Do you have what it takes?
Illustration by Zoe Wren Arntsen.
What does it take to become a legend at Chapman?
Established in 1979, the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame has recognized people whose achievements have helped define its history for 47 years.
All athletes at Chapman play an integral part on their team, representing the university on the front of their jersey. Every once in a while, one of those athletes will go above and beyond, creating a lasting impact on all of those around them. The Hall of Fame is more than a collection of names on a wall. Each inductee represents a different era in Chapman’s athletics.
The Hall of Fame is dedicated to Don Perkins, baseball and basketball coach and athletic director during his time at Chapman. As of 2026, over 140 athletes have been inducted. Perkins’ influence on Chapman athletics makes it clear why the university created a space to preserve its athletes' accomplishments.
Every year, a class of four or five individuals of outstanding character, both on and off the field, is chosen by a committee of about 14 members with close connection to Chapman to join the talented group of athletes who will forever be recognized by Chapman.
For the official qualifications of what it takes to become a Hall of Fame athlete at Chapman, you can read more here.
This year, a class of four athletes was chosen:
Dan Healy - Class of 1980 - Basketball
Linsey Buendia - Class of 2001 - Softball
Alyce Perry - Class of 2005 - Women's Soccer
Wayde Kitchens - Class of 2009 - Baseball
Kitchens’ induction puts the number of baseball players currently in the Hall of Fame at 35, alongside the National Championship-winning teams of 1968 and 2003. Meanwhile, the addition of Buendia raises the number of softball inductees to 15, alongside the 1995 National Championship-winning team.
The addition of Healy brings the number of men’s basketball honorees to 32, while Perry became just the fifth person to be inducted for women's soccer.
While more than 140 athletes have earned a place in the Chapman Athletic Hall of Fame, a few athletes stand alone in their respective sports. For these athletes, their induction is even sweeter as it marks the beginning of a legacy for their sport in the Hall of Fame. Their names stand alone as a testament to the sport they helped shape and inspire at Chapman.
One example is Marvin Gross, who was the first for men’s cross country. A captain of the Panthers’ track and cross country team in the 1950s, Gross set multiple school records, earning himself the MVP honor twice and cementing his place as one of the program’s only standouts to have been inducted into the Hall in 1987.
In women’s swimming and diving, Julia Case set three Chapman records in the freestyle category that helped earn her name in the Hall of Fame in 2024, becoming the university’s first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) champion swimmer while also earning an All-American honorable mention in water polo in 2012.
Sandy Galbraith holds similar stats in men’s golf. As one of the first players in Chapman’s golf program, Galbraith earned team MVP honors in the first two seasons before going to play on the PGA tour and compete in the British Open in 1974.
Three athletes, three sports and three legacies started at Chapman University, forever to be honored in the Hall of Fame.
Other athletes, however, may not be so lucky.
In the official athletics Hall of Fame eligibility guidelines, it’s stated that for a team to be recognized officially in the Hall of Fame, they must “have qualified for NCAA national championship first or second place.”
For some Chapman athletes, this rule puts them at a severe disadvantage. The men’s lacrosse team is a prime example.
Under Title IX regulations, all NCAA programs must have an equal number of men's and women's teams. Because of this, Chapman Lacrosse competes in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association, or MCLA, a highly competitive club lacrosse league including over 180 teams across America and Canada.
In 2016, Chapman's Men's Lacrosse team went all the way to the National Championship, hosted on our very own Wilson Field, and won 9-5 over California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
The other requirements for a team to be voted into the Hall of Fame are as follows:
The athletic team must be composed of students in good standing morally, spiritually and socially. The team must also exhibit academic achievement/success.
The team is eligible five years after qualification.
Induction into the Hall of Fame requires two-third vote in favor by the Hall of Fame committee members.
Other than the 2016 lacrosse National Championship, Chapman has only won an award of that caliber four other times in school history. Once in softball and three times in baseball.
In Chapman’s Athletic Hall of Fame, some athletes may never be recognized. Of all the athletes that have played at Chapman, and the many more to come, it stands testament to not only the prowess these individuals held in their sport, but the content of their character.
For the full list of these athletes and their accomplishments, and a look into what helped shape their legacy into the Chapman Hall of Fame, take a look here.