Lemoore's Bob Clement part of large group headed to WHC Athletic Hall of Fame

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees are David Lainhart, basketball; Gordon Dolinar, baseball; Bruce Hauger, baseball and football; George Dyer, former head football coach; Robert Clement, former baseball player, assistant football coach and West Hills College athletic director; Bruce Hunt, long-time WHCC head rodeo coach; and Deanna Willard-Oliveira, rodeo.

“Our 20th Hall of Fame class represents an outstanding group of former students, coaches, and administrators – adding to the proud tradition of Falcons athletics,” said Eric Mendoza, West Hills College Coalinga’s Associate Dean of Athletics. “The Hall of Fame committee selected seven individuals who made a tremendous impact during their time on the West Hills College Coalinga campus. We look forward to a special event, as we honor the inductees and celebrate their many achievements.”

Robert Clement’s history with West Hills College spans six decades. He attended West Hills College Coalinga—then Coalinga College— from 1966 to 1968, playing baseball and earning all-conference honors both years. He then attended Fresno State, where he played baseball, and went to work for Lemoore High School in 1971. He came back to West Hills College in 1999 as an assistant football coach and served as athletic director at West Hills College Coalinga for eight years. In 2007, he became the first athletic director at West Hills College Lemoore.

Now retired, he is still active in the community and at West Hills College, which he supports as a scholarship donor. He was the first full-time athletic director at WHCC and the first full-time director at WHCL H was also named a Lemoore Citizen of the Year by the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce.

David Lainhart played basketball at West Hills College Coalinga from 2001 to 2002 and 2004 to 2005. He set records both seasons, including most 3-pointers in a game, most 3-pointers in a season and most 3-pointers in a career. In 2005, he was named the California Community College Commission on Athletics Pepsi Scholar Athlete of the Year. He was also named an Academic All-American in 2006. He is now a partner in Edge Pest Utah.

Gordon Dolinar started his baseball career at Coalinga College in 1956 and was shortstop on the 1958 state championship team, the only West Hills College baseball team to win a state championship. Gordon went on to attend UC Berkeley, where he served as team co-captain and then attended Cal State Chico. He then pursued a career in education, teaching in dozens of countries and devoting his time to activism.

Bruce Hauger played baseball and football at Coalinga College from 1958 to 1959. In his time here, he earned first team all-conference honors in 1958, second team all-conference honors in 1959 and was part of the 1958 state championship baseball team. He was also the MVP for that team in 1958. He went on to play baseball at Cal State L.A. He went on to a 35-year education career.

George Dyer was head football coach at Coalinga College in 1967 and led the team to a tie for league championship. After leaving West Hills, Dyer went on to coach at Portland State University, the University of Idaho, San Jose State, Michigan State, and Arizona State. In 1982, he joined the Buffalo Bills as a defensive line coach and has since been with the NFL coaching teams including the Seattle Seahawks, L.A. Rams, Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions.

Bruce Hunt was one of the winningest coaches in college rodeo during his career at West Hills College, which spanned from 1983 to his retirement in 2014. His teams, which competed against both two-year and four-year colleges and universities, were consistently ranked as among the best in the country. A native of Canada, he came to work at WHCC as part of an internship which then turned into a long career as coach.

Deanna Willard-Oliveira was a member of the West Hills College Coalinga rodeo team from 1986 to 1988. She competed in barrel racing and goat tying. She was the West Coast Intercollegiate Rodeo all-around cowgirl in 1987 as well as a champion at goat tying. She placed third at the College National Finals Rodeo in goat tying in 1987. She is a family service worker with Kings Community Action Organization.

The dinner will start with a no-host social hour at 6 p.m. and ceremony at 7 p.m. in the Harris Ranch Garden Ballroom. Tickets for the induction dinner are $75 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Gina Jason-Tollison at 559-934-2452.