Santa Barbara City College Athletics Hall of Fame 2024 Inductees

Since 2019, Santa Barbara City College Athletics has honored many of its legendary athletes and coaches of the past through induction into the SBCC Athletics Hall of Fame.

The 2024 class consists of four former athletes and three coaches, who were first nominated and ultimately selected to be formally cemented in SBCC lore, including Frank Carbajal (posthumously), Jessica Domenichelli, Mike Fryer, Russ Hafferkamp, Ben Howland, Asaka Sim, and the 1989 Men’s Tennis Team with Coach Jack Sanford.

“Having the Hall of Fame members talk about their experience at SBCC and how much it means to them now, even 50 or 60 years later, really helps us wrap our brains around how what we do every day is so important in that moment in time for student athletes,” said SBCC Athletic Director LaDeane Hansten. “The people that we induct are always so humble, and they never think it should be them.”

Every year, SBCC honors one State Championship team at its Hall of Fame Induction, and this year it will be the 1989 men’s tennis team with Coach Jack Sanford. The players on that team were Billy Miller, Lance Kronberg, Sean Angel, Dayne Gingrich, Fred Lageman, Rafael Wolfe, Shannon Peace, Pete Gerstenfeld, and Chris Gorman. They finished the season with an overall record of 24-2 and went 15-1 in the Western State Conference.

“The 1989 team was the most successful tennis team I ever coached at SBCC, and five of the six players were from local high schools,” said Sanford in a press release. “As the coach of this highly talented team, my main task was to keep all the players fit and happy, because they all wanted to be higher on the ladder.”

SBCC defeated West Valley — a team that consisted of four international players and two other players from out of state — in the championship match.

Ben Howland is best known for leading über-talented UCLA teams to three straight Final Four appearances as head coach, but his basketball journey began in Goleta. He attended Dos Pueblos High School before graduating from Cerritos High School in 1975. He then returned to Santa Barbara to play for head coach Ed DeLacy at SBCC. His sophomore year, he played on the 31-4 team that won the Western State Conference and finished as state runner-up.

“I graduated from Cerritos and then came back and played with all the buddies I grew up with at DP,” Howland said. “The best thing about coming to SBCC was being back home in Santa Barbara after living in L.A. for two and a half years. I’ve always loved Santa Barbara, and it was really special to be back home. Secondly, to play with my friends, the buddies I had grown up with.”

Frank Carbajal replaced DeLacy as SBCC men’s basketball coach in 1978 and enjoyed an impressive 11-year stint as head coach. He was known for imparting valuable life lessons. His teams won 21 or more games in seven out of his 11 years at the helm, reaching two California State Final Fours, and they were State Runner-Up in 1984. The Vaqueros won four Western State Conference titles, were often ranked in California’s top 10, and produced six JC All-Americans under Carbajal, who utilized local talent to his advantage for those All-Americans.

He coached two future NBA players at SBCC: Chris McNealy and Ron Anderson.

“Many of Dad’s best years in coaching were those he spent in Santa Barbara,” said Frank’s son DeRon Carbajal, who played for him at SBCC from 1981-83. “He loved the community support and often received help from many local businesses.”

Frank Carbajal also coached basketball at De Anza and Hartnell community colleges before retiring in 2005. He amassed 662 victories in his coaching career.

Soccer player Jessica Domenichelli put together a spectacular two-year run at SBCC before transferring to Arizona State. She joined SBCC in 2010 and scored four goals in her first career game. It was a sign of things to come as she scored 25 goals during the 2010 season and broke her own program record with 27 goals in 2011. 

In 2011, Domenichelli led the team to its first WSC North title in school history with a 16-3-0 regular season record, which earned her the honor of Female Athlete of the Year by the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table. She was also named College Soccer Athlete of the Year in both 2010 and 2011.

Golfer Asaka Sim competed for the SBCC golf team in 2008 and 2009 and was Western State Conference Champion in both seasons as well as first-team All-State. She was the individual State Champion in 2008 and led the Vaqueros team to the State Championship.

“The second day of the State Championship, we were down eight strokes. I tossed and turned all night (after the first day), thinking about what I was going to tell them the next morning. Having a chance at a State Championship does not come to athletes very often,” said former SBCC golf coach Chuck Melendez. “When our team was warming up for the second day, I went up to Asaka and told her, ‘Not only do I want a Team Championship; I want an individual State Champion, and that is you.’ All of our players met our stroke goals, and Asaka passed everyone up to win the State Individual Championship. This is my favorite team, and Asaka led the way!”

Russ Hafferkamp led the SBCC water polo team in goals in both the 1972 and 1973 seasons with 92 and 53 goals, respectively. 

Hafferkamp went on to an NCAA All-American career at UC Santa Barbara. He also spent time with Team U.S.A. leading up to the 1980 Olympic boycott. He enjoyed a 40-year-plus playing career internationally and at the U.S. open and masters level.

After a standout career at Santa Barbara High, Mike Fryer joined the SBCC football team for the 1970 and 1971 seasons, where he played wide receiver and free safety. The Vaqueros were Western State Conference Champions and played in the California JC Playoffs each season. The 1971 team finished 9-2 overall, which was a program record for wins at the time, and 6-0 in conference play, taking Coach Bob Dinaberg to his third consecutive playoff game.

Fryer’s 11 interceptions in 1971 were number one in the state and tied the national record. This record still stands as the SBCC single-season record, after 52 years. Fryer was named SBCC and WSC Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-State, and Honorable Mention JC Gridwire All-American.

The SBCC Athletics Hall of Fame recognizes former Vaqueros who have had a lasting impact on the culture of excellence at SBCC. The event will take place on Friday, May 31, 5-8 p.m., at the SBCC Sports Pavilion Patio. Tickets are $50 and are available online at sbccvaqueros.com.