at $90.00 per person or $800.00 for a table of 10. The inductees will be honored the following day at the November 15 San Jose State-Hawaii football game in Spartan Stadium. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m.
Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Mike Chisholm at 408-924-1244 or mike.chisholm@sjsu.edu.
NCAA WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS (1987, 1989, 1992)
San Jose State was the first program to win three NCAA Division I women's golf championships. From 1989 when the Spartans won their second championship at the Stanford Golf Course through 1997, San Jose State was the dominant program in the sport finishing no lower than fourth and taking home a team trophy every year.
The run of national championship success started in 1987 in Albuquerque, N.M. Amazingly, 15 different players played on the three five-person championship teams. The common thread was Coach Gale whose precision planning paved the championship path. Four Spartans, Dana Lofland Dormann ('87), Pat Hurst ('89), Dina Ammaccapane ('89) and Tracy Hanson ('92), would go on to careers playing on the American-based LPGA Tour. Anne Jones ('87), Julie Ralls ('87), Denise Philbrick ('89), Eva Dahlback ('89), Lisa Walton ('92), Nicole Horner Gardner ('92), Nicole Materne ('92) and Pernilla "Ninni" Sterner ('92) would go on to play professionally around the world following their San José State careers.
C.J. BROWN, men's soccer (1993-96)
C.J. Brown was a two-time all-conference defender for the San Jose State men's soccer teams during the 1993 through 1996 seasons. A 1998 first-round draft choice by the Chicago Fire in the Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft, the Hayward, Calif., native played 13 seasons for the MLS franchise. When he retired in 2010, he was the franchise's all-time leader in games played, starts made and minutes played. The Chicago Fire inducted him into its Hall of Fame, known as the Ring of Fire, in 2012.
Brown played internationally as a member of the U.S. National Team from 1998 through 2003 and earned 15 caps in international competition. Presently, he is an assistant coach for the Chicago Fire.
KEVIN FRANDSEN, baseball (2001-04)
Kevin Frandsen was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference honoree during his four seasons. The Spartans averaged 35 wins a season from 2001 through 2004 including a single-season school record 45 in 2002. That year, the sophomore infielder was an All-WAC infielder and San Jose State advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons. A .323 career hitter for the Spartans, he completed his career ranked among the school's top five players in base hits, doubles, home runs, runs scored, games played and at-bats.
A boyhood dream could be realized when he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 12th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball first-year draft. The dream came true when the Giants called him up to the Major League team in April 2006. Now in his eighth season in the Major Leagues, he plays for the Washington Nationals. Frandsen also played one season for the Los Angeles Angels and two with the Philadelphia Phillies after four seasons with the Giants.
CAROLYN LEWIS, coach & administrator (1973-2003)
Carolyn Lewis' leadership skills were evident as a San Jose State student-athlete who earned letter awards in field hockey, softball and volleyball. She was the team captain of the 1969 field hockey team and in 1970 became the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She did it with "Great Distinction" another trait that would become evident during her college coaching and administrative career.
Lewis was the head coach of the Spartans' women's basketball and field hockey teams, for two and six seasons, respectively. She was the 1983 NORPAC "Coach of the Year" in field hockey and took the Spartans to three NCAA Championship tournaments.
Lewis was instrumental in developing the athletics department's Gender Equity Plan in the early 1990's. She can take credit for organizing and initiating the University's Student-Athlete Support Services unit in 1988 and the current Student-Athlete Advisory Council. As a senior-level administrator for San Jose State Athletics, she served on a variety of institutional, conference, NCAA and Olympic-sports Committees. Lewis also was the University's interim director of athletics from October 1997 to February 1998 during her service to San José State that covers two centuries and continues today as a member of the Order of Sparta's executive committee.
MARK WIEBE, men's golf (1978-79)
Mark Wiebe transferred to San Jose State from Palomar College in 1977. In his two seasons with the Spartans, he was a key member of the Spartans' eighth and 14th place finishes at the 1978 and 1979 NCAA Men's Golf Championships, respectively. The 1979 second-team All-American was 10th and 13th, respectively, in the race for medalist honors in his two NCAA Championship tournaments.
Wiebe turned pro in 1981 and won 1985 Anheuser-Busch Classic and 1986 Hardee's Golf Classic on the PGA Tour. After 24 years on the PGA Tour earning more than $4.3-million in prize money, he qualified for the Champions Tour in 2007 and realized more professional success. He is a five-time Champions Tour winner and earned his first major professional championship when he won the 2013 Senior Open in Southport, England. His Champions Tour prize winnings exceed $5.4-million and ranks him among the top-75 all-time money winners on the Tour.
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