Stanford to add eight to Athletic Hall of Fame
Stanford has announced its annual list of inductees to the Stanford University Athletic Hall of Fame, adding eight members to join the 381 already so honored. Jessica Mendoza ‘02, Meredith McGrath ‘93, Ellen Estes ‘02, Ron George ‘92, Larissa Fontaine ‘99, Dan Hanan ‘90, Misty Hyman ‘92 and Brad Hauser ‘00 will all be honored at halftime of Stanford’s football game against Oregon State on Nov. 10.
Walt Gamage, the longtime sports editor of the Palo Alto Times, created Stanford’s Hall of Fame in 1954 as a way to honor the University’s most accomplished athletes. Nominees were selected by a committee headed by athletic department administrators, media and former athletes.
The incoming class includes a 28-time All-American swimmer who won an individual gold medal at the 2000 Olympics, Hyman; Stanford’s first NCAA individual women’s gymnastics champion, Fontaine; and one of the greatest softball players of all time, four-time first-team All-American and two-time Olympian Mendoza.
Freshman Burgess named Pac-12 Freshman and Defensive Player of the Week
The women’s volleyball team swept California and Utah to open Pac-12 play last weekend, and freshman outside hitter Jordan Burgess was rewarded for her efforts in the victories with the first two conference awards of her young career.
The Fort Myers, Fla., native racked up a match-high 16 kills against Cal, as well as 13 digs and five blocks. She was equally impressive on the road against the Utes, notching her fifth double-double of the year with team highs of 16 kills and 17 digs.
The No. 7 Cardinal is back on the road this weekend, traveling south to take on Arizona and Arizona State.
Men’s crew names Jake Cornelius ‘06 new assistant coach
Stanford’s freshman boats just got a big boost in their staff, as head coach Craig Amerkhanian introduced 2012 U.S. Olympian and 2006 Stanford graduate Jake Cornelius as the new assistant coach on Monday.
A mechanical engineering major while at Stanford, Cornelius helped the Cardinal to big victories over longtime rivals California and Washington before pursuing crew as a graduate student at Cambridge University.
Cornelius also competed in the men’s eight at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, finishing fourth by three-tenths of a second.
“Stanford Crew has given me so much, and it’s an honor to be in a position to give something back,” Cornelius told GoStanford.com. “I look forward to helping coach Amerkhanian in his relentless pursuit of victory through integrity. In rowing, as in life, half measures are insufficient. My goal is to help these young men redefine the term ‘100 percent,’ both on the water and in the classroom.”
Miles Bennett-Smith