Chico State men’s soccer alum Chris Wondolowski is one of 48 former student-athletes named to the NCAA Division II 40th Anniversary Tribute Team.

The tribute team highlights one male and one female student-athlete from each of Division II’s 23 current conferences, plus two at-large nominees.

Wondolowski led the Wildcats to the 2003 NCAA Championship match and ranks among the school’s career leaders in goals, assists and points.

But it’s what he’s accomplished since being drafted 41st in the 2005 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft that is truly remarkable. Wondolowski was named the MVP of MLS last season. He joins 1977 NFL MVP Walter Payton (who played at then-Division II Jackson State), 1982 American League Cy Young Award winner Pete Vukovich (Clarion), and Arena Football League Iron Man Award winners Kevin Ingram (West Chester) and Greg Hopkins (Slippery Rock) on the very short list of Division II athletes to win major awards in a major sports league.

Wondolowski has led MLS in goals in each of the past three seasons, winning a pair of Golden Boot honors, and was a runaway winner of the league MVP award last season after tying the MLS record with 27 tallies.
 
Wondo's goal haul helped San Jose claim the 2012 MLS Supporters' Shield with the best regular-season record in MLS and also landed the Chico State product an unprecedented four MLS Player of the Month awards.

“This group of former student-athletes is meant to reflect the core values of Division II athletics,” said Josh Looney, associate director of Division II. “Commissioners have helped identify a diverse group of championship individuals from Division II’s 40-year history. Not only did these former student-athletes act as champions in athletics and in the classroom, they’ve gone on to live championship lives as well.

“This group is a true representation of Division II’s commitment to providing its student-athletes a ‘Life in the Balance’ that extends beyond athletics.”

Division II gained its own unique intercollegiate athletics identity when Divisions I, II and III were formalized during a special NCAA Convention held in 1973.  Prior to 1973, the NCAA was organized into two divisions––“University” and “College.”

The year-long 40th Anniversary celebration will feature a number of initiatives branded by Division II’s tradition, history and community influence. A special 40th Anniversary highlight video was unveiled to Division II membership during the 2013 NCAA Convention, officially kicking off the celebration.

Each member of the Division II 40th Anniversary Tribute Team will receive a commemorative 40th Anniversary gift and is slated to have his/her accomplishments profiled through Division II media channels.

The NCAA Division II 40th Anniversary Tribute Team:

California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)
Violet Palmer (Cal Poly Pomona Women’s Basketball, 1984-88)
Chris Wondolowski (Chico State Men’s Soccer, 2001-04)

Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC)
Michelle DePolo (Georgian Court University Women’s Basketball; Soccer; Softball, 1999-03)
Nicholas Harriott (Caldwell College Men’s Soccer, 2004-08)

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
Barvenia Wooten-Cherry (Virginia Union University Women’s Basketball, 1980-83)
Timmy Newsome (Winston-Salem State University Football, 1976-80)

Conference Carolinas (CC)
Stephanie Ferri-Lewis (Pfeiffer University Women’s Cross Country; Soccer; Swimming, 1991-94)
Clint Bryant (Belmont Abbey College Men’s Basketball, 1973-77)

East Coast Conference (ECC)
Donna Orender (Queens College Women’s Basketball, 1975-78)
Brian Kilmeade (LIU Post Men’s Soccer, 1982-86)

Great American Conference (GAC)
Janet Cherobon-Bawcom (Harding University Women’s Cross Country; Track and Field, 2000-05)
Drew Beard (Southeastern Oklahoma State University Football, 2001-04)

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
Gail Goestenkors (Saginaw Valley State University Women’s Basketball, 1981-85)
Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan University Men’s Basketball, 1973-77)

Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC)
Sandra Magnus (Missouri S&T Women’s Soccer, 1983-86)
Larry Tucker (Lewis University Men’s Basketball, 1979-83)

Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC)
Mallory Holtman-Fletcher (Central Washington University Softball, 2005-08)
Grant Dykstra (Western Washington University Men’s Basketball, 2002-06)

Gulf South Conference (GSC)
Rachel Price-Bell and Ronda Price-Brinley (University of North Alabama Volleyball, 1996-00)
Radovan Chrz (University of West Florida Men’s Tennis, 2000-04)

Heartland Conference (HC)
Kelsey Baird (St. Edward’s University Women’s Soccer, 2005-09)
Collin Mayer (St. Edward’s University Men’s Golf, 2007-10)

Lone Star Conference (LSC)
Dr. Tammi Julch-Williams (Texas Women’s University Basketball, 1990-94)
Roberto Garza (Texas A&M University-Kingsville Football; Track & Field, 1997-2000)

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA)
Teri Clemens (Truman State University Volleyball, 1974-78)
Jim Crane (University of Central Missouri Baseball, 1973-76)

Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10)
Johannah Leedham (Franklin Pierce University Women's Basketball, 2006-10)
J. Terence Carleton (Bentley College Men’s Soccer, 1973-76)

Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC)
Lauren Brown (Winona State University Women’s Track and Field; Volleyball, 2007-10)
Bob Bowlsby (Minnesota State University Moorhead Wrestling, 1972-75)

Pacific West Conference (PacWest)
Samantha Murphy (Grand Canyon University Women’s Basketball, 2007-11)
Tsung-Hsien “Jet” Chang (BYU-Hawaii Men’s Basketball, 2010-12)

Peach Belt Conference (PBC)
Dr. Amy Amundson-Smith (Georgia College and State University Women’s Basketball, 1989-92)
Stilian Shishkov (Lander University Men’s Soccer, 1993-95)

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
Lori Pio-Jacques (East Stroudsburg University Women’s Basketball, 1993-96)
David Williams (Bloomsburg University Men’s Tennis, 1978-81)

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC)
Elva Martinez-Dryer (Western State Colorado University Women’s Cross Country; Track and Field, 1991-95)
Danny Woodhead (Chadron State College Football, 2004-07)

South Atlantic Conference (SAC)
Kate Griewisch (Lenoir-Rhyne University Women’s Cross Country; Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, 2009-12)
Patrick Bartlett (Wingate University Men’s Basketball; Soccer; Tennis, 1996-00)

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
Selina B. Kohn (Albany State University Women’s Basketball, 1990-94)
Edwin Moses (Morehouse College, 1974-78)

Sunshine State Conference
Anna Hallbergson (Barry University Women’s Tennis, 1997-2000):
Ken Corigliano (Saint Leo University Men’s Cross Country, 2002-06)

West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC)
Mindy Young-Gagliardi (University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Women’s Basketball, 1988-92)
Sean Isgan (University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Wrestling, 1977-82)

At-Large (NCAA)
Sheila Baxter (Virginia State University Women’s Basketball, 1973-77)
Shane Carwin (Western State Colorado University Football and Wrestling, 1995-99)