Chico State Athletics

Tom Aldridge - Football 1970, 1971, 1972		Kenneth Kaiser - Baseball 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 - Football 1951, 1952, 1953
Sanford Sandy Beck - Football 1956, 1957, 1958 - Track & Field 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958		Gerald Doc Kubli - Baseball 1947, 1948 - Football 1946, 1947
Susie Blake - Cross Country 1988, 1989 - Track & Field 1988, 1989		Karen Stanley-Kehl - Soccer 1980-1984
Salvatore Sal Corona - Soccer 1969, 1970		Randy Watt - Football 1971 - Track & Field 1972, 1973
Al Davenport - Football 1970, 1971
Kim Ellison - Cross Country 1971 - Track & Field 1971, 1972		Honorary
Floyd English - Football 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958		John C. Bachman - Swimming Coach 1960-1965 - Water Polo Coach 1961-1965
Wayne Gadberry - Football 1957, 1958		Steve Nettleton

TOM ALDRIDGE - Chico, CA

Football - 1970, 1971, 1972

Tom Aldridge attended Chico State from 1970 through 1975. He participated on the football team during the years 1970, 71 and 72. A big thrill was his experience as a member of the Camellia Bowl Team in 1971. 1972 was a great year for Tom: he was selected Team Captain, was All Conference First Team as an offensive and defensive player and was Honorable Mention All-Coast, as well.

Tom taught and coached football and track at Pleasant Valley High School 1973-1974. He was Durham High School's football and track coach in 1975. Tom then worked at Los Molinos H.S. and coached football, basketball and track for four years. He has since coached football, track and golf at Oroville High, beginning in 1980 and continues to teach and coach there today.

During his coaching tenure at Oroville High, Tom has functioned as the offensive and defensive line coach as well as defensive coordinator. According to his current Athletic Director, Tom has given of himself to every aspect of the football program at Oroville High School and credits Tom for helping to make the Oroville High School football program one of the most highly respected programs in the North Section.

Tom's teaching strategies of mathematics have been exceptional. He is noted for working successfully with a diverse student population using motivational techniques that allow students to learn and enjoy the subject matter.

Tom has performed a variety of roles throughout his tenure at Oroville High School. He has served on the School Advisory Council, has been an effective assistant principal and is presently chairperson of the math department.

From 1995-97, Tom was a very active, supportive board member of the Chico Aqua Jets. He is currently a board member of the Chico Jr. High School Basketball Association; most recently, Tom was selected as the spokesperson for the Basketball Association's parent group representing the three junior high schools in Chico. A former teammate states, Tom Aldridge was not only a great football player, he is an individual who has dedicated his career to teaching and coaching; he will always be a Hall of Famer to me and his other Wildcat teammates.

SANFORD SANDY BECK - Davis, CA

Football - 1956, 1957, 1958
Track - 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958

Sandy Beck distinguished himself as an athlete, student leader and academician. He excelled as a football player and track star. He won a white athletic sweater for lettering for three years in two sports.

While an outstanding athlete, his greatest accomplishments were to come in his leadership and professional lives. He served as Student Body President and managed a campaign to institute a student fee, which has resulted in 30 million dollar Student Union. He was a member of Blue Key for his academic performance and the Lambda Pi Fraternity. Sandy completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Life Science from Chico State in 1960 and his Master's Degree in Vocational Education Administration from CSU Sacramento in 1981.

In 1961 to 1967 he served as an agriculture instructor at Yuba City High School. During this time (1963 to 1968) he also performed the duties of a vocational counselor and football and track coach. Ultimately he became the Vice-Principal responsible for discipline, teacher evaluation and other duties. From 1961 to 1971, he was the Principal of Willows High School.

In 1974, he changed his educational course when he became the Regional Coordinator for the State Department of Education. In this position, he coordinated programs in vocational education. These programs included home economics, business, industrial arts and agriculture. He was also responsible for the administration of Regional Occupational Programs (ROP).

He was the lead staff member on the Commission on Vocational Education and a Regional Supervisor for the State Department of Education from 1978 to 1984. In these capacities he developed a K-12 vocational education curriculum used by the legislature and Superintendent of Public Instruction. Working with secondary vocational instructors and administrators, he assisted them with program development, in-service training, funding and Future Farmers of America (FFA) activities.

In 1984, Sandy left the State to enter service in the private sector as General Manager of the Kiwifruit Commodity Division of Sun World International. He oversaw a variety of functions from production to packing, shipping, and marketing of kiwifruit.

He returned to state service in 1988 as the Executive Director for the Governor appointed State Council on Vocational Education. He retired in 1997 only to become Director of Vocational Training for Adams & Associates, a Reno based company that operates Job Corp Centers around the United States.

Sandy's athletic and occupational and student achievements make him a worthy recipient of the Chico State Athletic Hall of Fame honor.

SUSIE (HANSEN) BLAKE - Campbell, CA

Cross Country - 1988, 1989

Track and Field - 1988, 1989

Sue transferred to Chico State after receiving her Associate of Arts degree from West Valley College. While at West Valley College she competed in both cross country and track and field. Sue was selected the Most Valuable Cross Country Athlete both years and never placed lower than third in any race in her junior college tenure. One of her many highlights was winning the prestigious Mt. Sac Cross Country Invitational, a meet that hosts the best junior college runners in California. On the track, Susie ran the 1500, 3000, and 5000 meter races. She competed in the California State Junior College Championship in the 3000 and 5000-meter races both years at West Valley College. She was a member of the existing school record distance medley relay team.

Sue transferred to Chico in the fall of 1987 and received her Bachelor of Science in 1989. Continuing her athletic success following junior college, Sue was All-Conference and Most-Valuable Cross Country and Track and Field runner at Chico State. She is our school record holder in the 5000 meter run with a time of 17:25:24 (set in 1988); is ranked third on all All-Time Top 10 List in the 3000 meter run, and is ranked sixth in the 10,000 meter run.

After her collegiate days, Susie became a professional triathlete. She has competed all over the United States as well as a pro-circuit overseas (Japan, Paris, Bermuda, Canada). Besides training and competing, Sue somehow finds time to raise a family, start a women's running club, coach the swimming team at Prospect High School and just recently coached her first triathlon team! She is also currently coaching the Cobra Swim Team, which is little kids, and giving private swim lessons to adults.

Salvatore 'Sal' Corona - Chico, CA

Soccer - 1969, 1970

Sal Corona was a member of the 1969 and 1970 Chico State Varsity Soccer Teams that won back to back NCAA College Division Regional Championships. He was one the early players in the soccer program that set the winning standard and made a tremendous contribution to Chico State Soccer.

Sal was chosen by his teammates as the Most Valuable Player for the 1970 season. He was also selected to the All-Northern California Soccer Conference First Team, West Coast All American team, and made to the final round of selection before being cut from the United States Olympic Team. After graduation and over a ten-year period Sal played semi-pro soccer for the San Francisco league; Vikings, Sons of Italy, and Italian Athletic Club. His teams won 5 San Francisco League Championships, 3 Northern California State Cups, 1 California State Cup, and 1 U.S. Open Cup championship (National Champions for all levels including professional). Sal is still an active player at age 52 and has won the over 30 Championships on 6 occasions.

Sal Corona's record of service to the University, and the Chico Community is equally as outstanding. He was an active member of Block C Society form 1969-1970. He completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education, and he has spent several successful years coaching girl's soccer in the Chico youth soccer league. He is also an active member of his church.

Since graduating from Chico State, and for the past 22 years, Sal corona has successfully owned and operated an Italian Restaurant in Chico.

 

AL DAVENPORT - Corcoran, Calif.

Football 1970, 1971

Al Davenport was one of the finest athletes to play for Pete Riehlman. He was an All-Far Western Conference player for both years he played at Chico State and 1st Team Little All Coast for both years. In the 1971 Camellia Bowl, Al absolutely tore the Boise State offensive linemen apart, helping to hold that team to 46 yards rushing for the game.

Upon graduating from Chico State, Al accepted the Head Football Coaching Position at Princeton High School where he took a team that hadn't scored a touchdown the previous year to the North Coast Section Co-Championship in a short three year period. He also coached basketball at Princeton as well as teaching four different subjects.

From Princeton High School Al went to Corcoran High School in 1979 where he was head football coach for three years. In Corcoran, he has taught physical education and social science both at the high school and the middle school. He started a wrestling program at the middle school, and also coached basketball at the middle school and track at the high school for many years. He once coached basketball and wrestling at the same time! His basketball team at the middle school won many league championships. As an instructor, Al in one of the most popular teachers on campus, known to all students as Mr. D. He has been a leader to all. Al coached football, basketball and track in Corcoran until a year ago when a quintuple heart by-pass surgery forced him to give up coaching.

Fortunately, Al still enjoys golf which he pursues each summer and on weekends. Al is also very active in community service organizations of Corcoran which raise money and support the local hospital and Valley Children's Hospital of Fresno, and Corcoran athletics. Al and his wife, Clairen, have raised two boys, Dan and Tyler, and have a daughter-in-law, Heather, and two wonderful grandsons, Jacob and Seth.

 

KIM ELLISON - Paradise, CA

Cross Country - 1971
Track and Field - 1971, 1972

Kim Ellison attended Chico State from 1971 through spring 1974, graduating with a BA in English in 1973. He served as the Commissioner of Athletics for the Associated Students from 1973-74. The sports of choice for Kim were Track and Cross Country. He competed in the NCAA Cross Country Championship in 1971 and was an All American in Track in the same year. He set Chico State's Mile (4:01) and Two Mile (8:54) records in 1972. His converted 1500 meter time is still the fastest ever run by a Chico State athlete. He has held the mile/1500 meter record for 28 years.

Following graduation, he was a very successful Butte College Cross Country Coach from 1978 through 1984. He was also the Track and Field coach at Paradise High School from 1976 through 1985. He coached both Cross Country and Track at Lassen High School in the school year 1974-1975.

Besides teaching at Paradise High School, Kim has been active in the Paradise Ridge Youth Soccer League as a coach, referee and as a board member for 11 years.

James Roulsten, ASB President at Chico State 1959-60 wrote: Kim's Track and Cross Country teams at Paradise High and Butte College have always had his unique stamp on them: great enthusiasm, dedication, loyalty and hard work. He always demonstrated a wonderful sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie in competition- traits he teaches and espouses in the classroom and in life. Kim continues to demonstrate those same values and characteristics to students in the 21st Century.

 

FLOYD L. ENGLISH - Chicago, IL

Football - 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958

Floyd is a native of Chico. Having gone to Citrus Elementary School and Chico High, where he was Student Body President in 1951-52. After high school he entered Chico State, but his college was interrupted due to three years in the Army.

After his return to Chico State, he became an outstanding tackle, both offensively and defensively for the Wildcats. He played for a coach who believed in discipline. Floyd would not miss his Thursday Physics Lab, which made him late for football practice. The Coach said your late for practice, you don't start. The discipline usually lasted one play for Floyd who was needed at his tackle position.

He became the first graduate of the newly created degree in Physics at Chico State. He went on to get a doctoral in Physics at Arizona State University.

He then launched his career that took him through both the research and business sides of physics. He came to the Andrew Corporation in Chicago, where he became President and Chief Executive Officer in 1983.

His company's Foundation has given $50,000 annually for 10 Natural Science scholarships.

He states he was inspired by professors at Chico State and credits them as a major part of his success.

Not bad for a kid born in Nicolaus and raised in Chico.

WAYNE GADBERRY - Live Oak, CA

Football 1957, 1958

Wayne came to Chico State in the fall of 1957 by way of Marysville High School and Yuba College. He played football for two years and received the honors of team Captain and All-Conference recognition in his senior year. Wayne graduated in June 1959, with a BA, received his General Secondary Credential the following June and completed his Masters Degree in 1969. He also did post-graduate work at CSU Sacramento, CSU San Luis Obispo and UCLA.

After teaching at Paradise High School, he was hired as a teacher and coach at Marysville High School. After four years he moved to Sutter High School as a teacher, coach, athletic director and vice-principal. In 1974, Wayne became the principal/superintendent and retired from that position in 1998.

During his coaching years, Wayne was very successful with many championships and honors. He coached football, wrestling, basketball, and track and field. Wayne has been inducted into both the Hall of Fame at Yuba College and Northern California Old Timers Sports Association. The football field at Sutter High School is named after him.

Wayne has always strived to play by the rules and to be a positive role model for others. He was blessed by having wonderful parents and good athletic coaches who gave him direction and encouragement. His two college coaches who influenced his life were Gus Manolis and George Maderos.

KENNETH KEN KAISER - Lake Almanor, CA

Baseball - 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955
Football - 1951, 1952, 1953

Ken completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree (1958) and Master of Arts in Education (1969) at Chico State. While an undergraduate he participated in baseball and football. As a freshman, he played a significant role as a pitcher on the championship team. He was tagged by the Chico Enterprise-Record as the Wildcat's spectacular long-wearing veteran. He was a significant contributor to Chico State's baseball successes from 1952 to 1955.

Teaching became Ken's chosen vocation. He started at the Thermalito Elementary School, moved to Live Oak Elementary as a site administrator and then in 1963 he began an administrative career in the Wheatland School District for a period of 30 years.

He has taught a variety of educational methods and foundations of education for Chapman College from 1971 to 1982. He also became a trainer of trainers for new school administrators for Sacramento County. All tolled, he devoted 36 years to education, 33 of them as principal.

For his athletic accomplishments and professional contributions to education the Athletic Hall of Fame Board selected Ken to become a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame.

GERALD DOC KUBLI - Yreka, CA

Football- 1946, 1947
Baseball- 1947, 1948

Gerry came to Chico State after World War II. His undergraduate work was done at Yuba College prior to the war and 30 credits at University of San Francisco after World War II.

While at Chico State, he was an End on the '46 and '47 Football Teams and the Right Fielder for Chico State's first two baseball seasons since the '20's. During his second baseball season, Chico State won the first post-war Championship. Roy Bohler called Jerry the most versatile member of the 1948 Baseball Season. Another plus to the sports program was the fact he was a Chief Navy Pharmacist Mate in WWII. This training made him see work on the Athletic Teams as a trainer.&emdash;the start of the program&emdash;Sports Medicine, which is such as integral part of sports today. During his graduate year, he served as full time trainer for football and boxing, which was a first.

After graduation, he spent thirty years in teaching in Northern California: teaching in Vacaville, Sutter and Marysville High Schools and counseling and principal in the Siskiyou High School District in Weed, Mt. Shasta, Fort Jones, and Yreka High Schools.

He met his wife, Em, a Navy Nurse, in the Pacific Theatre of Operation in WWII. They raised four children.

KAREN STANLEY-KEHL - Santa Rosa, CA

Soccer - 1980-1984

During the late 1970's and early '80's, Chico State women's soccer teams played in a statewide Club Conference. Thus, there was no way to honor student-athletes with All-Conference and All-American Honors. If there had been, Karen Stanley-Kehl would have been honored each year she played.

Upon her arrival at Chico State in 1980, Karen had already established herself as an outstanding soccer player. By the time she left the University in 1984, she was much more than that. A team captain, Karen was an outstanding student-athlete, making the Dean's List every year of her undergraduate degree in physical education. In 1982, she played for the United State College Women's Select Team. During her final year in Chico Karen sustained a career-ending knee injury. But she claims it was a turning point in her life. She decided not to view it as a tragedy, but instead learned about the mind-body-spirit approach to wellness, and graduated in 1986 with a master's degree in wellness with a 4.0 GPA.

Karen went into coaching, with the encouragement of then-men's soccer coach and current Athletic Director Don Batie as a way to continue her involvement in the game. She had coaching stints as the assistant coach at the University of Puget Sound, head coach at Seattle Pacific, assistant at nationally-ranked Notre Dame, and in 1993, became the first head coach at USC. She made her final move in 1995 when she took the head coaching position at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Coach Stanley is now considered one of the top female coaches in the nation. She is a nationally recognized motivational speaker and clinician, as well as a writer for national and international soccer publications. She has won numerous honors, including National Coach of the Year in 1998 for junior colleges, and Regional Coach of the Year in 1999. She represents everything that is great about the Chico State experience and is an example to her profession and a reminder to those teaching and coaching that sometimes we help produce excellence.

RANDY WATT - Chico, CA

Football - 1971
Track and Field - 1972, 1973

Randy Watt attended Chico State in 1971,1972, and 1973. He participated in football (1971) and in track for two seasons: 1972 and 1973. He graduated in 1973 and received his MA in 1980.

As a football player, Randy played on one of the most successful teams in Chico State history as a member of the Camellia Bowl Team. In track, Randy was a thrower and has the distinction of putting the shot further than any Chico State Athlete in history. He has held that school record for over 27 years. In addition, he was All-Conference in the shot put both in 1972 and 1973. He was an All-American in 1973, ranking third in the nation, Division II and 26th overall in the United States.

Randy has coached track and field, cross-country, football, softball, basketball and wrestling, served as athletic director and served on the Section Softball Committee. As the assistant cross-country and track coach at Chico State for five years, Randy coached several All-Americans. At the high school level, he has coached numerous conference and section champions, in the Sac Joaquin, North Coast and Northern Section and several CIF state qualifiers.

As a high school football coach for 20 years, he has had two section championship teams, fourteen CIF section playoff appearances and numerous conference championship teams. Randy was selected to coach the East team in the Napa/Solano All Star game and the South team in the Lion's All Star game.

Softball has become Randy's sport of choice both as a coach and competitor. He has coached for 10 years at Colusa High School where his teams have won two Butte View League Championships. He was also the pitching coach for the Napa Valley College softball team for one season and has been a Pitching Consultant for both Napa Valley College and Sacramento City College. He was Head Coach of the Optimist All Star North Team.

Randy has played fast pitch softball for over 26 years as a pitcher. He has participated in eight tournaments at the National level. In 1999 his team finished 2nd in the nation. 

JOHN (JACK) C. BACHMAN - South Lake Tahoe

Swimming Coach - 1960-1965
Water Polo Coach- 1961-1965

Jack was Chico State's first Swimming and Water Polo Coach. He was out recruiting team members even before he had a pool for them to swim in. He was heavily involved in the design and construction of the swimming and diving facilities that were to be home to so many champions who came in the two decades that followed his inaugural years.

In five short years after starting the program, he brought Chico State its first Far Western Conference Championship. He produced a number of All Americans and a National Record Holder in his tenure at Chico State. (The number of AA's is difficult to determine as the NCAA went retroactive to the top 16 finishers at their National's Swimming and Diving Championships in all three dicision s sometime in the 1980's.)

Chico State's powerhouse team in the '60s, '70s, and early 80s can be traced back to the solid foundation laid by Jack.

He went on to coach both men's and women's swim teams at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, where he had 34 All Americans and retired as Full Professor in 1989. He coached swimming for over 40 years. (That's a lot of 6 AM practices.) He was owner and director of the Tahoe Swimming School in the summers from 1960 to 1987, He has 19 research publications, five books on sport and physical activities and is still active, at age 72 in swimming, tennis, and fly fishing.

Jack and his wife, Muriel, have retired in Tahoe City, CA and have raised five children.

STEVE NETTLETON - Chico, CA

Steve Nettleton has been a true supporter of Chico State Athletics first as a member of the Wildcats Century Club and more recently as owner of the Chico Heat Baseball Team of the Western Baseball League.

Chico State has one of the finest baseball facilities of any educational institution in the United States thanks to Steve Nettleton. In 1997 he gave a $2,500,000 stadium (Nettleton Stadium) to Chico State, built at the Roy Bohler Baseball Field.

In addition, each year he sponsors a Chico State Wildcats vs. Chico Heat Baseball Game with all the proceeds going to the athletic scholarship program at Chico State.

With these fine facilities it makes it easier for Chico to be selected for play-off Championship Games.

Steve and Kathy Nettleton through their philanthropic activities both in time and money have helped to make Chico and even better community in which to live.