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Five SWC legends added to campus Hall of Fame

BY ALEXIS DOMINGUEZ SUN STAFF ON 11/07/2011SPORTS

Carol Niekrasz, as athletic department administrative assistant extraordinaire, always helped to organize the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet. This year she was a guest of honor.

Niekrasz and four athletic and coaching standouts were immortalized at this year’s ceremony, which also honored 18 2010-11 award-winning coaches and student athletes.

Enshired with Niekrasz were football star Stephen Pierce, legendary tennis coach Susan Reasons, baseball standout Alex Palaez and football coach mainstay Gil Warren.

Pierce, a wide receiver at SWC in 1983 and 1984, was MVP both years. He was awarded a scholarship to the University of Illinois and earned a BA in political science. He was Rookie of the Year at Illinois and the second leading receiver in the Big Ten. He is president of the NFL Former Players Association and CEO of the Stephen Pierce Foundation. His mother, Ruby Pierce, said she was proud of her son.

“It is a great honor to be put in a position to do the things that I have done,” said Pierce. “I was blessed with a great wife, family, players and coaches. It could not be done without them.”

Reasons was a star tennis player who earned All-Pacific Coast Conference honors, but is best known as a coaching legend in San Diego County. She earned a BA in physical education at SDSU with an emphasis on coaching. Reasons said the night was fantastic.

“To be honored for something I love is indescribable,” said Reasons. “I don’t know quite how to put it in words.”

In 2001, her first year coaching at SWC, her team won the Pacific Coast Conference Championship. SWC’s tennis program was suspended for two years in 2010 due to budget problems. Despite not coaching, Reasons still contributes her time as the director of the SWC Community Tennis Center.

Pelaez played baseball under Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Bartow and was All-Pacific Coast Conference in 1995 and 1996. He was also All-Metro in 1992-1994 in high school. At SDSU he was WAC All Conference in 1997 and 1998.  He is currently the hitting coach for the Dayton Dragons in the Pioneer League and instructor at the Gonzales Sports Academy in Chula Vista.

“For people to acknowledge you for something you did 20 years ago is awesome,” said Palaez.

His mother, Susanna Pelaez, said she was very proud of her son and that it was a joy to watch him grow up to be great at baseball, the sport he loved.

“Ever since he was wearing diapers he was swinging the bat and his father and I enjoyed seeing him play baseball,” she said.

Carol Patrice Surette Niekrasz started at SWC as a student worker for the Arts Department. She worked her way to clerical assistant I and currently serves as the Pacific Coast Conference secretary to the PCC commissioner. She was an anchor of the SWC sports program.

“I found a second home in the athletic department,” she said. “The true joy was watching the athletes succeed.”

Niekrasz helped manage the athletics budget and processed student athletic eligibility for 18 teams every year.  She said she was especially proud of going in with four other athletes.

Warren was a scholarship football player at SDSU, where he played for legendary coach Don Coryell. Warren won three CIF championships, including an undefeated season as coach of Castle Park High School. He was recruited by SWC Hall of Fame Coach Bob Mears in the 1980s to be the offensive coordinator of the football team. Warren said he was surprised to receive the award.

“I have been coaching for years and years and it is a real thrill,” said Warren. “I never knew they were considering me, but this is a real honor.”

His wife, Cheryl Warren, said she is a “true football widow” after 24 years of marriage.

“I am very proud of my husband, he loves football and coaching,” she said. “He is passionate about it and very humble.”

Current coaches and athletes shared the stage to receive 2010-11 awards.

Academic Athletes of the Year are swimmer Imelda Gonzalez and soccer standout Isaac Veenstra. Coaches of the Year went to cross country’s Dr. Duro Agbede, and basketball coaches John Cosentino and Kyle Colwell. Basketball player Anthony Cosentino is Male Athlete of the Year and members of the women’s cross country teams shared the award as female athletes of the year. SWC women have won 10 straight PCC championships and are defending state champions – SWC’s only state champs in 50 years.

“I am most proud for my athletes,” said Agbede. “I am glad all my athletes were recognized. It is important for them and I thank my assistant and the college for such a great night.”

Ayded Reyes, captain of the womens cross country team, said she was extremely proud of the team.

“Our achievements in cross country have given us something to bond us for life,” she said.

Karen Day Cravens, part of the Athletic Hall of Fame Planning Committee, said the Hall of Fame is a way for the community to recognize the value of SWC.

“I think it is long overdue that we have history of our athletics at SWC and I think this is invaluable to show the surrounding community,” said Cravens. “Not only do we have a great athletic department, but that the college in general provides a great setting or our athletes and their education.”

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