Purpose
The purpose of the Santa Clara University Athletics Hall of Fame is to honor and recognize former student-athletes and other individuals for their contributions to Santa Clara University, to the athletic department, and to the advancement of intercollegiate athletics.
Eligibility
To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete must be at least ten (10) years removed from his or her academic cohort's final year of enrollment at Santa Clara University and the student must have graduated from the University, though not necessarily in the same year as his or her cohort. Nominators may appeal to the Committee to make an exception to this rule in the case of extreme or unforeseen circumstances impacting graduation. A former student-athlete nominee must have been a member of a recognized varsity sport and must have participated in a minimum of two (2) seasons of intercollegiate competition. The credentials of a former student-athlete nominee must include noteworthy athletic achievement, as determined by the Committee. A nominee other than a former student-athlete may be selected to the Hall of Fame if they are recognized by the Committee to have made significant contributions to the Santa Clara Athletic Department. A nominee's character and ethical standing also will be evaluated by the Committee, as any nominee’s activities after enrollment at Santa Clara should be consistent with the purpose and values of the University. Individuals both living and deceased are eligible for selection.
2019 Hall of Fame Class
2018 Hall of Fame Class
2016 Hall of Fame Class
Coach Dick Davey at the 2017 Red and White Ceremony
2014 Red and White Ceremony
Nominations
The Committee shall accept nominations for selection from the community at large, including nominations from members of the Committee. In order to be nominated, a former student-athlete must:
- Be at least 10 years removed from his/her academic cohort's final year of enrollment at Santa Clara University
- Have been a member of a recognized varsity team for a minimum of two seasons.
A nominee other than a former student-athlete may be selected if they have made a significant contribution to the athletic department. Their character and ethical standing will also be evaluated.
To nominate a candidate, fill our the Santa Clara Hall of Fame Nomination Form Form or send an email to Tammy Holleman at tholleman@scu.edu with the following information:
- Name
- Year of Graduation
- Sports Played
- Accomplishments
There shall be an annual open, public announcement inviting nominations to be made.
It shall be the responsibility of the Committee co-chairpersons to ensure all relevant data is collected and presented for each nominee prior to the selection committee meeting. At the selection meeting, the committee shall form a consensus as to the selection of a nominee to the HOF. Upon reaching a consensus, the Committee shall recommend the nominee(s) to the University President for approval.
Hall of Fame Committee
Heather M. Owen was hired as Santa Clara's Director of Athletics on September 5, 2024. A former athlete at both the collegiate and professional levels, she joins the Broncos after a successful 15-year stint at Stanford Athletics where she rapidly rose in positions of responsibility, most recently as the Deputy Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).
Owen, who earned her bachelor's in political science and a minor in sociology from Stanford in 1998, is returning to Santa Clara for the first time since earning her J.D. from Santa Clara University's Law School in 2003.
John Ottoboni ’69 is the 2017 winner of the Santa Clara Law Amicus Award. He joined Santa Clara University in 2007 as its General Counsel. Prior to coming to the University, John was a partner and one of the founding members of the firm Ferrari, Ottoboni, Caputo & Wunderling. John served as outside General Counsel to Santa Clara University while at the firm for approximately five years. He is currently the Executive Director to the Bronco Bench Foundation.
Angie Robbiano ‘80 Executive MBA ‘01 is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Bronco Bench Foundation. The Bronco Bench Foundation has been responsible for contributing in excess of $50 million to the Athletic Department, contributing roughly $1.5 million per year in endowment income, annual donation and event revenue since its inception in 1962. Robbiano’s efforts with the Bronco Bench Foundation as a donor and a trustee over the years have been instrumental in its support for Santa Clara athletics. Robbiano is also a member of the Leavey School of Business Advisory Board, and is the Finance and Business Operations Manager at Lockheed Martin.
Paul Neilan ‘70 is the Senior Associate Director of the Alumni Office and has worked in the Alumni office at Santa Clara since 1978. He is responsible for the annual Alumni Association Graduation Picnic, Gianera Society class reunions, and assists with other association events and programs as needed. In addition, his 40 year career has allowed him to interact with countless alumni and gain unique experience and understanding of Santa Clara’s values and what it means to be a Bronco. These qualities have made him an invaluable asset in the Alumni Office as well as on the Hall of Fame Committee. In light of his efforts, he was honored in 1992 by the University for his years of selfless service managing an extraordinary number of functions that serve thousands.
Lisa Swendsen (formerly Sacco) ‘98 played basketball at Santa Clara from 1994-98. During her time with the Broncos, she was recognized as the WCC Player of the Year (1997-98), WCC Tournament MVP (1997-98) and named First Team All-WCC twice (1996-97, 1997-98). As a member of the 1,000 point club, Swendsen ranks 21st all-time in points, fifth in assists, third in steals, and seventh in 3-point shooting percentage. For her accomplishments, she was inducted into the Santa Clara Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018. Swendsen now works for the university as Assistant Director for University Protocol and Events
Carroll Williams served as the athletic director at Santa Clara University until 2000. Williams guided athletic programs at Santa Clara University to continued levels of national prominence. His final year as athletic director was highlighted by a second consecutive year of NCAA semifinal appearances by the Bronco men's and women's soccer teams. In eight years as athletic director, SCU had 19 West Coast Conference championships in seven sports, and 23 postseason tournaments. Prior to that, Williams was the SCU basketball head coach. In his 22 years as head coach of the SCU men's basketball team, Williams compiled a 344-274 career record. For his contributions, Williams was inducted into the Santa Clara Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994, and was named the 2016 Bronco Legend by the SCU Alumni Association.
The Committee shall be appointed by the Santa Clara University Director of Athletics and the Executive Director of the Bronco Bench, who shall serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Committee. The Committee shall consist of five (5) additional members, who shall represent a broad spectrum of the campus community, including, but not limited to, coaches, alumni, University staff, and current members of the Hall of Fame. The total composition of the Committee shall be seven (7) members. Members would meet a minimum of two (2) times per year to offer and discuss nominees to make final induction decisions. The Co-Chairpersons of the committee will be responsible for calling meetings, providing documentation and managing all correspondence. The Hall of Fame Committee is self-governing and operates independently and without influence of other University committees. The autonomy of the Committee is intended to promote a lasting and meaningful legacy for the Hall of Fame.