The 2008 SWC Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet was held Saturday, May 17th, at the San DIego Country Club in Chula Vista.

Inductees to the Hall of Fame include Jeanne Elyea, Bobby Lugo, Loretta Taylor Buddhu, Rigoberta Alvarado Hinkledire and Bill Virchis. 

Jeanne Elyea is a retired School Nurse and SWC Woman of Distinction. Jeanne Elyea embraced the athletic program, its student athletes and coaches. She worked concessions for baseball, transported equipment, assisted Adaptives, and helped trainers with physicals. Bobby Lugo is aHilltop High School football standout. Bobby Lugo was named First Team All Conference in 1992 and 1993 and All American. Of his eight SWC football records as a wide receiver, the most receptions for a game (18), season (90), and career (145) reflect his prowess on the field. Loretta Taylor Buddhu Professor Emeritus Loretta Taylor served the School of Health, Exercise Science and Athletics for twenty-five years, advocating women’s sports, building the dance program and helping to develop the health science curriculum. Rigoberta Alvarado Hinkledire is a two time Marian Catholic CIF volleyball champion. Team Captain Rigo Alvarado earned First Team All Conference honors and led SWC’s Women’s Volleyball Team to its first Mission Conference Championship in 1981 and Pacific Coast Championships in 1982. Bill Virchis, a graduate of SWC is an award winning thespian, director and producer of multi-theater productions. As a tenacious wrestler and competitor he earned First Team All-Conference, AAU and tournament honors in 1963 and 1964.

The banquet is also a celebration for the Athletics Department and honors a male and femaleAcademic Athlete of the Year, male and female Athlete of the Year, Assistant Caoch of the Year, male and female sports Coach of the Year as well as a department Service award.

The Academic Athlete of the Year reflects excellence both athletically and scholasticallly. To compete in sports at the California Community College level, an athlete must be in a minimum of twelve active units in their semester of sport participation and maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0.If the athlete is a sophomore then they must have completed twenty-four units with the same minimum grade point average.

This year's award for Female Academic Athlete of the Year went to water polo player Jena Lawrence. Jena holds a GPA of 3.74 after completing 51 units. She is majoring in political science with an emphasis in international relations at U.C.S.D.

Male Academic Athlete of the Year went to baseball player Jorge Dryjanski. He has a GPA of 3.64 after 39 units. Jorge was not able to attend the banquet because he was playing with the Southwestern baseball team at the Southern California Regionals in Santa Ana.

The Female Athlete of the Year award went to volleyball player Brittany McPartland. Brittany is a first year, outside hitter whose achievements included leading the state in kills for the season with an astonishing 651 (averaging 7.83 kills per game) as well as finishing 10th in the state in service aces with 71. She set a new school record for kills per game with 52 out of 94 attemps. Brittany was named as a Pacific Coast Conference Athlete of the Week, selected to the First Team All-Conference, All-Southern California Regional Team, All-Tournament team at the Santa Ana Volleyball Tournament, as well as selected as Jaguar Most Valuable Player. She is currently being recruited by NCAA Division I schools but has expressed that she will remain at Southwestern for another year to finish her Associates degree. She is majoring in business marketing with an emphasis in advertising and public relations. Other nominees for Female Athlete of the Year were Becky Golinda (softball) and Joella Silvera (cross-country and track).

Male Athlete of the Year went to track and field star Curtis Mitchell. Curtis is a freshman two sport player with track and football. His accolades include Foothill Conference Champion in the 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump. He was second in the conference as part of both the 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter relay teams as well. He is Southern California Regional Champion in both the 100 and 200 meters, setting school records in the 100 with a time of 10.45 and in the 200 with a time of 20.86, establishing the second fastest time in the state for the 200. He was selected as the Pacific Coast Conference Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Curtis is being recruited by many NCAA schools and aspires to compete at USC. Curtis was also not able to attend the awards banquet because he was competing that day in the California State Championships at Cerritos. Accepting the award on his behalf was SWC football coach Ed Carberry who recieved word that evening that Curtis had won both the 100 and 200 meters at state that afternoon. Other nominees for Male Athlete of the Year were Adrian Bringas (baseball) and Juan Pablo Carillo (swimming).

Coach of the Year awards went to three coaches, two head coaches and one assistant coach who all led their teams to Conference Championship seasons.

Assistant Coach of the Year was awarded to Jay Martel (baseball) who was also unable to attend the banquet due to baseball competition at the Southern California Regionals in Santa Ana. Jay is instrumental in recruiting, scheduling, budget supervising, academic counseling and coaching. He is heavily involved in the administrative end of coaching as well as instrumental in logistics of travelling and simply grooming the home field. He has been a key part of making SWC baseball what it is today.

Female Sport Coach of the Year went to track and field coach and former Olympian, Tonie Campbell. He is the Foothill Conference Track & Field Coach of the Year and has led several of the top female track athletes in Southern California. He has led the women's track team to their 2nd Conference Championship in two years (only championships in school history) and the men's team to their 2nd Conference runner-up position in two years. He is currently acting as the US Track and Field Team MAnager  for the 2008 USA World Indoor Team (Valencia, Spain), 2008 World Junior Team (Poland - in which current SWC athlete Curtis Mitchell is a part of) and the 2008 NACAC U-23 Team (Mexico). He is also unable to accept his award this evening because he is at the California State Track & Field Meet. Other nominees for Women's Sport Coach of the Year was Duro Agbede (cross-country) and Bob Aguilar (softball).

Male Sport Coach of the Year goes to Men's Soccer coach Bob Flores. Bob's team won the Pacific Coast Conference Championship this year. In 35 years of coaching he has been named Coach of the Year 8 times, lead 10 Conference Championships, and played in State Play-offs 14 times. Bob has had four former players who have played on the US World Cup teams and one of those players was named in the US Hall of Fame. The other nominee for Male Sport Coach of the Year was Bob Flores (soccer).

The Athletic Department service Award was given to Patti Moore and Nina Dutra, advisors to the SWC Cheerleading Squad.