Cal to induct 6 into Vulcans’ Hall of Fame
CALIFORNIA – Six former Vulcan sports standouts headline the 29th Hall of Fame Class at Penn West California with the Hall of Fame.
Those set for induction are Clarissa Enslin (women’s swimming), Class of 2014; Mike Larson (baseball), Class of 2005; Jillian Russell (softball), Class of 2012 and 2014; Willie Walker (football); Natalie Wideman (softball), Class of 2014; and Rochelle Dierkes (softball), Class of 1996.
In addition, Cal will be presenting the first Vulcan Distinguished Service Award to Tom “Chief” Hartley and will be recognizing the silver anniversary of the 1999 PSAC championship men’s basketball team.
The Hall of Fame ceremonies will be held April 20.
Clarissa Enslin
Enslin swam freestyle and backstroke events from 2010-14.
She was a four-time All-American and seven-time PSAC champion, and received All-America honorable mention seven times. Enslin is tied for the most league titles in school history and ranks second in earning All-PSAC status 14 times.
Enslin won the 200 freestyle at the PSAC Championships three straight years and won the 100 freestyle in back-to-back seasons. Enslin still holds the school record with a time of 1:50.59 in the 200 freestyle and is second in the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley.
Mike Larson
Larson was a starting outfielder and pitcher from 2002-05 and helped the Vulcans win the 2004 PSAC championship and at least a share of two PSAC West titles.
Larson received the PSAC Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in both 2004 and 2005 to become the league’s only two-time male recipient. He was the 2004 PSAC West Athlete of the Year and earned All-PSAC West honors as both an outfielder and starting pitcher twice in his career.
Jillian Russell
Russell was a four-year starting infielder from 2009-12, helping Cal make four-consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament while winning four outright PSAC West titles.
Russell was named a NFCA Third-Team All-American at shortstop as a junior and again as a senior in 2012 after shifting to third base. She was the PSAC West Athlete of the Year in three straight seasons and was a four-time All-PSAC West First-Team selection. Russell hit 14 homers in back-to-back years and finished as the school’s all-time leader with 47.
Willie Walker
Walker was a four-year starting defensive lineman from 2006-09 who helped the Vulcans win back-to-back-to-back NCAA regional championships and at least a share of four-straight PSAC West titles, plus the 2008 PSAC championship.
Walker was named a First-Team All-American as a senior and a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award in both 2008 and 2009. He was an All-PSAC West First Team three times and the 2009 PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year. Walker finished his career as the school’s all-time leader with 31.5 TFLs and had 14.5 sacks.
Natalie Wideman
A four-year starting catcher and infielder from 2011-14, Wideman helped Cal win the PSAC championship as a senior, the program’s first since 2000, and make four-straight appearances in the NCAA tournament.
Wideman was the 2014 NFCA National Catcher of the Year and an Academic All-American as both a sophomore and senior while playing two different positions. She was chosen both the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and PSAC Tournament MVP in 2014 and was a three-time All-PSAC West honoree. Following her collegiate career, Wideman earned a bronze medal playing for Team Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Rochelle Dierkes
Dierkes was a starting pitcher for the Vulcans from 1993-96 and helped Cal win a pair of NCAA regional championships and the 1996 PSAC championship, the first of five-straight league titles for the Vulcans.
Dierkes was a NFCA Second-Team All-American as a junior and an Academic All-American in both 1995 and 1996. Dierkes was a two-time All-PSAC West First Team selection and the 1995 PSAC West Athlete of the Year. Dierkes had 28 victories and posted a 0.54 ERA as a junior and finished her career with 70 wins and 330 strikeouts, all school records at the time.
Tom “Chief” Hartley
Hartley provided more than 50 years of service to the California Volunteer Fire Department and served as auxiliary personnel for athletic events for decades. The purpose of the Vulcan Athletic Distinguished Service Award is to recognize an individual by virtue of their performance on athletic teams or by meritorious efforts on behalf of athletics.
1999 men’s basketball
Led by the late coach Bill Brown, the Vulcans won the 1999 PSAC championship – the program’s fourth in eight years – and finished the season with a 24-6 record. Cal featured a trio of All-PSAC West selections, including 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Seth Martin, and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.