Sept. 11, 2015SAN DIEGO - San Diego State Athletics will welcome a new class of five individuals into its Aztec Hall of Fame this fall. The 2015 class includes football quarterback Billy Blanton and defensive lineman Ed Imo, track and field athletes Larry Godfrey and Karoline Koehler, and former men’s basketball player Anthony Watson.
The new class will also be recognized on the field at halftime of SDSU’s home football game vs. Utah State on Friday, Oct. 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. PT at Qualcomm Stadium. Game tickets are available through the Aztec ticket office at (619) 283-7378 or at GoAztecs.com.
The Aztec Hall of Fame inducted its first members in 1988, and welcomed a new group of legends every year through 1999. Inductions were put on hold for two years while work was completed on the Aztec Athletics Center (now Fowler Athletics Center), which is the first permanent home of the Hall of Fame, and resumed in 2002. Not including this year’s class, 133 individuals have been inducted since its inception.
For more information about the Aztec Hall of Fame induction ceremony, contact the Aztec Club at (619) 594-6444.
The following is a quick look at the newest class of the Aztec Hall of Fame:
Billy Blanton (Football)
1994-95-96
William (Billy) Blanton is tops all-time at San Diego State in pass efficiency (157.1) and completion percentage (.639), third in passing yards (8,165) and touchdown passes (67), and fourth in total offense (8,014) and completions (588). While at SDSU, Blanton had the most efficient passing season in Aztec history with a 169.6 in 1996. He also has the third-best season in Aztec history (1994). Blanton passed for over 6,800 yards in 1995 and 1996, third only to Dan McGwire and Ryan Lindley for a two-year total. In total, he tallied 29 touchdown passes in 1996 to rank second in a season to Aztec Hall of Famer Dennis Shaw.
Ed Imo (Football)
1976-77
Named the 1976 defensive player of the year, Ed Imo helped the Aztecs go 20-2 over his two seasons at nose tackle, including back-to-back 10-1 campaigns. Over the span of his career at SDSU, Imo totaled 88 tackles in 1977, including 59 solo stops, to go along with four sacks, one fumble recovery and a blocked kick. At the end of that season, he was voted the team’s most inspirational player. During his junior campaign, he recorded 121 tackles (53 solos), three sacks, one fumble recovery and a blocked kick. Imo was a first-team AP All-Coast selection in 1977 and a second-team United Press International All-coast pick in 1977.
Larry Godfrey (Track and Field)
1965
A former NCAA Champion in the 440 IH, Larry Godfrey ran a time of 51.5 seconds in 1965, where he went on to become the NCAA College Division Champion in the same year after competing in the 440 IH (51.6), 440 Relay (43.1) and the mile relay (3:16.6). As a result of his performance, he gained all-American honors in the 440 IH in 1965. Godfrey eventually worked his way towards winning the NCAA College Division Championship in 440 IH in 1966 as well with a time of 52.1.
Karoline Koehler (Track and Field)
2007-08-09-10
Upon graduating from San Diego State in 2010, Karoline Koehler appeared in SDSU’s all-time top 10 list five times in indoor events and four times in outdoor events. Quite arguably the most accomplished athlete in school history, Koehler was a six-time All-American, a two-time Academic All-American (2009: first team, 2010: second team), and a two-time first-team Academic All-District (2008-09). She competed in a total of five NCAA Championships across eight events and was a five-time USTFCCCA All-West Region pick, including 2009 when she won the triple jump at the west regional meet. Koehler was named the 2009 Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year and was a five-time MW champion (2009-10 indoor long jump; 2010 indoor triple jump; 2009 outdoor long jump; 2009 outdoor triple jump). She earned the MW High Point Award three times at the MW Championships (2008 indoor, 2009 outdoor, 2010 indoor) and all-MW honors 16 times over the span of her collegiate career.
Anthony Watson (Men’s Basketball)
1983-84-85-86
One of the finest players in San Diego State history, Anthony Watson played in 110 games in his four seasons from the 1982-83 campaign through the 1985-86 season, with SDSU posting a 66-50 record. The leading scorer on the 1985 NCAA Tournament team and third-leading scorer in SDSU history with 1,735 career points, Watson was the last Aztec player to earn most valuable player league honors until 2006 (1985-86 WAC Player of the Year). He was a two-time first-team all-WAC selection (1985 and 1986)... In both 1985 and 1986 he was named to the all-WAC tournament team and was the first Aztec Division I player to be named to the all-conference tournament team twice. Watson ended his career as the fourth-leading scorer in WAC history trailing only Devin Durrant, Danny Ainge and SDSU’s Michael Cage. He combined for 93 starts during his time at SDSU and his 22.5 points per game average in the 1985-86 season is second in school history, while his 702 career field goals were the most by any Aztec player until 2007. Watson is one of five players in SDSU Division I history to earn league player-of-the-year accolades.