NWAC Reveals Hall of Fame Class of 2025
VANCOUVER, Wash. - The Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) is pleased to announce the NWAC Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The 2025 Class features former student-athletes, coaches and administrators from the NWAC's North Region. The 2025 NWAC Hall of Fame Induction Dinner & Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at the Angel of the Winds Casino Resort in Arlington, Washington. Tickets will be available for purchase at a to-be-determined date. Event details can be found at www.nwacsports.org/halloffame
INDIVIDUALS
Jerry Allen • Peninsula College • Jim Jackson Award for Outstanding Service
Allen's most significant impact within the NWAC happened through his work with the Peninsula College athletic department. Since the college re-launched athletics in 1997, Jerry's support of Peninsula College athletics is second to none. A former Pirate men's basketball player himself in the mid-1970s, Allen helped Peninsula re-enter the NWAC in 1997 and has been behind the scenes supporting the program ever since. The 13 NWAC championships Peninsula Collage has won in soccer and basketball since 2010 likely would not have happened without his support.
Under Allen's leadership, Seven Cedars Casino and the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe were there when the college re-launched the basketball program, sponsoring the 7 Cedars Summer Basketball Invitational - a fund-raising tournament to benefit the program. Since that time, he has continued to support Pirate fund raising events, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for scholarships for student athletes, providing facilities and food for team banquets, hosting golf tournaments and casino nights, and doing all he can to support Pirate Athletics. He's also served on hiring committees, provided advice for the Pirate Athletic Association, and this year is supporting the NWAC North Region visit to the Olympic Peninsula for a retreat. Allen understands the mission of the NWAC and of community college athletics. He has helped Peninsula College enhance their reputation as a member of the NWAC. He is service driven and he gives more than what is expected.
Rhonda Belle • Bellevue College • Women's Track & Field Student-Athlete (1980-1981 - Posthumously)
In 1981, Belle won three individual events in 1980 and anchored the winning Bellevue College 1600-meter relay team. She won both the 400 meters and 200 meters in meet record times and the long jump in the second-best jump in NWAC history. Belle capped off the meet by anchoring the winning 1600-meter relay team in a then-meet record. She was the high scorer with 32.5 points at the year-end NWAC Track and Field Championships. At the end of the year, Rhonda was named the Bellevue College Female Athlete of the Year.
The following season in 1981, Rhonda defended both her titles in the 400 and 200-meter races and beat the meet records that she set the previous year. Her times of 53.69 seconds and 54.21 seconds in 1981 in the 400 meters remains the fastest two times of all-time. Belle added the 400-meter relay championship and anchored the 1600-meter relay, leading to consecutive championships in both races. She finished second in the long jump and, for the second consecutive year, was the championship high scorer with 33 points.
After competing for Bellevue College, Rhonda went onto compete at Oregon State University where she still ranks eight all-time in the 400 meters. Her top time at Bellevue would be the school record at OSU. During her time at OSU, Belle was named All-Pac 10 twice. Rhonda passed away in 2015.
Steve Epperson • Skagit Valley • Head Women's Basketball Coach (1977-2019)
Epperson's coaching career in women's basketball spans over four decades and is marked by his remarkable accomplishments rarely seen among community college coaches. He led Skagit Valley College to four Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) championships in 1988, 1994, 1996 and most notably, an undefeated season in 1998. Recognized for his coaching excellence, Epperson was named NWAC Coach of the Year four times and earned North Division Coach of the Year honors 15 times. His contributions were further celebrated when his undefeated 1998 team was inducted into the NWAC Hall of Fame in 2005. Epperson has over 900 victories in his coaching career which ranks him with the most wins in women's basketball in NWAC history.
In addition to his coaching legacy, Epperson was the long-time Director of Financial Aid, and served as SVC's Athletic Director for four years, furthering his commitment to advancing the college's athletic programs and supporting student-athletes. His accomplishments and leadership continue to be a source of pride and inspiration at SVC.
Jamie Carver (Foote) • Everett Community College • Softball Student-Athlete (2006-2007)
Foote played softball at EvCC during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, earning NWAACC conference and team MVP honors in both years. She currently holds the single season home run record at EvCC with 17 and she is the all-time EVCC leader in home runs with 31. The Trojans took first place in the Northern Division of NWAACC behind Foote's .540 batting average and 71 RBI's (also an all-time best at EvCC). While setting softball records for Everett Community College, she posted a 3.53 GPA.
She transferred to Seattle University and helped the program transition to NCAA Division I. Her senior year was culminated by winning the Independent Softball Tournament and finishing with an 18-20 season. As a senior Foote finished her career on a ten-game hit streak, and was named to the all-tournament team going 9-for-15 with a double, a triple, a home run, two walks, six runs scored, and seven runs batted in. In the classroom, Foote carried a 3.98 GPA and earned a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII (College Division) First Team and was later named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team. She was just the 11th Seattle University student-athlete to win the award since it began in 1984, while earning numerous academic and athletic awards during her two-year career as a Redhawk.
In 2006 and 2007, Foote was selected the Everett CC Female Athlete of the Year. She then went onto be named the Seattle University Female Athlete of the Year in 2009.
Miguel Gonzalez • Peninsula College • Men's Soccer Student-Athlete (2010-2011)
Miguel Gonzalez may be the most prolific offensive player in Peninsula College's storied men's soccer history. The success he had on the field, his leadership, his academic journey, and the career he amassed after Peninsula is second to none.
Following his high school career in Yelm, Washington, where he was named All-State two straight years, he put together two jaw-dropping years in a Peninsula Pirate uniform. He scored a school-record 49 career goals, including 34 in 2011, added 14 career assists, and was named the region MVP both years. He led his team to back-to-back region titles, an NWAC championship in 2010 and a semifinal finish in 2011. Miguel graduated with his AA degree and a 3.7 GPA, and went on to play his junior and senior years of college for Division I Seattle University.
At Seattle University, he scored 19 career goals, was named All-Conference and helped the RedHawks to a conference title and a second-round finish at the NCAA College Cup. Miguel went on to play professionally with Oklahoma City, Miami FC, and Colorado Springs. He scored 46 goals in a six-year pro career. He now gives back to the sport of soccer in the community where he grew up, coaching select youth teams including Oly Town and Pac Northwest.
Lisa Kindelan • Bellevue College • Women's Cross Country & Track & Field Student-Athlete (1980-1982)
As a freshman, in 1980, Kindelan finished runner-up at the NWAC Cross Country Championships and helped lead Bellevue College women's cross country team to its first NWAC Cross Country Championship as well as the first overall championship in women's sports at Bellevue College.
Building on her success the season before, in 1981 Kindelan was the first Bellevue College women's cross country individual champion, winning the championship race in 17 minutes, 53 seconds. Her winning time was the fastest in the NWAC for 30 years and remains the second fastest in NWAC history. At the '81 championships, she led her teammates to a 1-2-3 finish, securing the NWAC Cross Country Championship for the second year in a row. At the conclusion of the cross-country season, Bellevue College cross country team finished ranked #1 in the country, led by Kindelan.
Turning to track & field in 1981, Lisa was the NWAC champion in both 3K (10:20) and 5K (17:54) races. In 1982, she was runner up in both races to her Bellevue College teammate. Kindelan's efforts in Track & Field help secure championships in both 1981 and 1982 for the Bellevue College women's track & field teams.
She transferred to the University of Idaho where she was all conference in cross country and track & field in both her junior and senior seasons. From there she participated in three Olympic trials marathons, finishing 10th, 19th, and 29th. Lisa is the only NWAC woman to compete in three Olympic Trials. In 1995, she ranked eighth in the U.S. Marathon with a time of 2:35.00. In 1996, Lisa finished ninth at the USA 5K championships. Kindelan was a member of the U.S. Track & Field team at the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle as she competed in the marathon and was the top American finishing fourth. Lisa finished in the top five in the USA Marathon Women's Championship three times.
TEAMS
1981 Women's Cross Country Team • Bellevue College
The 1981 Bellevue College Women's Cross Country team was the number one ranked team in the entire country for community colleges. The team set a low point total of 19 in the 1981 NWAC Women's Cross Country Championship by finishing first, second, third, seventh, eighth, and ninth place respectively. The first, second, and third place finishes by the team ranks as three of the four fastest times ever run at any NWAC Cross Country Championship in history. As a team, the '81 Bellevue College Women's Cross-Country team is the best ever in the NWAC. Going head-to-head in two races with National Junior College Champion, Lane Community College, Bellevue College Women's Cross Country team won.
1983 Women's Track & Field Team • Bellevue College
The 1983 Bellevue College Women's Cross Country Team is the most dominant team in NWAC history. These women won 13 of 17 total events at the NWAACC Cross Country Championships in 1983. They won all 12 running and relay events, while scoring in all 17 events. In five events, Bellevue College finished either first or second while collecting the most wins by one team in NWAC Cross Country history. They set four conference records and three of those are still standing 41 years later. The 1600-meter relay and mile records are still national community college records.
