Submitted by Saint Martin’s University
Saint Martin’s University is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the annual Athletics Hall of Fame and Hall of Honoron Friday, February 13, as part of the University’s Homecoming 2015 festivities to be held February 13 – 15 for alumni.
The Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor Celebration is an annual event that recognizes those who have contributed to the excellence of the Saint Martin’s athletics program.
Past celebrations have included formal inductions of selected alumni into the Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor. This year, in recognition of the silver anniversary of the event, all past inductees are invited to the celebration and inductees in attendance will receive a Saint Martin’s one-quarter jacket with the Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor logo. Families of deceased inductees who attend the event will be recognized with certificates.
A social hour will begin at 6 p.m. in the University’s Marcus Pavilion, 5300 Pacific Ave. SE, with the Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor festivities to follow at 7 p.m. in the pavilion. Refreshments for the social will include heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine. Guests are asked to register for the event. The cost of attendance is $15
The scheduled speakers for the Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor celebration are as follows:
Vince Strojan ’68
Induction Class of 1992
Men’s Basketball
Vince Strojan, a 6-3 forward from Fife, was a four-year varsity letterman in basketball at Saint Martin’s College and ended up playing professionally and had a tryout with the Seattle SuperSonics. He led the 1967-68 team that set three college scoring records and won 23 games. Strojan scored 600 points in the 1967-68 season and set a Saint Martin’s career scoring record with 1,736 points, breaking the previous record of 1,235 points. During the 1967-68 season, he scored 30 or more points on six occasions and was named to the first-team NAIA District I All-Star team. He was chosen the team’s Most Valuable Player and was Co-Captain of the team. He was drafted by the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association and he played briefly for the Seattle SuperSonics. He was inducted into the Saint Martin’s Hall of Fame in 1992.
Emily (Shipman) Thomas ’02
Induction Class of 2013
Track & Field
Emily Thomas was the first Saint Martin’s track and field athlete to win a conference title. In 2001 she claimed the PacWest individual title in the 3,000 m steeplechase. Thomas earned all-conference honors in her final two seasons in the event. She still owns the school record and also has the third-fastest time in GNAC history in the 2,000 m steeplechase. During her time at Saint Martin’s, she set many school records, including those in the 10 K, 5 K and 3 K as well as multiple records in cross country. Thomas was inducted into the Saint Martin’s Hall of Fame in 2013.
George Parker ’71
Induction Class of 1997
Men’s Basketball
At the close of his outstanding career at Saint Martin’s College (1966-1970), George Parker had scored 1,182 points. He was a unanimous NAIA All-District selection and led the district in rebound, and led his team in both scoring and rebounding. His career scoring ranked him seventh in Saints history. At the time of his graduation, his career scoring was fourth in school history. He was inducted into the Saint Martin’s Hall of Fame in 1997.
Adolfo Capestany
Induction Class of 2013
Hall of Honor
Since 1985, Adolfo Capestany has been “the voice at the pavilion,” volunteering his time as the school’s public address announcer for men’s and women’s basketball games. He served as the volunteer Sports Information Director for the institution for nearly 15 years. Throughout the years, he has given his time and resources to a variety of fundraising activities, including the Saint Martin’s Athletic Foundation, where he served as Vice President, as well as the annual Saint Martin’s golf tournament, athletic department crab feed and auction. Capestany was inducted into the Saint Martin’s Hall of Fame in 2013.
