POMONA – The Cal Poly Pomona Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is pleased to introduce the 2020 induction class of the CPP Athletics Hall of Fame.  Tara Chance, Ellen Migasi, Dennis Nespor and Violet Palmer will be honored for their athletic excellence and contributions to the history of Cal Poly Pomona athletics in February.
 
"We congratulate the newest Broncos Hall of Fame inductees for the incoming Class of 2020; each of these student-athletes made a significant impact in Bronco Athletics during their tenure at Cal Poly Pomona," said CPP Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Brian Swanson.  "The talent level and post-eligibility successes that the committee was considering makes selecting the honorees incredibly difficult."

"Thanks to our Selection Committee for its dedication and commitment and for the tremendous amount time and effort that the members put into making these decisions," continued Swanson.  "It is a truly who's who in Broncos history that will be joining our current members in February and we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments."
 
This year's Celebration of Champions ceremony will be held at Kellogg West Conference Center & Hotel on the CPP campus on Saturday, February 29, 2020, beginning with a reception at 11:30 am.
 

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Tara Chance | Women's Soccer | 1999-2003
 
A starting defender for her entire career, Tara Chance is one of only four CPP women's soccer players to ever be named All-America.  She was a four time All-CCAA selection and a three-time All-Region honoree, and played a key role in the Broncos' 1999 NCAA Tournament championship run that saw CPP lose in the National final.  For her efforts as a freshman that postseason, she was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.  She was part of a defense that set a program record for fewest goals allowed in one season (13 in 2001).  Not only was she dominant on the soccer field, she also excelled in the classroom, earning CoSIDA Academic All-District honors twice (2001 and 2003).
 

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Ellen Migasi | Volleyball | 1994-97
 
A middle blocker for the Broncos, Ellen Migasi still remains at the top of the CPP record books as the all-time leader in most total blocks (589) and block assists (490) in a career.  A two-time All-American, she was named All-CCAA four times and All-Region three times, leading the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances and 73 wins during her four-year career.
 

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Dennis Nespor | Baseball | 1966-69
 
The 1967-68 Cal Poly Pomona Athletics Male Athlete of the Year, Dennis Nespor was the CPP baseball team's Most Valuable Player in 1968 and was selected as a First Team All-CCAA honoree for leading the Broncos in batting average (.362), hits (55), runs (34), RBI (31), doubles (9), home runs (8) and triples (4) that season.  He was also named the Team Captain and later the team's Most Inspirational during his senior campaign in 1969.  In addition to playing for legendary head baseball coach John Scolinos, Nespor was a two-sport athlete at CPP, playing wide receiver and punter for the football team.
 
Following graduation from CPP, Nespor became the first Varsity baseball coach at Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, Calif., and led the team to three league titles in eight seasons, only to be inducted into Dana Hills HS Baseball HOF in 2018.
 

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Violet Palmer | Women's Basketball | 1982-86
 
A true pioneer in today's sports world, Violet Palmer was the starting point guard for Hall of Fame head coach Darlene May for two of the five NCAA Division II National Championships won by the CPP women's basketball program in 1984-85 and 1985-86, and she is currently tenth all-time in program history in steals with 165 in her career.
 
Palmer continued to make a name for herself beyond graduation from CPP, becoming the first woman to officiate in the NBA and/or in any major professional sport in the United States in 1997 after spending time in the collegiate ranks, working five NCAA Women's Final Four games and two NCAA Women's National Championship games.  She also officiated in the inaugural season of the WNBA (1997) and worked the WNBA finals that year.  In 1999, Palmer won the Neesmith Award for Official of the Year, the highest award an official can receive in collegiate basketball.  In 2006, became first woman to officiate a NBA postseason game between Indiana and New Jersey, going on to officiate nine NBA postseason games in six different seasons.  She also officiated the 2014 NBA All-Star Game.  Now retired from the profession, Palmer has coordinated women's basketball officials for the Pac-12, West Coast Conference and the Western Athletic Conference since 2009.

Click HERE to read more about Palmer, who was also Cal Poly Pomona Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award winner in 2016.
 

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The induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at Kellogg West Conference Center & Hotel.  A reception will begin at 11:30 am with lunch to follow at 12:00 pm.  The program is set to begin at 12:30 pm, then the unveiling of the Hall of Fame plaques will take place at Kellogg Arena at 2:00 pm.
 
Tickets cost $40.  To RSVP and purchase tickets, call the CPP Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at (909) 869-3786.