Class of 2010 Inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame
The eighth class of the Santa Ana College Athletic Hall of Fame was inducted on Sunday, October 3 in the courtyard of the Exercise Science Locker Room Complex. The ceremony was led by Santa Ana College alum and Class of 2009 Hall of Fame inductee Ed Arnold.
SANTA ANA, CA - The eighth class of the Santa Ana College Athletic Hall of Fame was inducted on Sunday, October 3 in the courtyard of the Exercise Science Locker Room Complex. The ceremony was led by Santa Ana College alum and Class of 2009 Hall of Fame inductee Ed Arnold.
The Class of 2010 consists of Frank Andruski (football), Heath Bell (baseball), Rolland Todd (coach, men’s basketball) and Ana Velazquez (women’s soccer and softball). The Athletic Hall of Fame Executive Committee Inductee was Ken Purcell.
New this year is the addition of the team induction. The first team inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame was a pair of teams, the 1940 and 1942 National Champion football teams. Accepting on behalf of the football teams was Bill Gulley who played on the 1942 team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Each inductee gave a speech at the ceremony including Heath Bell's recorded acceptance speech. His former teammate at SAC, Kevin Duck, accepted Bell's induction on his behalf.
Among the highlights of the ceremony were Gulley reminiscing about games that he played for former coach Bill Cook and Frank Andruski's tearful acceptance speech while thanking his former coach, Myrel Moore.
Current women's soccer coach Jodi Coffman spoke on behalf of the youngest member of the induction class, Ana Velazquez, who has returned as a volunteer coach. Velazquez spoke fondly of her time playing for Coffman and softball coach Kim Nutter.
Ken Purcell, who normally speaks at the event as the chairman of the Athletic Hall of Fame, had his role reversed as he accepted his induction into the Hall of Fame.
Purcell spoke strongly on the work that the Hall of Fame has done to honor past coaches and student-athletes as well as the work it is doing to support the current teams at SAC.
The Santa Ana College Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 2003 to celebrate, recognize and honor the accomplishments of individuals who have made significant contributions as a student-athlete, coach, team or friend to the rich tradition of the Santa Ana College athletic program.
In order to be eligible for induction, all athletes must have last competed at least five years prior to induction and coaches must have not coached for at least two years. Teams can be considered five years after their last competition.
The Hall of Fame is an affiliate organization of the Santa Ana College Foundation and is dedicated to preserving the college's athletic history while providing new opportunities to transferring student-athletes through scholarships.