Mt. SAC Relays 2010 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

2010 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
March 15, 2010

The Mt. SAC Relay's is proud to announce the 2010 Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame Inductees. Legendary thrower, John Godina, Olympic Pole Vault Silver Medalist, Toby Stevenson and Legendary UC Irvine Coach, Vince O'Boyle will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 52nd Annual Mt. SAC Relays Banquet to be held at the Pacific Palms Conference Resort (City of Industry, CA) on Wednesday, April 14th at 6:00 pm. Individual pre-sale tickets are $40 per person, individual at the door tickets are $50 and a table of 8 is $320. For more information or to RSVP to this very special event, please contact the Mt. SAC Relays Office at 909-594-5611 ext. 4840 or by e-mail at specialevents@mtsac.edu.

Below are the biographies and photos of these three outstanding Hall of Fame Inductees


JOHN GODINA, TOBY STEVENSON, VINCE O'BOYLE

JOHN GODINA (Athlete)

A two time Olympic medalist and four time IAAF World Championship Gold Medalist, Godina captured 4 shot put and 3 discus titles at the Mt. SAC Relays. In 1997 and 1998, he won both the shot and the disc in the same year. A feat accomplished only once before in 1965, by legendary thrower and Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Famer, Jay Silvester. Godina's performance in his 1998 Mt. SAC Relays double victory, ranks as one of the all time greatest throwing combo performances in history with a 71’05 ½” shot put and a 218’ 01” discus mark. Godina captured the shot put silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games and a shot put bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He was twice awarded USA Track and Field's highest athlete accolade, the Jesse Owens Award, in 1998 and 2001. While at UCLA he captured three NCAA championships and claimed his first world title in the shot put in 1995. Godina added world outdoor championships in 1997 and 2001, along with a world indoor title in 2001. In 1996, he became the first athlete, since 1924, to make the U.S. Olympic team in both the shot put and discus, which he repeated in 2000.

TOBY STEVENSON (Athlete)

The 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in the pole vault with a personal best of 19'08"1/4 (6.00M), this Stanford graduate, is a living legend in the pole vault. Stevenson is a 3 time Mt. SAC Relays Champion (2004, 2005, 2006) and has been a stalwart Mt. SAC Relays supporter for well over a decade. He was a six time All-American, the 1998 NCAA Division 1 Champion and he helped lead the Cardinal to an NCAA title during his years in Palo Alto. Stevenson represented the United States at two world outdoor championships and captured the 2003 Pan American Games Gold Medal. His signature helmet, crowd pleasing acknowledgements and outgoing personality have made him one of the most popular track and field athletes in the world. This iconic pole vaulting figure is one of the main reasons for the resurgence of the pole vault in the United States. Stevenson recently retired from the sport, with his final jump coming at the 2010 National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, NV. He currently serves as the Multi Events and Pole Vault Coach at Stanford.

VINCE O'BOYLE (Coach)

Vince O’Boyle and the Mt. SAC Relays have been inexorably connected for most if not all of his athletic and coaching career. He has been a stalwart supporter of the event every step of the way, be it competing as an athlete, coaching or simply serving as an unofficial goodwill ambassador of the event. O'Boyle, UC Irvine's (UCI) Director of Track & Field/Cross Country, is in his 28th year at the university. He has been named Big West Conference Coach of the Year 20 times (12 in women's cross country, 7 in men's cross country and once in women's track and field). O'Boyle has developed one of the top distance programs, not only on the West Coast, but in the nation. He has guided the UCI Women's Cross Country Program to four NCAA Championship meets. He has coached UCI to 12 Big West Conference titles in women's cross country and 7 in men's cross country. O'Boyle has guided 18 individual Big West champions in men's and women's cross country, 10 Cross Country All-Americans and 13 Track and Field All-Americans. He was selected and served as the U.S. Head Coach for the World Cross Country Championships held in Boston (MA). He has also served twice as a U.S. Olympic Festival Coach, once as head coach for the West women's track team (1989) and once as the West's distance coach (1986). He is very active within the NCAA serving as a member of the prestigious Track & Field Committee which governs intercollegiate cross country and track & field. Prior to UCI, O'Boyle coached 11 years at Citrus College (Glendora, CA) where he was named California Community College Cross Country Coach of the Year (1980) and led Citrus to the state cross country title in 1981.

ABOUT THE MT. SAC RELAYS

The Mt. SAC Relays is the "worlds largest" track and field competition with over 13,500 athletes, from elementary, to Olympic Athletes competing. For over 52 years in April, Walnut and Mt. SAC have hosted athletes, coaches, media and fans from throughout the world. Throughout the years, 20 World Records and hundreds of national records have been set at the historic Hilmer Lodge Stadium, "Where the world's best athletes compete." For more information on the Mt. SAC Relays, please visit our website at www.mtsacrelays.com or call us at 909.594.5611 ext. 4840.