Welcoming Nine New Hall of Fame Members

Newest class of Santa Clara's best set to be celebrated

John Brussa

The Santa Clara

May 16, 2019

(Santa Clara Athletics) Last year was the sixth annual Red & White Celebration On May 12, 2018. The event featured current Santa Clara athletes, coaches and administration as well as Hall Of Fame inductees, Bronco alumni andfriends of Bronco athletics in a celebration of Santa Clara Broncos past and present. The seven Hall of Fame Inductees of the 2018 class were recognized and applauded by the Santa Clara audience members.

Saturday will be a special night for nine Bronco alumni. The intimate group—featuring former stars in three separate sports— represents the 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame Class that will be celebrated at the seventh annual Red and White Celebration this weekend.

One of these individuals is an alum of Santa Clara Baseball’s dominant 1962-1972 decade in which the Broncos boasted a winning percentage of 75 and made it all the way to a college world series.

Women’s Soccer—Santa Clara’s most consistently competitive program for years—will put forward five Broncos who all competed from 1996-1999 and qualified for four-straight NCAA semifinals.

Lastly, a single member will represent a bygone era in which Santa Clara fielded a football team.

The event—sponsored by the Heritage Bank of Commerce—will also recognize current senior student-athletes that have exemplified leadership, competitiveness and participation in community service during their tenure at Santa Clara.

Kevin Dunton

Mr. Dunton played baseball at Santa Clara between 1982-85 and certainly left his mark.

His career 38 home runs as a Bronco broke the previous record and still stands to this day and he ranks among the top 10 in total at-bats, doubles, RBIs and extrabase hits.

Dunton was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1985 and participated in two minor league seasons with the organization. He was inducted into his former high school’s (Menlo-Atherton High School) Hall of Fame in 1996.

(The Toronto Star) Jerry Howarth served as the announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays for 36 years, having broadcasted more than 7,500 baseballgames. The 71-year old announced his retirement in February 2018 but will be remebered as one of Major League Baseball's greats.

Jerry Howarth

Although he didn’t actually participate in Bronco athletics, Mr. Howarth became a household name as the sportscaster for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1981-2017.

His contributions as a play-byplay broadcaster earned Mr. Howarth the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Jack Graney Award—a trophy given to an outstanding member of the media—in 2012.

(Santa Clara Athletics) Mike Pereia represented Santa Clara Athletics as an outfielder from 1970-72 beforebecoming an NCAA and NFL referee and rules analyst for football television broadcasts.

Mike Pereira (Baseball/Football)

In his senior year, Mike Pereira posted a .305 batting average and tied for the most steals on the team with 16. During his three-year tenure (1970-72), Santa Clara baseball dominated the West Coast Athletic Conference with a record of 49-9 (123-46 total) and a conference championship every season.

But Mr. Pereira’s future would be in football, not baseball. In 1982, the former ballplayer began refereeing NCAA football games in both the Big West Conference and Western Athletic Conference.

After spending 14 years as a collegiate official, Pereira earned a spot as a sideline judge in the NFL, where he would eventually be promoted to Vice President of Officiating.

In 2010, he transitioned to his current role as a football rules analyst for Fox sports, where he covers both NFL and NCAA contests.

Nikki Serlenga-Fein

A two-time first team AllAmerican and as many first team All-West Region awards, Serlenga was a member of the Women’s Soccer team between 1996-99.

During this same period, the Broncos held a record of 83-9-4 and attended the NCAA College Cup in four straight seasons.

Serlenga was a starting midfielder for Santa Clara in her final three seasons, achieving All-West Coast Conference honors in each.

The tenacious player earned the title of the conference’s defensive player of the year in 1999—the same year Santa Clara set a stillstanding record for goal-differential (plus 98).

After her illustrious career at Santa Clara, Serlenga went on to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team and bring home a silver medal from the 2000 Olympics.

Kim Williams

Also a member of the 1996-99 Women’s Soccer teams, Williams contributed largely to the strong defensive efforts of the Broncos as a four-year starting defender.

She was awarded All-West Region and All-West Coast Conference honors during her junior and senior seasons and named the team’s defensive MVP during their record-setting 1999 season.

Jacqui Little

From the get-go, Little was a big factor of the 1996-99 Women’s Soccer team’s success.

In her first year, Little was named a Freshman All-American and earned All-American honors once again following in her senior season when she set a school record of four hat tricks.

Playing in 94 matches during her career at Santa Clara, the four-year starting forward recorded 63 goals and 37 assists and ranks among the top Bronco producers of all time.

Kylie Bivens

Another decorated member of the 1996-99 Women’s Soccer team, Biven’s bigg est impact came in the postseason, where she scored eight goals—including three match winners—as a defender.

After starting for three years at Santa Clara, Bivens went on to compete in the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup before joining the Atlanta Beat.

Whitney Hollis

Hollis was yet another outstanding member of the 1999 class of Santa Clara Women’s Soccer. Playing in all four of the College Cups the Broncos attended, Hollis—a midfielder—was selected as a first-team All-West Coast Conference her senior year.

In 87 career games—64 of which she started—the Colorado native recorded 15 goals and 11 assists.

Mike Carey

Twenty years before the program was cut entirely, Santa Clara football had running back Mike Carey taking handoffs.

Averaging 4.7 yards per carry to earn the starting spot in the middle of his junior season, Carey looked poised to become the go-to back before an ankle injury sidelined him during his senior season.

Upon graduating in 1972, the Bronco returned to his hometown of San Diego to begin officiating youth football games.

Eventually, Carey climbed the ranks to the collegiate levels, where he refereed three bowl games.

In 1990, he earned a position as an NFL sideline judge and became the first African-American to officiate a Super Bowl when he did so in 2008. Following 24 seasons in the NFL, Carey joined CBS sports as a television rules analyst in 2014.

Contact John Brussa at jbrussa@ scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.