FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno Pacific University will host its annual Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on the night of April 25 at the FPU Events Center. This year's class includes the first ever team inductee, as well as three individual inductees that excelled not only in their athletic careers, but have gone on to be excellent representatives of FPU in their respective communities. FPU will also recognize a "Legacy Award" winner, an honor bestowed on individuals who have made significant lifetime contributions to the success and legacy of FPU Athletics.
 
Tickets for the 2017 Fresno Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet are $40 per person and can be purchased online. The RSVP deadline is March 31. Doors open at 6 pm.
 
The inductees, in alphabetical order, are:
 
Anna Butz (Volleyball, Track & Field, Student-Athlete: 1984-1988)
 
A tremendous two-sport standout for the Sunbirds, Anna Butz was an All-American in both volleyball and track & field during her career. 
 
On the court, Butz led the 1986 Sunbird team to a 30-7 overall record and a 5-0 mark in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). It marked the inaugural season of the GSAC and the first regular season championship for the Sunbirds. Butz received All-American Honorable Mention honors following the year. In 1987, she was named to the All-American First Team after leading FPU to a 23-10 season. Butz was also named All-GSAC both seasons.
 
Butz then moved to the track the next two seasons, where she was named an All-American in 1988. She was the GSAC champion in both the 100 hurdles and the high jump in 1987. She still holds the program record in the heptathlon (4,681), is fifth all-time in the high jump (5'6"), ninth all-time in the 100 hurdles (15.52) and 10th all-time in the javelin (131' 6"). She capped off her career as the FPU Athletics Senior of the Year in 1988.
 
Butz has gone on to work as a counselor for children while living in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
 
Edgardo Contreras (Men's Soccer, Student-Athlete: 1997-2000)
 
The most prolific scorer in the history of the storied FPU men's soccer program, Edgardo Contreras was a two-time GSAC Player of the Year (1998, '99), three-time All-American (1998, '99, 2000) and four-time All-GSAC honoree (1997-2000) during his career as a Sunbird.
 
Contreras led the 1998 and '99 teams to GSAC championships and a combined 32-6-2 record. During the 1998 season, Contreras set a record for goals scored in a single game with six against Concordia. He scored 26 goals that season, good for most all-time for a single season at that time. Contreras now sits in second in single-season scoring with 26 in '98 and 2000.
 
Contreras still holds several career records, most notably being the all-time leader in goals scored with 87. He is also the all-time career leader in points (201) and game-winning goals (24), and ranks sixth all-time in assists (27).
 
Called "one of the most humble men to play in the FPU program" by head coach Jaime Ramirez, Contreras has gone on to have a successful career as a teacher and soccer coach at West Hills College.
 
Dennis McCave (Track & Field, Student-Athlete: 1969-1973)
 
A member of one of the greatest track & field teams in school history, Dennis McCave put together a stellar career as a then Viking and earned All-American honors in 1973.
 
McCave spent four seasons on the track & field team, dominating the throwing events and twice being named the team's Outstanding Field Athlete (1972, '73). In 1973, he reached the NAIA national championships after throwing a school record 193'4" in the hammer at the District 3 championship. The mark still stands as the program record.
 
He went on to have a distinguished career as a captain in the sheriff's department in Billings, Montana and is highly-regarded in law enforcement circles. He was the Commander of the Yellowstone County Detention Facility, the largest in the State of Montana, and developed a full-time chaplain position at the jail. Upon his retirement, he has pursued an acting career and landed a role in the movie "Nebraska".
 
1973 Men's Track & Field Team
 
The 1973 men's track & field team was one of the first in school history to make a name for the university on a national stage. The team not only put the program on the map in the Valley, but established the program as a force to be reckoned with throughout the state by consistently going toe-to-toe with much larger, well-known programs. The group established school records in nearly every event, including three marks that remain school records to this day.
 
The Vikings, led by Hall of Fame coach Jerry Huhn, placed 10th nationally at the NAIA championships in Arkansas. Steve Hardison earned an individual national title in the pole vault, setting an NAIA national championship record in the process. Teammate Dennis McCave joined Hardison as an All-American that season, while the Vikings also had four NAIA District champions (Hardison, McCave, Roger Trujillo, Dennis Anderson).
 
Perhaps the most memorable moment came on March 17, 1973, when the Vikings earned an 83-80 dual meet victory over local powerhouse Fresno State at Ratcliffe Stadium. It marked the first time FPC had defeated the Bulldogs in school history. The team also had other notable results, including winning 11 of 18 events against Nevada in a dual meet and beating USC in a 4x800 relay with a school record time of 7:35.0.
 
Dr. Malcolm Ghazal
 
Dr. Malcolm Ghazal, who began serving as the team physician for the Sunbirds in 1997, will be honored posthumously as the second Legacy Award honoree in FPU Athletics history.
 
As the team physician, Dr. Ghazal provided physicals for all FPU student-athletes and provided quick and thorough care for the injured. His dedication was shown each week, coming to campus for "Doc Night" while providing care and guidance. Dr. Ghazal returned numerous student-athletes to their respective sports through successful surgeries and rehabilitation.
 
Dr. Ghazal also worked with the FPU sports medicine staff, providing mentoring and learning opportunities to the athletic trainers and students. He established a network of physicians and specialists in the Fresno area for the Sunbirds and helped establish many of the FPU sports medicine policies and procedures that are still in place today.
 
An extremely talented surgeon specializing in hip, knee, and shoulder, Dr. Ghazal completed his orthopedic surgery residency at McGill University in Montreal, Canada in 1990. He graduated from Loma Linda University in 1985 with his Doctor of Medicine. He moved to Fresno in 1992 and began a highly successful career with Sierra Pacific Orthopedics.
 
Dr. Ghazal served as the team physician until he passed away on March 10, 2015 following a battle with cancer. His wife, Michelle Bernard, will accept the award on his behalf.