CSUN Inducts 2026 Hall of Fame Class

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

11/9/2026 9:16:00 AM | General

PORTER RANCH, Calif. – CSUN Athletics inducted its 2026 Hall of Fame class on Friday, November 6, as five individuals and one team were honored at a dinner and ceremony at Porter Valley Country Club.

More than 150 Matador friends and family attended Friday's event, which inducted new Hall of Famers Bobby Braswell (Men's Basketball), Valerie Brisco-Hooks (Women's Track & Field), Dennis Gilbert (Special Inductee), Katie Holloway Bridge (Women's Basketball), Scott Sharts (Baseball), and the 1975 National Champion Men's Track & Field Team.

Master of Ceremonies and CSUN alum Bill Courtland began the evening by welcoming Director of Athletics Ryan Swartwood and CSUN President Erika Beck to the stage.

After Beck praised each of the evening's honorees, Swartwood returned to the podium to further celebrate the night's inductees.

"We are very grateful to be able to get together and celebrate together tonight," said Swartwood. "This event on our calendar is the best event we do as a department of athletics because we get to get to get reconnect with old friends, celebrate incredible achievements, and honor our very proud history. The true measure of an athletic department is the people who helped build the department of athletics. It's those friendships that endure for decades so tonight is all about legacy."

Following dinner, the attention turned to the inductees.

The first to be inducted into the 2026 Hall of Fame class was former women's basketball student-athlete and current United States Paralympian Katie Holloway Bridge

Holloway Bridge starred for CSUN Women's Basketball from 2004–08, earning multiple Big West honors and ranking among the program's leaders in field-goal percentage and blocked shots. She also excelled academically as a three-time Big West All-Academic Team selection. Holloway Bridge went on to become one of the most accomplished Paralympians in U.S. sitting volleyball history, winning silver medals in 2008 and 2012 before capturing three consecutive gold medals at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Paralympic Games. Her collegiate success, international achievements, and perseverance have earned her a place in the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I am so honored to be here tonight as a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026," Holloway Bridge said. "Way back when, coach Tammy Holder took a chance on me, a 6-3, one-legged girl from Lake Stevens, Washington. She and the rest of the staff believed I could do it, she was also the one who drove me to my prosthetic appointments my freshman year and I've never forgotten her grace and kindness. I came to Northridge as an underdog and I felt I had to prove myself to my teammates, coaches, and the people I competed against."

Next up was record-setting CSUN Baseball standout Scott Sharts.

Sharts was one of CSUN Baseball's most versatile and accomplished players, excelling as both a power-hitting first baseman and dominant right-handed pitcher from 1990 to 1991. He helped lead the Matadors to the 1990 NCAA Division II Championship Series and a national runner-up finish, while setting the school's single-season home-run record with 29 and tying the career record with 51. A two-time All-American, Sharts also recorded 13 complete games and 139 strikeouts in a season before being drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1991 and playing four seasons of professional baseball. His remarkable two-way career has earned him induction as the 19th CSUN Baseball player in the Hall of Fame.

"Being recognized by the University that gave me so much is something I never imagined and I'm humbled to stand here today as a Matador," Sharts said. "My journey at CSUN started with a tough decision. My first year of college was at the University of Miami which at the time was one of the top baseball programs in the nation. The tough decision I had to make was one day they told me that I couldn't hit college pitching. So I remember calling my parents that night and saying 'we're changing, it's time to leave.' I wanted to become the player that I knew I was, and I needed to play in a place that believed in me and my abilities and coach (Bill) Kernan was that guy that restored my faith, my belief, and gave me the opportunity to be the player I knew I was."

Third on the inductee list was CSUN alum Dennis Gilbert, who was a special inductee in the 2026 Hall of Fame class.

Gilbert, a former CSUN student, has built an influential career spanning sports, financial services, and philanthropy. As founder of The Gilbert Group and Beverly Hills Sports Council, he became a leading expert in estate planning and negotiated more than 1,000 professional baseball contracts. He has also served as a special assistant to the Chicago White Sox since 2001, advising on contracts and organizational decisions. Beyond business and sports, Gilbert co-founded the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, helped raise more than $1 million for scouts and their families, and supported youth baseball programs in underserved communities. Recognized for his professional achievements and humanitarian work, Gilbert's lasting legacy of leadership and service has earned him induction as the 16th special inductee into the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I really want to thank everyone for being here tonight and for sharing a special evening," Gilbert said. "It's truly an honor to be honored by Cal State Northridge. First of all, I want to thank my good friend, former classmate, and roommate Irv Zakheim for nominating me. Most importantly, I want to thank my wife of 48 years, Cindy who has been the backbone of my career."

Fourth on the inductee list was former CSUN Women's Track & Field standout and three-time Olympic medalist Valerie Brisco-Hooks.

Brisco-Hooks is one of the most accomplished athletes in CSUN history, helping lead the Matadors to the 1979 AIAW National Championship while winning national titles in the 200 meters and 880-yard relay. She remains the CSUN record-holder in the outdoor 200 meters and later set the Matador Track Complex record in the 400 meters. Brisco-Hooks reached the pinnacle of international competition at the 1984 Olympics, winning three gold medals in the 200m, 400m, and 4x400m relay, and later earned an Olympic silver medal in 1988. With additional Pan American Games titles and a lasting impact on CSUN track and field, she is a deserving member of the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I want to say thank you so much for inducting me into this year's Hall of Fame," Brisco-Hooks said. "If it wasn't for Barbara Swerkes and Bobby Kersee, I would not be here being honored tonight. They believed or saw something in me that I did not. I'm from Watts, California, did not want to run track but was made to run. They recruited me but I did not want to come to Northridge because it was too far, too hot, too cold, too everything. But I am blessed and happy that I did because it taught me discipline, dedication and I found a family here. It formed what would become a very successful life."

The fifth and final individual inductee was former head men's basketball coach Bobby Braswell.

Braswell, a CSUN alumnus and head coach from 1996–2013, led the Matadors through the most successful era in program history. He holds school records with 251 Division I wins and 140 conference victories, guided CSUN to three conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances, and led the team to a program-record 22 wins in 2000–01. A two-time Big West Coach of the Year, Braswell's leadership and dedication to student-athlete success left a lasting legacy, earning him induction as the 16th head coach in the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame.

"First I want to congratulate the other inductees tonight on your well-deserved honors," Braswell said. "I don't think any of us, when we started on our journeys, imagined we would end up in a moment like this and I'm very blessed and very thankful. I am humbled by this honor. I started this journey way back in 1980 as a high school coach. I was pretty committed, pretty happy and pretty content being a high school coach, but God had a different plan for me. Through the years, opportunities opened up and I was able to end up at CSUN in 1996. It became very, very clear to me at the time that the most important people to me and to the success of our program was going to be the players. This award is not about me at all, it's about those young men who came through this program and decided to play for me."

The final inductee of the night was the 1975 CSUN Men's Track & Field team that captured the NCAA Championship.

The 1975 CSUN Men's Track & Field team, led by head coach Cliff Abel, captured the NCAA Division II National Championship and the CCAA title during a dominant season. The Matadors produced individual national champions Steve Albright in the shot put and Ed Chaidez in the six-mile run, earned All-America honors in 10 events, and set five school records. Celebrated for its exceptional depth, coaching, and championship-level performances, the team became the first CSUN track and field team inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame.

"When I first arrived on campus at Cal State Northridge, CSUN had an incredible list of athletes," said Mitch Forte, a sprinter/hurdler on the 1975 squad. "Every single guy was the best ever from where he came from and the expectation to win was off the charts. You weren't expected to compete, you were expected to win. Every year, these guys expected to win, and win big."

Throughout the evening, the common theme was how each inductee's time as a Matador has impacted his or her life after college. From lifelong friendships, to lessons learned from teammates and coaches to how to overcome adversity, excellence was present all around.

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