Eleven years after the Wildcats dogpiled and danced on the field in Montgomery, Ala., members of the 1999 NCAA Division II baseball champions returned to Chico for a special reunion ceremony at Acker Gym during halftime of the Jan. 23 Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills basketball game.

Among those attending were 12 members of the championship roster, as well as current Wildcat head coach Dave Taylor (who was the team’s pitching coach in 1999) and assistant coach Tim Hairston.

Members of the ’99 Wildcats that appeared at the halftime ceremony included pitchers Alec Adame (5-0 in 23 relief appearances), Alex Carbajal (Taylor’s future pitching coach under him), Phil Derryman (17-2 in two seasons with the Wildcats), Jared Josephson (three wins and six saves in ’99) and John Eric-Hernandez (the 1999 College World Series MVP and Chico State career record holder in wins, strikeouts, appearances and starts).

Offensive standouts from the team were there in full force as well, including All- American Luke Neel (a .378 hitter in 1999), outfielder Bao-nhan Vinh (96 hits in 1999, second most in Chico State history) and Christian Franco, who hit a team-best .393 off the bench (Chico State was 6-1 in his seven starts).

Also in attendance were DH/1B Derek Cordell, outfielder Steve Guerrero and infielder George Pena.

Finally, there was Mike Hartman, now in his first year as an assistant coach for the Wildcats. Hartman helped lead Chico State to the College World Series in 1998 and ’99.

It was an evening to remember as the last Wildcat ring-bearers received some well-earned recognition on the Acker Gym hardwood.