The Occidental College Athletics Hall of Fame inducted six new members at a Cannon Plaza ceremony Oct. 4. Its Class of ’26 featured Anna Celaya ’99, Steven “Vandy” Van Deventer ’15, Michele Trimble de Boucaud ’89, Tom Colley ’78, Doug McAdam ’73, and Lynn Mehl. The ceremony featured speeches from each inductee, and a rendition of the Io Triumphe chant led by Van Deventer.
Steven “Vandy” Van Deventer ‘15
According to the Occidental Athletics website, Van Deventer won back-to-back Division III national titles in 2013 and 2014 in the 200-yard breaststroke.
“I was in the final heat [in 2013], but I think I was seeded fourth or fifth,” Van Deventer said. “[Coach Shea Manning] gave me this whole mental routine to go through, and then when I dove in and followed exactly what he told me […] I remember screaming in my head to keep the strokes together. And then I touched, and turned, and saw I won.”
According to Van Deventer, he had to juggle athletics and academics with multiple campus jobs, but his swim teammates helped him through it.
“I had to work my way through, so I was head lifeguard, I worked in IT in the library and I was a physics TA,” Van Deventer said. “The routine [was] getting up super early and pushing yourself in the pool with everyone every day, and still having to go to your 8 a.m. class. It was hard, but we had each other, so we had a lot of fun.”
Anna Celaya ‘99
According to the Occidental Athletics website, Celaya was selected four times to the All-SCIAC first team and twice as SCIAC Player of the Year. Celaya said basketball was a break from the academic rigor of Occidental.
“It was always a de-stresser, something to look forward to,” Celaya said. “I always love the preparation and the anticipation of a big game, and knowing that I was prepared to do my best.”
Celaya said she still remembers her Occidental basketball teammates’ kindness after the passing of her father.
“My teammates bought me and my sister Christmas gifts my freshman year when my father passed away,” Celaya said. “They all chipped in to buy us something, so even though we were going through a hard time, [we could] have a good experience.”
Michele Trimble de Boucaud ‘89
According to the Occidental Athletics website, de Boucaud was a four-time SCIAC cross-country champion and nine-time All-American at Occidental. According to de Boucaud, she missed her junior track season due to an injury, but returned to run as a senior.
“My junior year of track […] I had a stress fracture and they had to cast my foot,” de Boucaud said. “I had been trying for [a national championship]. I got second my freshman year […] I thought my sophomore year that I could win, and that didn’t happen so it was like, ‘Well, this is it.'”
De Boucaud said she recalls the support she felt on the day she finally won the Division III national championship in the 3000m.
“It was just amazing,” de Boucaud said. “I had friends and my parents there. I still have the tape from it but I need to find a VCR so I can watch it.”
Tom Colley ’78
According to Colley, he initially played at Baylor University and San Bernardino Valley College, where he met several Occidental graduates who encouraged him to run for coach Steve Haas ’63 at Occidental.
“Coach Haas gave me a call […] and I decided to go on to Occidental after that,” Colley said.
According to Colley, he was part of the national championship track and cross country teams in 1977 and 1978, and also won his own 1977 title on the track in the 1500m. Colley said he set a personal record in the 1500m in his senior year.
“I found out that there was an [Amateur Athletic Union] race at UCLA,” Colley said. “Someone gave me the start times, but they were off by an hour […] so I got there just 15 minutes before the race was supposed to start. But for some reason, [I felt loose] and I kept moving up, so I managed to get my personal best that day.”
Doug McAdam ‘73
According to the Occidental Athletics website, McAdam was named to the All-District first team twice, All-SCIAC first team, and received Small College All-America honorable mention honors in his time at Occidental.
“We were one of the best eras in men’s college basketball in school history,” McAdam said. “I was lucky enough to play with so many great athletes with whom I share this honor.”
McAdam said he was a member of the final all-first-year basketball team at Occidental.
“We went 23-0 […] and our last game of the year was supposed to be against UCLA, ‘Scary’ UCLA,” McAdam said. “They cancelled, citing some conflict. I think they were afraid of losing to Occidental, as they should have been.”
Lynn Mehl
Mehl said she worked in many different roles in her time at Occidental, starting as a professor of kinesiology and psychology in 1977, coach of the women’s tennis team that won the 1982 inaugural NCAA Division III national championship and Director of Athletics.
“I had the opportunity to work with generations of students,” Mehl said. “Their questions, their inquiring minds, the challenges. That is something that keeps you young, keeps you working and it is so rewarding. I’m really deeply honored to have my name included among so many remarkable athletes, coaches and contributors to our athletics.”
Contact Whittaker Perrin at wperrin@oxy.edu
