San Diego State to Honor 2002 Aztec Hall of Fame Inductees

Oct. 10, 2002

SAN DIEGO - Former Aztec greats will take their place in San Diego State's Aztec Hall of Fame as they are inducted at a reception to be held tomorrow in the Aztec Athletics Center.

The new inductees are comprised of the 1940-41 national championship men's basketball team, the 1987 NCAA runner-up men's soccer team, Falisha Wright of the women's basketball team, former football player and coach Joe Gibbs and the late Norm Nygaard, a former Aztec football player.

The event begins at 7:30 and will include a short program in the first floor auditorium, followed by light refreshments in the new Aztec Hall of Fame.

The 2002 Hall of Fame members will be honored at halftime of Saturday's football game against the University of Utah.

Media Note: The media are welcome to attend and interview inductees following the reception's program. Please contact the San Diego State athletic media relations office at 619-594-5547 to submit interview requests.

Joe GibbsFootballPlayer 1961-62-63Coach 1965-66

Joe Gibbs was an Aztec football letterman in 1961-62-63. He then spent two years as a graduate assistant and one year as a full-time assistant under former San Diego State head coach Don Coryell. During Gibbs' stay on Montezuma Mesa the Aztecs never lost more than two games in a season and in 1966 San Diego State posted a perfect 11-0 record. From 1981 to 1992, Gibbs served as head coach of the Washington Redskins, where he posted a 140-65 record. In 1992, he became just the third coach in NFL history to win three Super Bowls. He left the NFL to head up the NASCAR team of Joe Gibbs Racing in Huntersville, N.C.

Norm NygaardFootball1952-53-54

Norm Nygaard, who died Sept. 17th, 2000, was one of the most accomplished football players in San Diego State history. He starred for the 1952-53-54 Aztec football teams and was a two-time all-conference player and a Little All-American. His 2,619 career rushing yards stood as the San Diego State record until Marshall Faulk arrived 40 years later. At the turn of the century, Nygaard was still among San Diego State's career leaders in rushing yards, carries and all-purpose yards. At the time of his death, Nygaard, who also spent time in the NFL, was retired from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Falisha WrightWomen's Basketball1992-95

As an Aztec women's basketball player, Falisha Wright helped lead some of the most powerful teams in San Diego State and Western Athletic Conference history. Her last two seasons in an Aztec uniform saw SDSU post a combined record of 50-11, including a 27-1 mark in WAC competition. Wright ended her career second all-time with 1,733 points and first among SDSU players with 206 three-pointers. She was a four-time selection to the all-Western Athletic Conference squad, including a three-time member of the first team. She is currently an assistant women's basketball coach at Portland State University.

1941 Men's Basketball TeamNational Champions

San Diego State's first national team champion was the 1940-41 men's basketball team. That squad, led by Aztec Hall of Fame members Milton Phelps, Harry Hodgetts, Dick Mitchell and Kenny Hale, and coached by Hall of Famer Morris Gross, posted a 24-7 record. The team traveled to Kansas City and won four games in the NAIA national tournament to bring home the national title. The 24 wins are still tied for the most by an Aztec club in a single season.

1987 Men's Soccer TeamNCAA Runner-Up

San Diego State's men's soccer team of 1987 made a Cinderella run to reach the championship game of the NCAA Tournament, falling to Clemson in the final. Along the way the Aztecs posted a 20-6 record, including 13 shutouts. The Aztecs knocked off undefeated Harvard in the semifinals before losing the championship game to a Clemson team playing on its home field. Eric Wynalda, a 1996 Hall of Fame inductee, had 11 goals and 11 assists for the Aztecs while Kyle Whittemore had 17 goals.