ROHNERT PARK -- The Sonoma State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics honored seven individuals and recognized the first Sonoma State team to win a national championship as part of the annual SSU Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony that took place last Saturday at the Student Center Ballroom on the Sonoma State campus.

Nearly 200 people attended the dinner and ceremony, including the friends and families of the six Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductees -- Andrew Bailey, Marlene Bles, Chelsea Hennan, Kristy Sather, Kevin Wong and Benjamin Ziemer.  Reverend Samuel Tharpe, a member of the first football team in school history, was given the first-ever Dr. G. Edward Rudloff Distinguished Student-Athlete Alumni Award, and members of the 1990 Sonoma State women's soccer team that won the NCAA Division II championship, were recognized to close out the program.

A four-year starter for the SSU men's soccer team, Andrew Bailey (Davis/Davis HS) is the program's all-time leader in goals scored (52) and points (126).  He also ranks 6th all-time with 22 assists and he has played in more games in a Sonoma State uniform (92) than anyone in the school's history.  His team's scoring leader as a freshman, sophomore, and junior, Bailey was a four-time First Team All-CCAA pick, a two-time CCAA Player of the Year, a two-time Daktronics West Region Player of the Year, and a two-time All-American.  Over his career, the Seawolves won four CCAA North Division titles and reached the NCAA Tournament twice.  Watch Andrew's introduction video here.

Chelsea Hennan (Healdsburg/Healdsburg HS/Santa Rosa JC) transferred to Sonoma State from nearby Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) and quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA).  Following a season that saw her score 72 goals (3rd in school history), Hennan became the program's first All-American as a senior in 2006.  That season she scored 66 goals and led the Seawolves to a 21-13 record, the best finish in school history.  Over her two seasons, the Seawolves went 47-30 overall.  Since completing her eligibility, Hennan has served as the assistant coach for the Sonoma State women's water polo team as well as the head coach at SRJC.  Watch Chelsea's introduction video here.

The starting shortstop for the Cossack baseball team in 1990 and 1991, Kevin Wong (Honolulu, HI/Kaiser HS/Santa Rosa JC) helped lead SSU to their first two conference championships and first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.  After a season that saw him hit .359 with 11 home runs as a junior, Wong became the first student-athlete in school history to hit .400 for a season when he hit the milestone right on the nose as a senior.  That year he was named a First Team All-West Region pick.  His .378 career batting average still ranks 2nd all-time and he's 6th all-time in slugging percentage (.606).  Following two seasons at Sonoma, Wong played professionally in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization.  Watch Kevin's introduction video here.

Kristy Sather (Santa Rosa/Maria Carrillo HS) may have only played two seasons at Sonoma State, but she sure made the most of them.  The first two-time All-CCAA pick in the program's history, Sather also became the school's first All-American after a phenomenal senior season in 2008.  Despite considerably fewer matches played than some of her counterparts in the record book, she still ranks 13th all-time in kills with 745.  A two-time All-West Region pick and SSU's Female Student-Athlete of the Year as a senior, Sather led the Seawolves to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years in 2008.  Watch Kristy's introduction video here.

The third member of the Ziemer family to be inducted, Benjamin Ziemer (Sebastopol/Analy HS) joins brothers Andrew and Christopher as members of the SSU Athletics Hall of Fame.  The oldest brother Marcus, who's own call to the hall will certainly come, was Benjamin's coach during a spectacular senior season that saw him score six goals and assist on nine others.  During that 1991 season, the Cossacks advanced all the way to the NCAA Division II Final.  Since graduating from Sonoma State, Ziemer has played professionally overseas and has been a successful coach, both at the club level and with the Sonoma State men's team.  In 2009 he led the Sonoma County Sol to a national championship and he is currently working with the Sacramento Republic FC Academy.  Watch Benjamin's introduction video here.

Over the last four decades of Sonoma State Athletics, it's doubtful anyone touched the lives of more people than Marlene Bles.  After joining Sonoma State University in 1969, Bles worked in the purchasing department and Physical Education before moving over to Athletics to work as administrative assistant to athletic director Ralph Barkey in 1981.  In a career that spanned 25 years in athletics, Bles was credited with running the business operation of the department as well as being an advocate and confidant of countless student-athletes, coaches, and staff members.  Watch Marlene's introduction video here.
 

Reverend Samuel Tharpe, the recipient of the inaugural Dr. G. Edward Rudloff Distinguished Student-Athlete Alumni Award, originally came to Sonoma State to work as a groundskeeper before enrolling in classes in 1968.  In the summer of 1969, he went out for Sonoma State's first-ever football team, all the while attending class full-time and working the night shift as a custodian.  As a testament to his dedication, Tharpe was named the team's Most Inspirational Player all three years and after earning his teaching credential, he went on to become the first African-American teacher and coach in the Petaluma school district.  In a long and distinguished career that ranged from junior high to junior college, Sam taught and coached wrestling and football, touching thousands of lives along the way.

In the 1970s, Tharpe became a minister and began his quest to help troubled youth in the community he called home.  He opened T's Academy in Rohnert Park to support struggling middle and high school students and was the inspiration for many of them to earn their high school and college degrees.  In 1994, he started the New Life Group Home, offering housing for troubled boys that were cast into foster homes and the juvenile judicial system and his annual Thanksgiving dinnners, which he ran for more than 20 years, fed over 1,200 people every year.  "The Rev", as he is known, was also well known for delivering dinners at Christmas time to those in need.  

A true pillar in the community and a native of Sarasota, Florida, Tharpe has bettered the lives of thousands of people and his message of love and redemption to all people is a model from which all can be inspired by.

The Distinguished Student-Athlete Alumni Award is named for SSU Hall of Famer Dr. G. Edward Rudloff, a pioneer coach and educator who first established the principles upon which intercollegiate athletics at Sonoma State University was founded.  Dr. Rudloff will be present at the ceremony to present the inaugural award.
 

Already inducted into the Hall of Fame as a team (in 2001), the 1990 women's soccer team holds the distinction of winning the first national championship in the history of Sonoma State University.  The Cossacks entered the NCAA championship tournament with a 12-4 mark in 1990, advancing past Barry University in a penalty shootout before meeting Keene State of New Hampshire in the final.  Thanks to a first half Shannon Maddock goal and an insurance tally from Stacy Ball in the second, the team cruised to a 2-0 victory.  

Individuals on the 1990 team that have already been inducted into the Hall of Fame as players include Kim Abbott, Tami Bradley, and Julie Cochran, however their title run was truly a team effort.  Said Cochran, " The team was a great group of people.  We had chemistry, we loved to be together, we had faith in each other's ability, we worked beyond belief, and we loved each other!  That time in my life and that group of people was truly a magical experience!".  Peter Reynaud, head coach and architect of the championship squad, was also on hand to celebrate the silver anniversary with 12 of his former student-athletes.

Click here for video highlights of Sonoma State's 1990 national championship game.

For more information regarding the Sonoma State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, or to nominate someone for induction, go to sonomaseawolves.com/hof.  The deadline for 2016 consideration is Mar. 31, 2016.