Spartans Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

For 75 years, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have had a profound impact on San Jose State University Athletics. Yosh Uchida, the first USA Olympic Team judo coach; Spartan Hall of Fame gymnastics coach and athletics administrator Rich Chew; and former women's tennis coach Anh-Dao Nguyen-Church, the first female NCAA Division I head coach of Vietnamese descent in any sport, were college athletics pioneers.
 
Representing many cultures and ethnicities, San José State has one of the highest percentages of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders working in NCAA Division I athletics. They represent senior leadership, coaching, academic advising and support, athletic training and medical care, marketing and promotions, athletic performance and strength and conditioning, video production, directors of team operations, and communications.



 
Collectively, in their respective intercollegiate athletics roles, they proudly serve, counsel, encourage and applaud San Jose State's 500 student-athletes in 22 sports and celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 2021.