The University of Redlands is proud to announce the 24th class of the Bulldog Bench Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, which will be honored at "A Celebration of Bulldog Athletics" on Friday, October 26, during Homecoming weekend. This event will take place at 5:30 p.m. in Orton Center on the U of R campus.
The 2018 inductees include student-athlete-turned-head-coach Jim Ducey '78, tennis All-American Brian Murphy '04, men's soccer standout Andy Oshay '03, and softball star Allyson Leslie Ponsford '07.
Ducey competed in men's basketball for Hall of Fame coach Gary Smith in the mid-1970s and earned the Hustle Award as the consummate unselfish player. During his sophomore season, the Bulldogs captured a share of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and minors in art and geology, Ducey began his teaching and coaching career. He coached tennis and basketball at Cal State San Bernardino before returning to his alma mater to leave his mark on both sports for both genders in 1992. In addition to recording more than 100 wins in each sport, Ducey owns the remarkable feat of capturing at least one conference title in men's tennis, women's tennis, men's basketball, and women's basketball. This accomplishment remains unique in the modern era of the conference and possibly beyond. Throughout his impressive tenure, he has coached multiple All-Americans, All-SCIAC honorees, and national champions.
Murphy made generous contributions to the Redlands community as a member of the Bulldog men's tennis team from 2001-2004. Beyond aiding the team to three conference championships, he also played a significant role in the Bulldogs' third-place showing at the 2001 NCAA Division III Championships, which led to three additional final rankings among the nation's top 10. Murphy also advanced to the NCAA doubles finals with two different partners in back-to-back years. Individually, he earned three All-America nods and three All-SCIAC First-Team awards before completing his time at Redlands.
From 1998-2001, Oshay helped elevate the Bulldog men's soccer team with his drive, skill, and leadership. Overall, Oshay played an imperative role in the Bulldogs' climb within the conference and beyond. By his senior year, the team had captured the SCIAC championship for the first time since 1967. Oshay became a three-time All-SCIAC honoree, including being named the SCIAC Player of the Year in 2001. That same season, he led the Maroon and Gray to the NCAA Division III Championship game during the program's inaugural postseason run. He also collected three All-West Region awards during his stellar career.
Ponsford joins the elite class of Hall of Famers as a highly decorated outfielder who contributed to the start of the Bulldogs' "Decade of Dominance". After Redlands finished second in the conference her first season, the squad won 10 consecutive titles, including the first three during Ponsford's impressive career. Individually, she was named the 2004 SCIAC Rookie of the Year, which was the first in Bulldog softball history, collected three First-Team nods, and finished her career as the 2007 SCIAC Player of the Year. Statistically, Ponsford ranks among the career top 10 at Redlands for multiple categories, including as the school-record-holder for stolen bases with 105, which is 41 more than the runner-up. In addition, she boasts a career batting average of .419 with 218 hits, 15 triples, and 170 runs scored.
"It's exciting to honor not only a dedicated colleague but three outstanding Bulldogs who have played such significant roles in elevating their respective programs," commented Director of Athletics Jeff Martinez. "Each one has made crucial contributions to their sports and we are thrilled to celebrate them."
In addition to recognizing the inductees' accomplishments, the festivities at "A Celebration of Bulldog Athletics" will demonstrate the lasting power of the department while sharing a vision for the future to benefit our student-athletes and coaches. We hope you will join us on Friday, October 26, for a very important evening as we "kick off" the Campaign for Bulldog Athletics, a critical piece of the comprehensive Forever Yours campaign already moving forward. This special event will honor the 2018 Bulldog Bench Hall of Fame inductees while also sharing a vision for the future to benefit our student-athletes and their committed coaches for years to come.
Reservations for this exciting event are available at www.redlands.edu/CelebratingAthletics or through the Office of Alumni and Community Relations at 909-748-8011.
For general questions/information, please contact Bulldog Athletics at 909-748-8400.