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LCCC is proud to announce the Hall of Fame Class of 2023. Join us Saturday, August 26th for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Banquet.
Class of 2023
2005 Women’s Soccer Team
The 2005 Laramie County Community College women’s soccer team was on a mission.
In 2004, the Golden Eagles had been denied a trip to their first national tournament after falling to Dixie State in the District Championship 3-2 in overtime.
That stinging defeat would be more than enough motivation to drive them to their first Region IX title in school history along with a 2-0 win over the same Dixie State Rebels who had beaten them a year prior to make their first trip to the national championships in Pheonix, Arizona.
The team started the season off 8-0, including wins over defending national champions Monroe Community College, Cisco College, and Dodge City Community College.
The Golden Eagles made the postseason field and would finally overcome Dixie State in the District Championship game to make it to the national tournament ranked seventh in the country.
At the National Tournament, LCCC opened with a 1-0 win over Navarro College in overtime with Ashley Thomas hitting the game winning goal.
They would have a heartbreaking loss to top seeded Darton State College 4-3. That dropped LCCC to the third-place match where they roared back to defeat Mesa Community College 2-1 to cap off a very successful first trip to the national tournament, with a go-ahead goal from backup goalie Sarah Betts and the game winner from Angeala Reale. The Golden Eagles had multiple stand out athletes on the 2005 team, including the schools’ first pair of All-Americans. Abby Jenkins was awarded First Team All-American by the NJCAA and Second Team All-American by the NSCAA. Goalie Jessica Salvi earned All-American Honorable Mention.
Head Coach Jim Gardner was named the Region IX Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season, finishing with double digit wins for the first time in his career as coach of the Golden Eagles. He would never finish with less than 11 wins in a season after that.
Despite this being only the third year of women’s soccer, many accomplishments from the 2005 team can still be found in the record books. Jenkins’ 25 goals is still second most in school history, only being broken 11 years later by fellow LCCC Hall of Famer Jemma House. Jenkins 58 points from that season also still stands as the fourth most in school history. Salvi also has her name still dotting the record books from the 2005 season, setting a mark of 148 shots saved which is still the most in school history, 17 more than Natasta Troxler in second place.
Several individual game marks were set in the 2005 season, too. Jenkins finished with four goals in the Golden Eagles win over Salt Lake Community College and Lydia Rush, who led the team with nine assists, had a three-assist game against Sussex in September.
Jamie Freel - Men's Golf - 1991-1992
Coming to the LCCC men’s golf team as one of the four Canadians, Jamie Freel quickly made himself a major part of the team’s success. In his first season, Freel picked up five finishes in the top five going into the regional tournament, including third-place finishes at the LCCC-WNCC Invitational and at the Air Force Invitational.
Freel guided the Golden Eagles to a victory in the Region IX championship by leading the individual race from start to finish over the three-day event. That carried to the national tournament where he would win the East-West Exhibition championship to open the festivities. In the national tournament, it seemed Freel had come back to earth with an opening-round 84, but the freshman came roaring back with a 69 on day two to rally
for a tie for fourth in the four-day tournament. As a sophomore, he hit the ground running in the fall, winning the LCCC-WNCC Invitational, placing second in the Kearney Loper Invitational, and winding up third in Garden City.
At the 1992 NJCAA National Tournament, andother 84 greeted Freel at Jekyll Island, Georgia, but Freel responded with three straight rounds in the 70s to finish in second place in the tournament and help the Golden Eagles win back-to-back national titles. Freel was a back-to-back 1st Team All-American and remains the only person in school history with that honor for any sport. He moved on to play for Kennesaw State after his career at LCCC.
Jemma House - Women's Soccer - 2015-2016
In her two years in the blueand gold for LCCC, Jemma House made her name stand out from the crowd by setting marks in scoring that may never be touched.
House stands as the all-time leading goal-scorer with 47 in her two years at LCCC and is also the all-time leader in points with 108 through her two seasons as a Golden Eagle. House is the only player in school history to have scored six goals in a game, accomplishing the feat on Oct. 16, 2015, against Western Wyoming Community College, and has also tallied a four-goal game against Trinidad State a year later on Sept. 30, 2016.
She tops the LCCC record book in most offensive categories including season and career goals, season and career points, and was also a two-time Region IX Academic Player. House helped lead the Golden Eagles to the national championships twice where the team finished in ninth in 2015 before making a run to third place in the 2016 season. She was also named the Region IX Player of the Year in 2016.
House stands out as a two-time All-American for the women’s team in both the NJCAA and NCSAA lists. In 2015 she was named a 2nd Team NCSAA All-American and a 3rd Team All-American for the NJCAA. As a sophomore, House was awarded 1st Team All-American honors for both organizations.
After graduating from LCCC, House went on to play one season for the University of Wyoming before finishing her career with Nova Southeastern University. House is currently playing professionally for the Newcastle United Jets in the Australian A-League.
DeShon Portley - Men's Basketball - 2012-2014
DeShon Portley will go down in history as one of the most complete guards that Laramie County Community College men’s basketball team has ever had for two seasons. Coming to the Golden Eagles from Texas, Portley didn’t waste any time in establishing himself as a leader on the 2012-13 team and was able to earn an All-American Honorable Mention as a freshman. He did this by finishing the season 27th in the country in scoring with 18.7 points per game to lead the team. He also gave out 5.1 assists per game, which was 39th in the country.
During his sophomore season, Portley helped build on his legacy and became part of “The Killer D’s” when he was joined by Deon Edwin. The duo combined for 43 points a game for LCCC. He would finish the season 14th in the country in scoring.
For Portley, the numbers speak for themselves. He is third all-time in scoring, fifth all-time in steals, second all-time in three-point field goals made and first in free throws made and has his name next to 11 entries in single season top 10 records.
Portley would move on from LCCC to play for Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma where he played from 2015 to 2017 and finished his career 19th on their career list for threes.
After college, Portley has continued to pursue his goal of becoming a basketball coach and spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for LCCC before accepting an assistant coach position at State Fair Community College in Missouri.
Jessica Salvi - Women's Soccer - 2004-2005
Originally from Jackson, Wyoming, Jessica Salvi is one of the most talented goal keepers the Golden Eagles have had in the program, helping to guide the team to their first national championship tournament appearance in 2005 with a shutout performance in the district championship over Dixie State.
Salvi was named an NJCAA All-American honorable mention as a sophomore in 2005 and ended her career with 201 saves which is second most in school history for a career and she holds the season record with 148 saves in 2005. That was paired with only 21 goals against during her second season. She only allowed 30 goals during the course of her career while playing in 30 games.
During her two years in blue and gold, Salvi helped the team to a 22-11-2 record and conference runner-up in 2004. The team won their first Region IX title and West Plains District title during the 2005 season, including a 12-save performance in the West Plains District championship again Dixie State, who had beaten the Golden Eagles in the District Championship the previous year.
After graduating from LCCC, Salvi went on to the University of Texas – El Paso where she played in 11 games as a junior helping the team to a 10-0 record at home. As a starting goalie her senior season, Salvi helped lead the team to a 13-win season and a postseason upset of #6 Colorado College.
Her career continued in the USL W-League where she found a place with the Seattle Sounders in 2008.
Emi Yamamoto - Women's Soccer - 2009-2010
Emi Yamamoto joined the LCCC Women’s Soccer team after having stacked up an impressive soccer resume that already included a trip to the 2003 Women’s World Cup with the Japanese National Team where she scored a goal against the US in the knockout stage. She followed that performance with a trip to the 2004 Olympics where she scored a goal against Argentina in pool play.
While at LCCC, the standout forward put her name in the record books and became one of the top players in school history securing multiple records including fourth most assists in a game, most assists in a season (23), fifth in points (57), fourth in points in a career (90), second most assists in a career (30), and seventh in goals for a career (30).
Yamamoto and the Golden Eagles came one game shy of making a trip to the national championship tournament in 2009 when the freshman was the leading goal scorer with 13. The Golden Eagles won the Region IX title but fell in districts to Johnson County.
Year two for Yamamoto was a worthy encore. The second-year starter for LCCC again led the team in goal with 17 on the year and had a team-high 23 assists. The ability to distribute the ball more made a big difference, and the team cruised through Western Nebraska in the Region IX Championship game 5-0 before taking down Hutchinson Community College in the district title game 1-0.
The Golden Eagles fell to Schoolcraft College in the opening round of the national tournament after a 17-round shootout and would finish in 6th place.
Outside of her time at LCCC, Yamamoto went on to appear in more than 200 matches as a professional with Tasaki Perule FC, Yokohama FC Seagulls and most recently for Chifure AS Elfen Saitama. She is retiring after this season.
Joe Vonseggern - Athletic Contributor - 1976-2006
The return of athletics in 2002 was supported by the invaluable efforts of Joe Vonseggern who at that time was the Director of Admissions and in charge of the Registrar’s Office. Vonseggern had the idea of bringing back athletics to help keep more local students on campus. He felt that giving the surrounding communities something to draw them to the college would help increase the college’s presence and in return, increase the interest in attending the school.
The push didn’t take much, and Vonseggern took the challenge head on, making the decision to focus on bringing back men’s basketball and volleyball while also adding men’s and women’s soccer.
There was a lot of trial and error in the process, but once membership in the NJCAA was approved and new coaches were hired, it began to move forward. Other hurdles they faced included finding quality places to practice and play, with Storey Gymnasium being used for all indoor competitions while a new wood court was being laid down in the Recreation & Athletics Complex along with new bleachers.
Vonseggern was around the college for both versions of athletics on campus, beginning his career with LCCC in 1976. While he wasn’t involved in athletics when he first was hired, he did understand the importance of having that connection with the local community.
Vonseggern still lives in the area. He has been married for the last 45 years with one son, one daughter and two grandchildren.
Class of 2022
William “Bill” Quinlan - Athletics Director - 1970 to 1983
From the time he was hired as the Director of Physical Education, Athletics, and Student Activities in 1970, until he retired as the Chairman of Social and Behavioral Science, Bill Quinlan was integral in the growth of Laramie County Community College athletics.
Prior to joining LCCC, Quinlan served more than 30 years in the Army and then Air Force, including eight different combat campaigns during World War II. He also held the Army record for most pushups in an hour and had the incredible honor of boxing the great Joe Louis in France.
His resume in athletics was also a healthy one, offering his help with San Jose State athletics during his time as a military representative on campus, and then a stint at the newly built Air Force Academy in their athletics administration, where he helped to design the field house they are still using today.
This background proved useful at LCCC, where he hit the ground running, establishing 14 intramural and intercollegiate sports by 1975, despite the lack of any on-campus facilities when he took the position. He also led the Golden Eagles into their membership with the NJCAA during the spring of 1978.
Quinlan was also a great ambassador for LCCC serving as the President of the Wyoming Association of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation starting in 1970. He was also appointed coordinator of the Cheyenne Physical Education Public Information Project, which was a national project to increase the amount of information available to the public on TV and radio about physical activities.
The Quinlan family expressed their great appreciation in their fathers induction into the LCCC Golden Eagle Hall of Fame Class of 2022.
John Tabor – LCCC Men's Golf Coach - 1981-1991
John Tabor Served as the LCCC head golf coach for over a decade before stepping down in the fall of 1991 after winning the National Championship as well as the title of Division II National Coach of the Year from the National Junior College Athletics Association.
Tabor led the program to great success during his time with the Golden Eagles, building one of the top Region IX programs during the 1980’s and early 90’s. This point is even more evident when considering he earned the title of Region IX Coach of the Year three times. This all while spreading one scholarship five ways to incoming recruits.
Along with Coach of the Year honors, Tabor’s recruiting classes won four Region IX titles, with the final title coming after he had stepped down during the 1992 season.
In addition to coaching the men’s golf team, Tabor also assisted with coaching the men’s basketball team. He was incredibly proud of helping the young men in the program get an education and move on to the next level of their careers.
After stepping down, Tabor worked as an agent with the Romeo Entertainment Agency where success followed him. He worked with multiple groups in booking music acts since, including for the Grizzly Rose in Denver, and acted as the night show chairman for Cheyenne Frontier Days.
As a part of the 2022 Hall of Fame Class, Tabor said he was happy to be remembered for his contributions to the athletics of LCCC.
Keith Whitecotton - Men's Golf - 1989 to 1991
Keith Whitecotton’s start at Laramie County Community College was a sign of things to come, as the freshman picked up a top five finish in his first tournament and never looked back. As the only freshman on the Golden Eagles team in 1989-90, he helped to lead the Golden Eagles earn team wins in Garden City (KS), McCook (NE), while bringing home the individual title at the Air Force tournament in his opening four tournaments as a Golden Eagle.
Whitecotton wrapped up the year finishing one stroke away from a Region IX individual title, while helping the Golden Eagles team qualify for the 1990 NJCAA National Championship (Region IX was awarded a second team that season). The team competed in Scottsdale, Arizona his freshman season, and despite temperatures in the 110’s all week, Whitecotton finished 12th, becoming the first All-American in the golf team’s history, while helping the team to a fourth-place finish.
In 1990-91, Whitecotton was the only Golden Eagle to return from the 1990 National Championship qualifiers. This team featured five Canadians including Whitecotton, most of whom he had played with growing up. Keith again helped the Golden Eagles out to a fast start, but it was his play in the National Championship Tournament that made him stand out. Whitecotton held a share of the lead on day one, and never trailed on his way to winning the individual championship by eight strokes over the four-day tournament. The team would also win the title by an astounding 27 strokes better than the field.
After his time at LCCC, Whitecotton attended the University of Miami of Ohio for a year and a half before setting his sights on the Canadian professional golf tour. After eight years of playing as a professional, Whitecotton moved on to teaching, and is currently the head pro at The Quarry. He is most proud of the annual tournament he puts on for his daughter to raise funds for spinal muscular atrophy, which is entering it’s 12th year.
As a small town boy from Alberta, Whitecotton says it is a major honor to be inducted into the LCCC Hall of Fame, and he can’t thank John Tabor enough for taking a chance on him, and his parents for affording him the opportunity to be a part of the LCCC team for two years.
1991 Men’s Golf Team
The LCCC Golf team was hitting on all cylinders after winning two of the three spring tournaments heading into the Region IX championship in Grand Island. The Golden Eagles punched their ticket to the National Championship, taking the team title by 22 strokes in the three-day tournament. Freshman Jamie Freel led the way, winning every round, with freshman Rob Rusznek placing second and Sophomore Keith Whitecotton taking fifth.
Keith Whitecotton led the way out of the gate at the national tournament, and helping the Golden Eagles to the third place spot. A windy second day gave the Golden Eagles the break needed to surge, paced again by Whitecotton, erasing a 10-stroke deficit to take a 12-stroke lead over Cataba Valley.The Golden Eagles increased their advantage to 19 strokes by the end of the third day of play, with Whitecotton extending his individual lead to eight heading into the final round. Day four was a walk in the Texas sun, as the Golden Eagles marched to a 27-stroke win for the title, knocking off the defending national champions in Cataba Valley.
Whitecotton,, an All-American the year before with a 13th place finish, was the national champion, shooting a four-day total of 289. Freel overcame a first round 84 to tie for fourth. Rusznak earned sixth, and freshman Tom McKinlay rounded out the All-American’s finishing in 18th. Freshman Craig Murdoch tallied a 342 to round out the five Golden Eagles in the field. Freel added a bit more hardware by winning the exhibition championship between the regional champions the day before tournament play began.
The team not only excelled in competition, but also in the classroom, where they posted a GPA of close to 3.0 to lead the athletic teams in the school at that time.
As a side note, the entire 1991 team was from Canada, and all had been playing tournament golf together since they had been 14 years old.
1992 Men’s Golf Team
Despite seeing LCCC cut all athletic programs other than rodeo by the end of the year, the 1991-92 men’s golf team rose above it all.
The Golden Eagles got off to a slow start, during the fall portion of the season, but quickly got back on track when they won their home tournament by 36 strokes, sweeping the top four places with all five golfers finishing in the top ten. The team went on to take the title in three of the regular season tournaments, never finishing lower than third in any of the fields.
At the Region IX tournament, the Golden Eagles won a one-hole playoff with Northeast Tech., of Norfolk, Nebraska, to earn back-to-back Region IX title. Sophomore Rob Rusznak would bring home the individual title, and all five Golden Eagles finished within 15 strokes of the lead.
At Jekyll Island, Georgia, the Golden Eagles entered the National Championship as the number one seed. The first day didn’t see great results, but that was the case for the field, and LCCC’s 317 was good enough to keep them two-strokes off the lead. By the end of day two, the Golden Eagles had made their surge to being the top team, taking a nine-stroke lead over the field and vaulting three individuals into the top five, including Tom McKinlay in second, Scott Ostrum in fourth, and Jamie Freel in a tie for fifth.
The pace continued on day three, with the Golden Eagles placing four of their five competitors in the top ten as individuals, growing their lead to 14-stroke. That made the Friday championship round for the Golden Eagles more of a victory march. In their final act as a team, the LCCC golfers brought home their second consecutive title, 18 strokes ahead of host Waycross (Ga.). Freel would finish national runner-up as an individual, with Rusznak taking seventh, Ostrum ninth, and McKinlay taking 11th, and all four earned All-American honors.
Of the team, three of them would move on to the University of Arts and Sciences in Chickasha, Oklahoma, as Rusznak, McKinlay, and Craig Murdoch all committed to play for the NAIA school. Jamie Freel would move on to Kennesaw State, with Scott Ostrum returning to his home state to play for the University of Montana.
Abby Jenkins - Women's Soccer - 2004 to 2006
During her time at LCCC, from 2004 to 2006, Abby Jenkins was one of the standard bearers for LCCC Women’s Soccer.
In addition to being the first All-American (2005 second-team NSCAA and first-team NJCAA), Jenkins led the 2005 team to their first National Championship Tournament. Including a third-place finish in the nation, still the schools top finish in program history. The 2005 team was also the first to win a Region IX championship.
Individually, Jenkins was a standout, with her name still dotting the school record book. Jenkins had two four-goal games and a three-assist game, and remains second in career goals with 37 and fifth in career points with 86. She is also second and fourth in both respective categories for her single season efforts in 2005.
After LCCC, Jenkins went on to Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, for one season, before spending the next two seasons with Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, where she graduated with a bachelor’s in exercise science in 2009. She also spent the summer of 2008 in the Women’s Professional Soccer League playing for the Maine Tide.
Jenkins says she is honored to be in the Hall of Fame Class of 2022. She was able to continue playing with her two best friends, and the whole experience was great. She says all of the great people helped to make her wish the time had been four years instead of two. She also said she is grateful to then Head Coach Jim Gardner who was a main reason she stayed both years at LCCC. Jenkins said he made it clear that he cared, and his care of the team is what made being at LCCC different and that helped with the individual and team success.
Emily Morgan - Women's Rodeo - 1993 to 1995
In her two years at Laramie County Community College, Emily Morgan proved herself as one of the top cowgirls in the Central Rocky Mountain Region time after time, attending LCCC from 1993 to 1995.
After splitting time between softball, volleyball, and rodeo in high school, Morgan pursued the third option in college. Morgan made an immediate impact on the women’s team at LCCC, winning the CRMR Goat Tying title in 1994 on her way to being named the region’s top All-Around Cowgirl. In 1995, she showed her versatility, adding the region’s breakaway championship to her list to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo for a second straight year.
In fact, in four years of college competition, Morgan qualified for the CNFR every opportunity she had.
Morgan graduated from LCCC with a degree in Dental Hygiene which she still is practicing today. In 1997, she married Kyle Morgan. Together, they raise their daughter, Kylee, and two sons, Gage and Ike.
On being inducted into the LCCC Hall of Fame’s second class, Morgan says she is completely honored. She went to school with so many good and talented athletes, and never considered herself to be at the top.
Shawn Dubie – Men's Rodeo - 1986 to 1988
Expectations were high for Shawn Dubie when he decided to attend Laramie County Community College starting in the fall of 1986. Dubie was coming off of a runner-up finish at the High School National Finals Rodeo in bareback bronc riding. He lived up to the hype as a Golden Eagle where he competed in bareback and saddle bronc riding as well as bull riding.
During his freshman year, Dubie was part of the first LCCC men’s rodeo team to qualify for the College National Final Rodeo where they would finish 11th in the team standings, and his star only continued to rise.
By the spring of 1988, Dubie was one of the top cowboys in the Central Rocky Mountain Region, entering the spring as the second overall cowboy, as well as second in saddle bronc and seventh in the bareback standings. That spring, he went on a tear, winning the all-around at the Skyline Stampede in Ft. Collins and Chadron State College Rodeo, and placing second at the Laramie River Rendezvous and the Casper College Rodeo. These results vaulted him to the top spot in the region standings and earning him a spot at the CNFR in all three rough stock events.
Dubie’s recognition went beyond the college rodeo scene. At the time of his tragic accident at the Greeley Independence Stampede on June 30, 1989, he was recognized as one of the up and coming stars on the professional scene. Dubie would succumb to his injuries on July 16, 1990 at the age of 22, just over one year after the accident.
Today, LCCC honors his legacy in holding the Shawn Dubie Rodeo annually.
Joe Phelan - LCCC Athletics Contributor - 1972 to 2010
Joe Phelan began his career at Laramie County Community College in 1972 and was with the school for 37 years before his retirement in May of 2010. In the early years of his tenure, he shared responsibilities with the other athletic and physical education staff. Eventually he was named the Coordinator of the Physical Education Department after the retirement of fellow Hall of Famer Bill Quinlan.
Early on in his career, Phelan coached the soccer, golf, and tennis teams on campus. He was the Outstanding Faculty of the Year three times and was extremely proud of the growth of the physical education and athletics programs at the time he stepped away. During his final year, over 900 students were enrolled in 54 different physical education courses, while sharing the facility with over 130 student athletes.
Phelan worked across the state as an ambassador for LCCC as a member of several groups. He served on the Cheyenne City Council for six years, and was President of the Wyoming Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. He was also selected by former Wyoming Governor Mike Sullivan to serve on the Governor’s Council for Fitness and Health.
Phelan was also involved in helping to build the reputation of LCCC abroad, working on an exchange program through Partners of America in 1976 with a professional soccer coach from Goiania, Goias, Brazil. The coach came and taught soccer clinics in Cheyenne, Casper, and Laramie, while Phelan was brought to Brazil to teach clinics in aquatics to a wide range of pupils, from toddlers to competitive swimmers.
Since retiring, Phelan enjoys spending time with family, including his two grandchildren who are the highlight of his life. He and his wife, Jean, have visited over 50 countries, while still finding time to aid in the local community, with the pair being named as the Special Friends Volunteer of the Year Award from Youth Alternatives.
While honored to be included in the LCCC Athletic Hall of Fame’s class of 2022, Phelan praised the hundreds of people who worked with him and for him making his induction into the LCCC Athletics Hall of Fame possible.
Class of 2021
1986-87 MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
The 1986-87 men's basketball team is LCCC's only basketball team to win a Region IX championship. The Golden Eagles competed in the NJCAA National Tournament and featured four players who went on to play for division one programs.
WOODY HALVERSON - MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH - 1971-1992
The first men’s basketball coach at LCCC, Halverson also served as an instructor and athletic director, in addition to starting the booster club. He coached the 1986-1987 team and finished his time at LCCC with 318 wins, most of any coach in program history.
TODD SUHN - RODEO ATHLETE - 1993-1994
Suhn helped the rodeo team qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo during both his years at LCCC. As an individual athlete, he qualified for CNFR in calf roping, steer wrestling, and tie-down roping.
RON TATE, MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER, 1985-1987
A member of the 1986-87 regional championship team, Tate was the first All-American in LCCC history. When he finished his Golden Eagle career, he was the second-leading scorer in the college’s history, including an average of 21 points per game in his sophomore season.
RUSSELL "PINKY" WALTER, RODEO COACH, 1986-1995
A beloved coach, Walters brought more than 600 students to LCCC. Elevating the credibility and presence of rodeo on campus, he helped coordinate numerous rodeo events at LCCC as well for high schools and colleges as well as professional circuit events.
Members of the 2021-2022 LCCC Men's Basketball Team pose with members of the 1986-1987
LCCC Men's Basketball Team during the 2021 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.