It wasn't unusual during the early years of women's athletics at Sonoma State for a female student-athlete to compete in more than one sport. What was unusual was to be able to compete in more than one sport at the level of success and skill that Sandy Kacharos reached.
Sandy was a first in several areas for Sonoma State athletics. She was voted the school's first SSU Female Athlete of the Year in 1981 after being the first female athlete to earn All-America honors, an award she won for her performance in the heptathlon at the 1981 NCAA Track & Field Championships.
As a track and field student-athlete, Sandy obviously was versatile - you have to be to compete in the heptathlon! She held the record at SSU in the javelin from 1983-1988 and still ranks fourth all-time in the high jump, javelin and the heptathlon.
Sandy was able to bring that same versatility and energy level to the volleyball court. In 1982, Sandy was voted first team all-conference and was a key member of the Cossack squad that finished in third place at the 1982 NCAA Volleyball Championships where she earned All-Tournament honors.
Her head coach at the time, and the woman who inducted Sandy, Vivian Fritz, said that she had to recruit Sandy to SSU for her back row defensive skills. But her athletic ability was such that Coach Fritz ended up moving her to the front line as an outside hitter and middle blocker.
"She was one of the most intense and focused players that I have ever coached," said Fritz.
In 2000, Sandy was awarded the City of Santa Rosa Citizenship Award for her quick action in helping stop the kidnapping of a six-year old child. Sandy's versatility apparently knows no limits.
