Dana Vollmer, John Mann Elected to Cal Hall of Fame

dana-vollmer-
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Seven highly accomplished individuals and a storied varsity 8 crew have been elected into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame. Together, they represent the 34th class of inductees, and they will enshrined the weekend of Nov. 8-9 in Berkeley.
Those who have been chosen for the Hall of Fame are:

  • 1964 men’s varsity 8 – undefeated boat earned the IRA national championship
  • Kelly Anderson (softball, 2002-05) – pitched Cal into the NCAA title game in back-to-back years
  • Calen Carr (men’s soccer, 2002-05) – named the 2005 Pac-10 Player of the Year
  • Valentina Godfrid (field hockey, 2003-06) – first-team All-American is Cal’s all-time leading scorer
  • John Mann (men’s water polo, 2003-06) – two-time Olympian won Pete Cutino Award as a senior
  • Holly McPeak (volleyball, 1987-89) – the 1987 National Freshman of the Year
  • Diane Ninemire (softball coach, 1988-present) – guided Cal to the 2002 NCAA championship
  • Dana Vollmer (women’s swimming, 2007-09) – 2009 Swimmer of the Year and 7-time Olympic medalist

Formal induction ceremonies are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 8, at the annual Hall of Fame banquet inside the Pauley Ballroom at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union on campus. Information on tickets to the banquet can be found online at bigcsociety.org. The new inductees will also be honored on the field during Cal’s Nov. 9 football game vs. Washington State at California Memorial Stadium.

With the addition of the new members, the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame now features 315 individuals and seven rowing teams. The school’s Hall of Fame, which is located on the west side of Memorial Stadium and is open to all ticket holders after each home game, was inaugurated in 1986.

Dana Vollmer (women’s swimming, 2007-09) – Named the 2009 CSCAA National Swimmer of the Year and the Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year as a senior, Vollmer was the recipient of the Honda Sports Award as the top female collegiate swimmer in 2009. A three-time team MVP, she captured individual NCAA titles in the 100-yard butterfly (2007), 100-yard free (2009), 200-yard free (2009) and was a part of five winning relays over the course of her Cal career. As a senior, she led Cal to its first team NCAA championship. Vollmer is a three-time Olympian (2004, 2012, 2016) and has earned seven medals (5 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), including gold in the 100-meter fly in 2012 and silver in the 100-meter fly in 2016. She set a world record in the 100 fly at the 2012 Olympics, becoming the first woman to swim in the event in under 56 seconds. Overall, she has set a world record six times during her career and owns 35 international medals.
1964 men’s varsity 8 – Cal’s varsity 8 completed an undefeated season in 1964, winning the Pacific Coast Duel Race Championship, the Western Intercollegiate Championship and the IRA Championship – the first crew in Cal history to claim all three titles in one season. The boat later competed at the 1964 Olympic Trials and advanced all the way to the final. Members of the boat were: Edward Bradbury, Alan Mooers, John Sellers, Michael Paige, Malcom Thornley, Scott Gregg, August Shilling, Steven Johnson and cox James Libien.

Kelly Anderson (softball, 2002-05) – As Cal’s ace in 2005, Anderson led Cal to a Pac-10 championship, tallying 28 of the Bears’ 52 wins that season. A three-time All-Pac-10 selection, she ranks second all-time at Cal with seven no-hitters in her career. Anderson was a member of Cal’s 2002 Women’s College World Series championship team and helped the Bears to three more appearances in Oklahoma City, including the NCAA final in both 2003 and ’04 when she was named to the WCWS All-Tournament teams. Off the diamond, Anderson claimed 2004 and ’05 Pac-10 All-Academic first-team honors and was a 2003 second-team selection.

Calen Carr (men’s soccer, 2002-05) – Carr was voted the 2005 Pac-10 Player of the Year as a senior when he scored a team-leading 13 goals – most for a Golden Bear in 30 years – along with four assists. He was also named a College Soccer News and Soccer America first-team All-American that season. A three-time first-team All-Pac-10 choice, Carr earned first-team Pac-12 All-Academic honors twice. During his career, Cal advanced to the NCAA Tournament each season, reaching the fourth round in 2005 – the furthest the Bears have ever advanced. Carr played professionally in the MLS with the Chicago Fire (he was a first-round draft pick) and Houston Dynamo from 2006-13. He currently works for the MLS and serves as an online host for MLSScoccer.com and the Extratime Radio Podcast.

Valentina Godfrid (field hockey, 2003-06) – Named a first-team All-American as a senior in 2006, Godfrid was a three-time NorPac Conference Player of the Year, as well as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year her junior season. She is Cal’s career leader in goals scored (93) – more than twice as many as any other Golden Bear – and total points (220). Godfrid also holds the top three season goal totals, including a record 33 goals her senior year. A third-team All-American as a junior and a four-time All-NorPac choice, she led Cal to four consecutive conference titles and to three NCAA Tournament berths.

John Mann (men’s water polo, 2003-06) – A two-time U.S. Olympian (2012, 2016) and starter at center for Team USA at the 2016 Olympics, Mann was a member of multiple USA teams that competed at the World Championships, Pan Am Games and World League events, earning a gold medal at the 2007 and 2015 Pan American Games. While at Cal, Mann received the Pete Cutino Award as the nation’s top collegiate player as a senior in 2006 when he helped the Bears to the NCAA title. The three-time All-American ranks third on Cal’s all-time scoring list with 218 goals. Mann, an international relations major, was presented the Pac-10 Medal as Cal’s top male senior student-athlete for the 2006-07 academic year.

Holly McPeak (volleyball, 1987-89) – McPeak played at Cal for three seasons, leading the Bears in assists each time. During her rookie year, she was named the 1987 National Freshman of the Year and to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team. McPeak set Cal records (since broken) for both season assists (1,380 in 1988) and career assists (3,819). Her 79 assists vs. Oregon in 1989 remain a school match record. A three-time Olympian in beach volleyball, winning a bronze medal in 2004, McPeak was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2009. She currently serves as a commentator for the Pac-12 Network.

Diane Ninemire (softball coach, 1988-present) – The winningest coach in Cal history for any sport, Ninemire has guided the Cal softball team for 32 years and accumulated 1,345 victories during her career. She has guided Cal to 30 trips to the NCAA Tournament, qualifying for the Women’s College World Series 12 times and winning the national title in 2002 – the first NCAA team championship for a women’s sport at Cal. During one remarkable stretch, she led Cal to seven consecutive trips to the WCWS, including three straight appearances in the NCAA title game (2002-04). Ninemire has mentored 19 players to All-America status and more than 160 All-Pac-12 performers. She was voted the 1991 and 2012 Pac-12 Coach of the Year and inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame in 2009.

— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Cal. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.

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