The Hall of Fame will also be honoring former members of the
Chico State field hockey teams
Jon Carlson
Soccer (1978-1981)
Jon Carlson didn’t begin playing soccer until he was a freshman in high school, but it didn’t take him long to establish himself as a natural on the field. By his sophomore year, Jon was a member of the varsity team, and despite also lettering in baseball, concluded that his athletic future was in soccer.
Jon arrived at Chico State in the fall of 1978 and made it as a walk-on for Don Batie’s Wildcats. Quite an accomplishment, since the team had gone 14-2-1 the year before in route to yet another Far West Conference championship. In his first year in a Wildcat uniform, Jon and his teammates reached the NCAA West Region playoffs concluding an outstanding 16-7-1 season. The team struggled slightly in 1979, but through no fault of Jon’s as he was named First Team All-Conference and Coach’s Award winner. Jon was named team captain for the 1980 season, and the Wildcats bounced back in a big way, reaching the final four and placing third in the nation. Jon was once again rewarded with first team all-FWC honors and Coach’s Award accolades. In his senior season, Jon pulled off the hat trick, being named first team all-FWC, first team all-West Region, and Chico State’s Outstanding Senior Athlete for 1981-82.
After leaving Chico State, Jon returned to his hometown of Sacramento and was hired by Federal Express. He enjoyed a successful career with FedEx until 1994 when he became a full-time, stay-at-home dad. Jon returned to Chico State to earn his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in May of 2001. Jon, and his wife Rhonda have three children; Daniel, Kevin and Mikaela. They are active supporters of both Chico State soccer as well as youth soccer in their hometown of Paradise.
Traci Hirst-Dill
Soccer (1984-88)
Traci Hirst-Dill came to Chico State in 1984 and was a member of the Wildcats women’s soccer team for four years under head coach Bob Russ. She was an immediate success both on and off the field. In 1985 and again in 1987, she was selected second team all-conference, and earned first team all-conference honors in 1988. Additionally, Traci earned the respect of her teammates as they voted her team captain her junior and senior seasons.
Traci excelled in the classroom as well, graduating Cum Laude with a B.S. in Parks & Recreation Administration. She was also honored with recognition on the Dean’s List three times and upon graduation, received NCAA first team All-Academic squad honors.
Since graduation, Traci has been employed in the recreation field. Currently, she is the Recreation Coordinator for Douglas County Parks & Recreation Department in Lake Tahoe. In this position, she is responsible for all the youth and adult sport leagues and programs in the Stateline area of South Shore. Traci developed the only indoor soccer program for children four and five years of age in the area; implemented a youth basketball league that serves over 300 kids; and organized countless adult soccer, basketball, football and softball leagues.
Traci and her family live in South Lake Tahoe and are still very active in sports. Her two sons, Tyler and Zachary have both inherited their mom’s love for soccer, and the whole family participates in skiing, hiking, camping and biking.
Robert Kuintzle
Wrestling (1980-83)
Robert Kuintzle came to Chico State at the beginning of his sophomore year and proceeded to dominate his opponents in the sport of wrestling.
Under the guidance of head coach, Armand Brett, Robert twice earned Division II All-America status and was a three time Far West Conference champion in his weight class. Robert received a bounty of awards while a member of the Wildcat grapplers, including most takedowns, and was named Chico State’s Senior Athlete of the Year for 1982-83.
Robert’s skills as a wrestler were so solid that coach Brett said he “may have been the best 150-pound wrestler to step on the mat for Chico State.”
Robert earned his B.A. in Physical Science with a minor in Mathematics and has used his education in the classroom for over 20 years. He has taught both math and science at the high school level and was named Teacher of the Year in 1998 and 2004.
Robert has been a leader in the field of education. He has written and developed science curriculum for both the Butte County Office of Education and Paradise High School. His work as lead teacher for Butte College’s “Summer Stars” program for gifted students in grades 7-10 has been a great achievement.
Robert has been married to his biggest fan, Gaylene, for 21 years. They have two daughters, Rachel and Melody.
Bill Niepoth
Track & Field (1946-49)
Basketball (1946)
Bill Niepoth came to Chico State with “hoop dreams” but quickly discovered his calling was on the oval track at University Stadium.
Bill lettered in track all four years at Chico. As a junior, he raced to a second place finish in the two-mile run at the Far West Conference championships. The following year, Bill concluded his collegiate athletic career in a blaze of glory by winning the FWC two-mile run championship.
Bill graduated with a degree in Art and a minor in Physical Education. After serving in various capacities in the field of Recreation throughout the 1950’s, he became a professor and eventual chairperson of the Department of Recreation at Cal State Hayward. His leadership offered many options for low income urban students coming from the Bay Area in the fields of recreation and leisure.
In 1973, Bill returned to Chico State where he served as a professor of Recreation and Park Management for over 20 years. He was awarded emeritus stats at the time of his retirement in 1994.
Retirement, however, hasn’t stopped Bill from continuing his service to the community. He is currently the chair of the first World Leisure Working Group on Children and Youth helping develop programs for youth on a world-wide basis.
Mark Edward Smith
Swimming (1963-64)
Water Polo (1963-64)
Mark Smith came to Chico State in 1963, and it’s not a coincidence that his arrival coincided with an unprecedented string of championships in the sport of swimming at Chico State.
In his first year of competition for the Wildcats, Mark set Far West Conference records in both the 100-yard and 200-yard breast stroke as well as the 200-yard and 400-yard individual medley. But that was only a glimpse of what was to come in 1964. That season, Mark set a new school record and captured first place at the NCAA Regionals in the 200-yard breast stroke, qualifying him for the NCAA national championship meet.
When he wasn’t racing up and down the pool, Mark was earning first team all-FWC honors as a member of the Wildcat water polo team. He was known as a potent scoring threat and a fearless defender.
After graduating with a degree in Social Science in 1965, Mark went off to serve with the U.S. Navy until 1970 as a naval aviator with two tours during the Vietnam war.
After returning to civilian life, Mark worked for nearly a decade in underground construction before starting up his own successful landscaping business.
Mark has been married to his “wonderful and spirited” wife Sandie for 30 years. They are the proud parents of three lovely daughters and the proud grandparents of three.
Mark still enjoys swimming on a regular basis and also keeps in shape through his practice of yoga and Aikido.
Tami Stallions-Taylor
Basketball (1980-83)
Tami Stallions-Taylor played for the Wildcats over 20 years ago. A lot has changed during that time period, including the addition of the three-point shot, year-round training, etc. But one thing remains consistent, and that is the inclusion of Tami’s name among the all-time best in Wildcat women’s basketball history.
Tami was a threat on both sides of the court. On the offensive end, she was one of the team’s leading scorers, and in fact, set a new school record for most points in a season during her senior campaign. She finished her career with 834 total points, which still ranks fifth all-time. But Tami’s game wasn’t all about scoring. Her ability to make others around her better were reflected in her 158 career assists, still among the top 10 all-time at Chico State.
On the defensive end of the court, Tami was a shot-blocking machine. Her 84 career blocks is fourth all-time for the Wildcats and her 120 steals ranks her among the top eight. She culminated her brilliant career in 1983 by being named first team all-Northern California Athletic Conference as well as West Region Academic All-America.
Following graduation, Tami did student teaching and coached at Pleasant Valley High School before moving on to Ocala Middle School. She is now at Las Plumas High School in Oroville where she has been teaching and coaching since 1987.
Tami and her family continue to be involved with sports through recreational teams, Little League and other youth sport programs.
David Isamu Tamori
Wrestling (1969-70)
David Isamu Tamori is the second of three sons parented by Shoji and Shizu Tamori of Concord. His father is a U.S. Army World War II veteran and member of the 442nd RCT that served in Europe, while his family, and David’s mother’s family, were interned at various sites in the United States.
David was introduced to the sport of wrestling in a freshman high school physical education class where the instructor encouraged him to try out for the team. A smart move indeed, as David went on to capture two North Coast Section championships as a member of the Ygnacio Valley High team.
After high school, David continued his wrestling career at Diablo Valley Junior College and won a Northern California championship. Despite being recruited by such powerhouse schools like UCLA and the University of Oregon, David chose to attend Chico State because of its small size. He went on to win two Far West Conference championships under head coach Dick Trimmer and was named the school’s outstanding wrestler for those two years.
Daivd is a veteran of seven years in the U.S. Army Reserves, and currently is a Visual Arts Teacher, department chairman, and head wrestling coach at Oroville High School. This is now his 31st year in education, and he plans to continue to teach and coach for six more years. David has earned several awards for his achievements in education, including the California Art Education Secondary Art Educator of the Year in 1992.
David and his wife Carolee enjoy sharing their lives with their three daughters, Tina Eakens, Leanna Lunsford and Mesha Mar. They are also the proud grandparents of three; Marcus, Ashley and Chase.
Joddie Vossler-Gleason
Basketball (1989-93)
Any mention of Chico State women’s basketball over the last 10-15 years invariably starts with the words “Joddie Vossler.”
Joddie is arguably the most complete player to ever wear the Wildcat uniform. A combination of finesse and power, Vossler could dominate a game like few players can — playing tight defense on one end of the court and scoring the winning bucket on the other end.
Vossler’s accomplishments are long and impressive. First and foremost, she remains the only Chico State women’s basketball player to be twice named to the Kodak All-America team. She still holds the Wildcat record for the highest single season scoring average at 19.6 points per game, and is second all-time in total points scored with 1,673. She was voted first team All-Northern California Athletic Conference two times; was the NCAC Player of the Year in 1991-92 and Chico State’s Senior Athlete of the Year in 1992-93.
Joddie excelled in the classroom as well, being named the NCAC Student-Athlete of the Year as a senior and being voted on to the GTE Academic Division II All-America team in 1991-92. Her success on the court and in the classroom led her to being nominated for the coveted NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Her success as a player has led to success as a coach. After spending the first three years after graduation as an assistant in the Wildcat program, she gained more experience as a coach in the Colusa Unified School District. In 1999, she was named the head women’s basketball coach at Butte JC where she led the Roadrunners to three straight conference championships, two Elite Eight tournament appearances, and a cumulative record of 120-42.
This year marks another level of achievement for Joddie as she was selected to be the new head coach at Humboldt State University.
Terrianne Young-Brown
Basketball (1978-82)
Terrianne Young-Brown was a key component of Fran Coslet’s powerful Wildcat basketball teams of the 1970s and early 1980s. During her four years on the hardwood for Chico State, the Wildcats posted a cumulative won-loss record of 68-36 and captured the 1979-90 Golden State Conference championship.
Terrianne improved every season she played under coach Coslet, culminating in an outstanding senior campaign that saw her honored as the Golden State Conference Athlete of the Year and Chico State’s Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year. Additionally, she was named to the District 8 Academic All-America squad by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
After graduating with a degree in Economics and a double minor in Collective Bargaining and Business Administration, Terrianne began working at the NoRTEC, a federally funded job training agency. She is currently the Program Operations Director for this program. This past summer, Terrianne returned to school to work on entering a credential program so she can teach high school economics, history, and government.
Terrianne’s love for basketball has not waned. She began coaching hoops at Paradise Junior High in 1995 and became the coach of the freshman squad at Paradise High in 2000. In the upcoming 2004-05 season, Terrianne will take over the junior varsity program and will also continue to assist at the varsity level.
Dr. Cheryl Maglischo
Professor, Physical Education
Cheryl Maglischo touched the hearts and souls of many people. Through her love for learning, she helped thousands of students achieve their undergraduate and master’s degrees in the area of biomechanics. Students she helped along the way have commented that Cheryl was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, kind, and giving. She encouraged students and faculty alike to strive to be the best that they could be.
Dr. Maglischo achieved a long and distinguished career as an educator, mentor, author and researcher. She was a professor in the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science at Chico State for 30 years. She taught courses in biomechanics and research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and she chaired hundreds of master’s theses and projects. In 1995, she retired as a full professor and immediately was awarded emeritus status for her years of outstanding and distinguished service to the department and university.
Dr. Cheryl Maglischo left a strong legacy of the pursuit of knowledge and the love for learning. In honor of her memory, the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science named the biomechanics lab in her honor. The lab will continue to honor her legacy well by fostering student learning through the use of scientific equipment and hands-on instructional and research activities.
Gary Houser
Asst. Football Coach (1979-89)
Head Football Coach (1989-96)
Gary Houser served as a teacher and coach at Chico State for 17 years beginning in 1979 until 1996. He came to Chico to take over the defensive coordinator responsibilities and held that position for 10 years under head coaches Dick Trimmer and Mike Belloti.
When Bellotti left Chico State in 1989, Gary was the natural choice for the head coaching position. Proving quickly that his knowledge of the game was on both sides of the ball, Houser led his Cats to a #1 offensive ranking for all of Division II in his first year at the helm. Houser was instrumental in the success enjoyed by 2003 Hall of Fame inductee, Rob Tomlinson. Nearly 15 years after his last game, Tomlinson still ranks among the all-time passing leaders in Division II football history, and he can thank Houser for his development as a quarterback.
Gary was an outstanding player in his own right, earning a full scholarship to play at Oregon State. He earned First Team All-Pac 8 honors as a senior, and was chosen to play in both the Hula Bowl and the East/West Shrine game.
For all of his 17 years at Chico State, Gary was known as a player’s coach. His players and fellow coaches gained a deep and lasting feeling of respect for coach Houser. For many year, football was a great experience at Chico State and Gary helped make it so.
After leaving Chico State, Gary moved on to the business world where he enjoyed impressive success in pharmaceutical sales. But the draw of college athletics brought him back into the fold, and in 1999, he was named Director of Athletics at Shasta Junior College. Three years later, he was selected as the Dean of Public Safety, Physical Education and Athletics.
Gary and his wife Terry have been married for 35 years. They have many fond memories of their time in Chico, and Chico State Athletics will always remember Gary and his entire family.
