2007 Inductees
Four Athletes And A Coach Elected To Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame
FOREST GROVE – An Olympic gold medalist, a three-sport standout and the winningest coach in Pacific women's basketball history lead the 2007 induction class of the Pacific University Athletic Hall of Fame.
A.C. Gilbert, Lisa Harings and coach David Olmsted headline the class, which will be inducted in the Hall of Fame on Sat., Oct. 20. Joining the three are baseball standout Leon Meade and record-holding quarterback Ralph Nickerson.
The induction ceremony will be held on Sat., Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m., at Pacific's Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center. Admission to the ceremony is free. An invitation-only dinner for inductees and current hall of fame members will be held prior to the ceremony in the Pacific Athletic Center.
A.C.
Gilbert competed on Pacific teams at the turn of the 20th century,
including for two years while a student at the University's preparatory
school, Tualatin Academy. Gilbert excelled at football, wrestling, boxing
and track and field. He trained in 1902 under the legendary Bill Hayward
and in 1903 led the Pacific track team to the state collegiate championship.
In 1903, The Oregonian lauded Gilbert as “the best quarterback to be found
in Oregon.” Gilbert transferred to Yale in 1904 and in 1908 won the Olympic
gold medal in the pole vault. His innovations in track and field, including
using a flexible bamboo pole and digging a hole in which he inserted his
pole for stability, were forerunners of current practices in the sport.
As Gilbert did not earn his degree from Pacific, Gilbert is being inducted
in the "honorary" category.
Lisa
Harings transferred to Pacific from Oregon State in 1993 and went
on to play significant roles in basketball, soccer and softball. Harings
was a three-year letterwinner in basketball, earning First Team All-Northwest
Conference in 1994 and 1996 and led the 1995-96 Boxers to the NAIA Division
II National Tournament. She holds the Pacific single-game record for assists
and the led the NWC in assists in 1995-96. On the soccer field, Harings
was a three-time First Team All-NWC selection. She is tied for the single
season record for assists with eight and ranks third for points in a season.
In softball, Harings led the 1995 team with a .440 batting average and
holds the single season record for triples.
Leon
Meade was a key member of Coach Chuck Bafaro's highly competitive
Pacific baseball teams in the late 1960s. A four-year starter at second
base, Meade earned First Team All-NWC honors in 1967 and 1968 and earned
NAIA District II honors in 1967 while batting .340. His .320 average in
1968 helped lead the Boxers to the NWC championship. Meade played the 1969
and 1970 seasons despite suffering severe hamstring injuries. In the 1990s,
Bafaro named the baseball team's most inspirational player award in Meade's
honor.
Ralph
Nickerson earned First Team All-NWC honors in 1972 and 1973 after
transferring to Pacific from Arizona State. Nickerson was the quarterback
of a 1972 Boxers' team that just missed the NWC championship with an 8-1
record. He threw for 1,414 yards in 1972 and 1,386 yards in 1973, leading
the conference both seasons. Nickerson battled injuries his final two years
and missed most of the 1974 campaign. He continues to hold Pacific single
game records for yards passing, touchdown passes, longest rushing play
and longest passing play.
David
Olmsted led the Pacific women's basketball program for 13 seasons,
winning four Northwest Conference titles and leading the Boxers to the
NAIA Division II National Tournament twice. After compiling a 13-14 mark
in 1987-88, Olmsted led the Boxers to the NWC championship in 1989 with
a 21-6 mark, beginning a string a four consecutive conference crowns. The
Boxers won the NAIA District II championship in 1990 with a school record
27-3 mark and appeared in the NAIA National Tournament in 1992 and 1996.
Olmsted was voted the NWC Coach of the Year in 1989, 1991 and 1992 and
the NAIA District II Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1991. His record of
196-150 is best in program history in terms of total wins and winning percentage.