The 2016 Portland State Athletics Hall of Fame Class will be inducted this Friday evening in a sold out event at the Smith Center Ballroom on the Portland State campus. The newest class (elected last summer) features eight individuals who have made their marks on Viking athletics history. Included are athletes from football, men's and women's basketball, track and field and wrestling, as well as a meritorious service honor.
Two inductees currently play in the NFL - Julius Thomas and DeShawn Shead - while Thomas was a two-sport star for the Vikings. Another football player, Brennen Carvalho was the best center in the nation his senior season at PSU, winning the Rimington Trophy. Claire Faucher led the nation in assists one season, and took the Viking women's basketball team to its first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in another. Decathlete Nick Trubachik may of been the best "athlete" of them all, becoming the first PSU male to earn a trip to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championship and becoming its first-ever, first team All-American. Wrestlers Travis West and Dan Mello were stars on past Viking wrestling teams, but also earned the distinction of making the United States Olympic team. A Meritorious Service honor goes to Dr. Mark Colville, who spent three decades providing on-campus and off-campus health care to Viking student athletes, much of which was no-cost evaluations of injuries and rehabilitation.
The Portland State Athletics Hall of Fame
THE 2016 PORTLAND STATE ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME CLASS
Brennen Carvalho (2004-07), Football - One of Portland State's most talented offensive linemen ever, Carvalho was part of a tradition of strong lines at the Division I level. He began his career as a left guard, starting as a true freshman at 17 years old. After two seasons, he moved to center and became a two-time consensus first team All-American (2006, 2007). A first -team All-Big Sky Conference selection three straight seasons, Carvalho was named the Rimington Trophy winner in 2007 as top center at NCAA I FCS level. Carvalho played in the Hula Bowl and went on to a career in the Arena Football League.
Claire Faucher (2007-10), Women's Basketball - Faucher was the catalyst for the best women's basketball teams Portland State had at the Division I level to date. After being named the Big Sky Conference's outstanding freshman in 2006-07, she went on to be named first team All-Conference the next three seasons and earn all Big Sky Tournament honors those seasons as well. Faucher is Portland State's all-time assists leader with 829 in her career. She led the nation in assists with 8.8 per game in 2007-08. That effort earned her honorable mention All-American recognition. Faucher also finished her career second all-time at PSU in steals (282), third in three-pointer field goals made (185) and sixth in points (1,399). In addition, she set PSU records for assists in a game (19) and three-pointers in a game (8). Faucher led the Vikings to their first Division I post-season, the WNIT, in 2008-09. As a senior, she was named Big Sky Tournament MVP, leading the Vikings to their first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance (2009-10).
Mark Colville (1987-2016), Meritorious Service - Dr. Mark Colville committed countless hours to Portland State Athletics over nearly 30 years of service. Colville routinely provided an on-campus clinic an average of 30 times a year after his normal office office hours. It is estimated he has done some 6,000 student-athletes evaluations at no cost to Portland State Athletics. Colville also provided game coverage at football and basketball games, as well as traveling with the football team to road games. In addition Colville has been available around the clock throughout his tenure for the Portland State training staff to consult and development treatment plans. Colville has mentored numerous members of the training staff and made personal donations to the sports medicine department for continuing education courses.
Dan Mello (1972-75), Wrestling - Dan Mello compiled a 45-9-2 dual match record during his career, winning two West Regional Championships. His Viking teams were 48-27-2 in dual matches overall, and won two NCAA West Regional Team Championships. Mello was also a five-time US Open Greco Roman Champion. He went on to earn a spot on the 1980 Olympic team. Later in his career, Mello became the U.S. Marine Corps Head Coach and was the 1996 US Wrestling Coach of the Year.
DeShawn Shead (2008-11), Football - One of the most consistent and productive players in Portland State football history, Shead started all 44 games in his Viking career. He was named the team's most outstanding defensive back four straight seasons and was a two-time All-Big Sky Conference selection and two-time honorable mention All-Big Sky. Shead led the team in interceptions twice and pass breakups three times. For his career, Shead made 211 tackles, 29 pass breakups, 11 interceptions, five fumble recoveries and five forced fumbles. He went on to an NFL career with Seattle Seahawks, playing in consecutive Super Bowls and winning in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Julius Thomas (2006-10), Basketball/Football - Julius Thomas made his mark as a basketball player at Portland State, then showed his outstanding athleticism lent itself to football as well. A member of Portland State's first men's basketball team to ever reach the NCAA Division I Tournament, he played in March Madness twice (2008, 2009) as the Vikings won back-to-back Big Sky Tournament titles. Thomas set Portland State records for games played (121) and career field goal percentage (.663) and played in more career wins (78) than any Viking in history. He was twice named to the All-Big Sky Tournament team and made a game-winning dunk with 3.5 seconds left against Montana State to win the 2009 Big Sky Tournament Championship.. Thomas averaged 10.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and shot a school-record .671 from the field as a senior. Following his basketball career, Thomas joined the football team. As a tight end in 2010 he caught 29 passes for 453 yards and two touchdowns and was named first team All-Big Sky Conference. Drafted in the fourth round by the Denver Broncos he soon became an All-Pro.
Nick Trubachik (2007-10), Track and Field - Trubachik had the distinction of being Portland State's first-ever, first-team NCAA Division I All-American, accomplishing the feat in the most challenging of events; the decathlon. Trubachik became PSU's first male track & field athlete to qualify for the NCAA Division I Outdoor National Championship, finishing seventh in the decathlon in 2010. He went on to qualify for the U.S. Championships in the decathlon in 2010 where he finished eighth. Holds school records in the heptathlon (5,432 points) and decathlon (7,510 points). Trubachik was named the Big Sky Athlete of the Meet at the 2010 outdoor championship. In all, he was a four-time Big Sky champion between the heptathlon and decathlon and is a five-time All-Big Sky Conference honoree. Trubachik is Portland State's career leader in points scored at the Big Sky Indoor and Outdoor meets.
Travis West (1986-90), Wrestling - A member of two NCAA II National Championship teams (1989, 1990), Travis West was an individual National Champion at 142 pounds in 1989. Despite missing most of his senior season with a knee injury, West took second in the nation in 1990 and became a two-time All-American. West had 90 match wins in his Portland State career. He also held the distinction of being one of six Viking wrestlers ever to make an Olympic team (1988). Tragically, West passed away from liver failure in 2004 at age 37.
