Chico State Athletics

Tom Carter Basketball (1965-68) Soccer (1968-70)	David Rottenberg Wrestling (1975-78)
Wendy Cotton Soccer (1993-95) Softball (1994-95)	Bill Schipper Track and Field (1962-64) Cross Country (1962-64) Basketball (1962)
Debra Doman Swimming (1970-74) Basketball (1970-74) Tennis (1970-72)	Rick Steen Football (1964-67) Baseball (1965-66) Rugby (1968-70)
E. L. “Bud” Gott Football (1940-42, 1946) Track and Field (1940-41)	Honorary Royal Courtain KHSL-TV Sports Director (1979-2001)
Larry Nees Soccer (1974-75, 77-78)	Skip Reager Chico Enterprise-Record Sports Editor (1962-2001)

Tom Carter
Basketball (1965-68)
Soccer (1968-70)

There have been plenty of two-sport athletes in the history of Chico State, but very few have had the versatility to play both soccer and basketball at the high level that Tom Carter did for the Cats in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

As goalkeeper for the Wildcats, he led his team to the 1970 Far West Conference championship and then later to the West Region championship. The Cats won the regional championship in dominating fashion with Tom not allowing a goal in the tournament. That shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise as Tom set the single season school record for “goals-against” allowing a miniscule 0.60 per game. He concluded his soccer career with a “goals-against” mark of just 0.80 per game. Both of those records still stand after 35 years.

Tom earned his BA in Physical Education in 1970 and his MA with honors in 1975. Following graduation, Tom began his teaching and coaching career, in the most unlikely of places - Australia. After a few years in the outback, Tom returned to the United States and began his long career at Paradise High School. At Paradise HS, Tom has served as girls basketball coach and boys tennis coach as well as serving the students as an instructor in the math department. Over the years, Tom has earned a reputation for producing winning teams known for their high levels of sportsmanship and fair play.

Tom has been actively involved in his community. He has served as the director of officials for the Chico Youth Soccer League as well as coaching several teams over the years. He has also volunteered his time for the past 25 years as tournament director for the Paradise girls basketball tournament.

Wendy Cotton
Soccer (1993-95)
Softball (1994-95)

An offensive dynamo in both soccer and softball, Wendy Cotton enters the Chico State Athletic Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility with good reason.

On the soccer field, she was nearly unstoppable. As a sophomore on coach Bob Russ’ 1993 team, Wendy scored 19 goals and totaled 47 points in helping lead the Wildcats to a 7th place national ranking. For her performance, she was named first team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Proving her first year was no fluke, Wendy came back in 1994 with another 19 goal performance in route to 45 points, the highest total in the nation. Teaming with Nicky Benson, the duo were a frightening 1-2 punch for any opponent to have to face.

Wendy capped off her brilliant soccer career at Chico State in 1995 by earning her third straight first team All-West Region award, leading the team with 13 goals. Ten years later, Wendy’s Wildcat records still stand tall. Her 51 career goals is 16 more than her nearest competitor and her 124 career points is a mark that may never be approached.

As part of the Wildcat softball squad for two years, Wendy earned first team all-conference honors in 1995. She remains the school’s career leader in batting average at .342, and is among the career
leaders in runs batted in, slugging percentage and stolen bases.

Debra Doman
Swimming (1970-74)
Basketball (1970-74)
Tennis (1970-72)

Debra Doman entered Chico State in the fall of 1970 and graduated in 1974. While attending Chico State, she competed in swimming and basketball for four seasons and competed in tennis for two seasons. Swimming was Debra’s primary sport and she was a two time conference champion in 1970 as the 25 meter free champion and in 1971 as the 50 meter freestyle conference champion. In addition, she was the team record holder in the 100 freestyle from 1972 through 1974.

Following her athletic career, Debra remained at Chico State as a part time instructor and assistant swim coach. In 1979, she was named the head coach of the women’s swim team. By the conclusion of her 15-year coaching career, she had twice earned Coach of the Year honors as well as having coached an incredible 37 All Americans.

In 1989, Debra became associated with the Special Olympics program as a swim coach. She soon became the Area Director for Butte County (1991) and the Aquatics Commissioner for Special Olympics, Northern California (1994). In 1999 Debra was selected to coach the SONC team at the Special Olympic International World Games.

Debra’s professional career at Chico State continues, and is centered around the training of future teachers. Her areas of instruction have included: Adapted Physical Education, the teaching of swimming to adolescence in the school setting, the teaching of elementary physical education, in addition to supervising student teachers in regular and adapted physical education and health K-12.

E. L. “Bud” Gott
Football (1940-42, 1946)
Track & Field (1940-41)

Bud Gott enrolled at Chico State in the fall of 1940 after graduating from Oroville High School. He participated in football and track and field for the Wildcats until 1942 when, like so many men of his generation, his collegiate career was put on hold because of World War II.

Bud served in the Marine Corps in the South Pacific. Bud’s unit was involved in the battle for Iwo Jima, a battle that raged for 36 days. Three days before the island was secured by Allied forces, Bud suffered wounds from a hand grenade.

After the war, Bud returned to Chico State where he played a final year of football, became class president, and was chairman of the Pioneer Days festivities. He received his BA in 1947 and then continued his education at Columbia University in New York where he earned his MA.

Bud’s teaching and coaching career began at Vacaville High School where he served for 11 years. He coached football, basketball, baseball and track as well as serving at various times as Dean of Students, Vice Principal and finally, Assistant Superintendent. In 1958, he became superintendent of the Clarksburg Public Schools, a position he held for three years before assuming the job of superintendent of Corning Union High School. Bud served the Corning school district with great distinction until his retirement in 1985.

Bud has always believed in being involved in the community. Over the years, he has served and been associated with several organizations including the Corning Chamber of Commerce and the Vacaville and Corning Rotary clubs. He is currently a member of both the Chico State Alumni Association and the Columbia University Alumni Association, as well as the American Legion Raisner Post #45, the Black Butte Scottish Rite Club and the Vacaville Masonic Lodge.

Larry Nees
Soccer (1974-75, 77-78)

Larry Nees was a member of the Chico State soccer teams that won two Far West Conference championships and participated in two NCAA regional championships in 1974 and 1977. An all-conference choice all four years in a Wildcat uniform, Larry was named to the all-Far West Region squad in 1978. His most prestigious honor as a collegiate player was to be selected along with teammate Danny Payne, to play in the Senior Bowl with all Division I players. After his senior season, Larry was drafted in the second round of the North American Soccer League by the Tulsa Roughnecks.

Larry has also enjoyed a very successful coaching career. He began as an assistant coach to Don Batie and the Wildcats in 1980. At the same time, he served as the head coach for the Chico State women’s club soccer team that soon evolved into the existing varsity squad. Larry left Chico to coach at Eastern Illinois University in 1982 before returning to assist the Chico State men’s soccer program during the 1984 and 1985 seasons. From 1987 to 1996, Larry served as the assistant men’s coach at Southern Methodist University as well as being the assistant coach for the women’s program from 1994 through 1996. In 1998, Larry returned to the Wildcat staff as an assistant coach under Mike O’Malley and was instrumental in the team’s trip to the national championship game in 2003.

Larry’s record of service to the soccer community is outstanding. He has been involved in the development of almost every phase of organized soccer for youth and adults. He has served as a club coach in both California and Texas and was a National Soccer Coaches Association of America regional staff instructor form 1994-96. He is currently a staff coach for the Butte County Special Olympics.

David Rottenberg
Wrestling (1975-78)

To say that wrestling has been an important part of David Rottenberg’s life would be an understatement. An all-conference wrestler for the Wildcats in 1976-77 and 1977-78, David posted a combined 36-23-2 record during those years in helping lead the Cats to a combined 20-6-1 mark.

After earning his degree in Physical Education from Chico State in 1978, David remained as an assistant to coach Armand Brett before earning his teaching credential and heading out on his own.

After coaching at Hamilton High School and Chico High, David landed the job that he still holds to this day. As a teacher and coach at Red Bluff High School, David has earned the respect of his student-athletes as well as his coaching contemporaries. His goal if for his wrestlers to respect their sport after they graduate from high school. If league championships or section championships are part of the package, so much the better. But the most important message that he passes on is that the sport deserves respect.

David has served the sport of wrestling in Northern California in other ways. For over 14 years, he served as the Northern California Commissioner for USA Wrestling. He also represented the North on the State Board of Directors for California USA Wrestling. In high school sports, he has served for many years on the Northern Section CIF Coaches committee and has been the north section representative to the Commissioner of Athletics and the State Rules Committee.

Bill Schipper
Track &Field (1962-64)
Cross Country (1962-64)
Basketball (1962)

For someone who never ran track in high school, Bill Schipper proved that he was a quick study in both athletics and academics.

After graduating from Torrance High, Bill immediately went to work, not on his degree, but as the assistant sports editor for the South Bay Daily Breeze. In that position, he had the thrill of covering the 1959 World Series between the Dodgers and White Sox. After serving as sports editor of the Torrance Herald, Bill enrolled at Chico State in the spring of 1961. By the end of his collegiate athletic career, he would hold three school records and earn several awards, including being named All-America for his third place finish in the 1964 mile run at the NCAA national championships.

Bill graduated with a degree in political science, and while enrolled in grad school at Chico, became Chico High School’s first cross country coach and assistant track coach. It was in the position of assistant track coach where Bill had the distinction of coaching Sam “The Flash” Simmons to a 1:58.2 time in the 880 in the North Section finals.

Bill was later hired as a teacher at Pleasant Valley High and moved on in 1967 to the position of cross country coach at UOP. In 1974, Bill earned his Ph.D and was one of just six students in the U.S. to learn and help implement Special Education programs on a national level. Since then, he has earned countless awards for his exceptional service to youth with disabilities. Bill is currently the academic dean at Strayer University in Alexandria, VA.

Rick Steen
Football (1964-67)
Baseball (1965-66)
Rugby (1968-70)

Seldom do student athletes who choose to go into teaching and coaching achieve the respect, success and accolades from their peers, both locally and internationally, that Rick Steen has earned.

Rick was an all-around athlete, playing four years on the Wildcat football team and two years with the Wildcat baseball squad. After earning his BA in Physical Education in 1968, Rick continued to play rugby for many years in Chico and the Bay Area, and was selected the MVP of the Chico State team in 1969.

Though he played football for four years, baseball was Rick’s passion. His dedication to the sport, both in this country and in Europe is immeasurable. Not only did he take it upon himself to teach and coach baseball in Europe in the Fullbright Teacher Exchange program, he then made himself available to return to various European countries to teach the game to their aspiring athletes.

In 1995, Major League Baseball International selected Rick to work with a few other coaches to conduct what they referred to as the Road Show in Covent Gardens, London. His involvement in the Road Show led to his being named the head coach of the Ireland National Team in 1998. As coach of the national team, he led the squad in competition against squads from Finland, Portugal, Yuogoslavia, Austria, Norway, Switzerland...the list is endless.

Rick’s main coaching job, however, has been as the leader of the baseball program at San Ramon Valley High School. There he has built a program that is considered one of the finest high school programs in Northern California. In leading his team to several league and section championships, Rick has established himself as one of the top coaches in the state. In 2004, Rick was named California State Baseball Coach of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports magazine.

Royal Courtain
KHSL-TV Sports Director (1979-2001)

Royal Courtain graduated from Troy High School in Fullerton in 1974. He attended Fullerton JC before enrolling at Chico State in 1978. Royal was involved in athletics while a student as a member of the football team, but his true calling was in the field of communications, an area in which he received his diploma in 1980.

Prior to graduation, Royal began working at KHSL-TV. He became the sports director and held that position for 22 years. During those years, Royal covered all of the area sporting events, both at the high school and college level. His complete coverage would include pre-game interviews with coaches and players, filming highlights of the game, and then quickly heading back to the studio to edit, write and broadcast the results.

When Chico State reached the College World Series, Royal was there covering all of the action for KHSL. He has been a fixture at Wildcat sporting events for years, and has also lent his talents as a master of ceremonies when needed.

Royal left KHSL in 2001 and went to work for KRCR-TV as a sales executive and part-time sports reporter. In addition to his new job, Royal opened a sporting goods business for the area schools. He continued to enjoy great rapport with all of the area coaches and found himself working day and night to meet their needs. After three years, Royal realized his three children were growing up fast and he no longer had the time to be the caring and supportive parent he wanted to be. He sold Royal’s Team Sports in 2004 but continues to work for KRCR-TV.

Skip Reager
Chico Enterprise-Record Sports Editor (1962-2001)

Like Royal Courtain, Skip Reager’s name has been synonymous with media coverage of Wildcat athletics. For nearly 40 years, Skip worked as a sportswriter for the Chico Enterprise Record covering the ups and downs throughout the many years. For the last 17 years of his E-R career, Skip served additional duties as sports editor, a tough job in a town with so many factions vying for coverage.

But his additional duties did not keep Skip chained to a chair in the office. He still accompanied the Wildcats whenver he could, be it down to UC Davis to cover a football game, over to Sonoma State for basketball, or all the way to Alabama for the baseball College World Series, Skip brought the game back to those who couldn’t be there in person.

Skip has shown his devotion to Wildcat athletics over the years in a variety of ways. A member of the Wildcat Century Club board of directors for 20 years, Skip has helped the club raise thousands of dollars to benefit the student-athletes at Chico State. Skip was also part of the 12-person advisory committee that recommended Chico State’s admission into the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 1998. And now, even in retirement, Skip continues to be part of the Wildcat family by contributing to Wildcat Illustrated as both a writer and graphic designer and by taking hundreds of action photos every year for the department.