Aug. 28, 2009

PHOTO GALLERY: Dilfer and Hall Earn 'Top Dog' Honors

FRESNO, Calif. - In a prestigious moment for Fresno State Athletics, two former Bulldogs will headline the Top Dog Alumni Gala during this fall's Homecoming Week when Trent Dilfer receives the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the night's highest honor, and Cory Hall represents the department as this year's outstanding alumni.

"The memories I have at Fresno State far outweigh any I had outside Bulldog Stadium," Super Bowl champion quarterback Trent Dilfer said last November when he returned for the Fresno State-Nevada football game.

As a Bulldog, Dilfer led Fresno State to two of its most prestigious bowl games ever, the 1992 Freedom Bowl, a memorable 24-7 victory over USC, and the 1993 Aloha Bowl. He ranks fourth in school history in both passing yards with 7,631 and total offense with 7,685 yards. When he left school, he held single-season school records for passing yards (3,799) and touchdowns (30). At the time, his 523 passing yards in the 1993 Freedom Bowl were the most ever by a quarterback in a bowl game. He also holds an NCAA record for most pass attempts without an interception at 271.

A first-round pick (6th overall) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dilfer guided the Baltimore Ravens to a win over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXII.

During his 14-year NFL career, Dilfer threw for 113 touchdowns and amassed 20,518 passing yards while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1994-1999), Baltimore Ravens (2000), Seattle Seahawks (2001-04), Cleveland Browns (2005) and most recently with the San Francisco 49ers (2006-07).

Dilfer, who had his No. 12 retired by Fresno State, now works as an NFL analyst for ESPN.

"Fresno State is one of the hidden gems in the country and it is always nice when they have the national spotlight on them," Dilfer added.

Hall, the eighth recipient of the Outstanding Alumnus Award for Athletics, is the third former football player to earn the department's distinction.

Throughout his four years at Fresno State (1995-1998), Hall recorded the ninth-most career tackles with 264 and played in the 1998 East-West Shrine Game.

Hall was a third-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1999 where he started every game at strong safety while earning All-Pro honors as a rookie. After four years with the Bengals, Hall signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003 and played in Atlanta until retiring in 2005.

"Fresno State gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent," Hall said. "I am appreciative to Fresno State for giving me that opportunity."

After retiring from football, Hall became the owner of two construction companies; CC Hall Properties Inc. and S. Hall Properties LLC, which have developed and sold properties throughout Florida and Georgia over the past three years. The natural born entrepreneur is also the founder of "New Beginnings" which is a non-profit organization for under privileged families in need of housing, jobs and transportation.

In 2006, he got his introduction to the film and entertainment business as he co-executive produced the movie "Restraining Order," starring Robbin Givens. Hall and business partner Terance Frazier, a former Bulldog baseball standout, started the company 4th Quarter Films Inc. and he served as the executive producer of "I Do... I did!"

The Top Dog Alumni Gala begins with a no-host reception at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 16, followed by dinner at 6:30 and awards presentations at 7:30. The Bulldogs' homecoming football game against San Jose State begins at 7 p.m. Oct. 17.

Sponsorships for the gala are available for $500-$5,000 until Sept. 21. Individual tickets are $100. For more information, visit: www.fresnostatealumni.com.

Past Recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award
Note: Former Student-Athletes Designated in BOLD
1953 Robert Greelis '39
1954 Raymond Elwood Harris
1954 Harold James Beatty '32
1955 Marjorie Olive Tanner Zelhart '33
1956 Ernest Benck
1957 Kenneth Lowell Hampton '26
1958 Mickey Rita Mathiesen '35
1959 Joe Hayes Dale '37
1960 Arthur Howard W. Safstrom '32
1961 Earl Smittcamp '39
1962 John Said '34
1963 Al Radka '41
1964 Muriel Edwina Feller Miller '31, '61
1965-67 No Recipients
1968 Earl Whitefield
1969-71 No Recipients
1972 Raymond Elwood Harris
1973 Philip Wilson '24
1974 James Hallowell '55
1975 Frances Helen Moyer Safstrom '58
1976 Oakley Allan Hunter '37
1977 Philip Sanchez '50, '72
1978 Leslie Bassett '47
1979 Darryl Dale Rogers '57, '65
1980 Cornelius A. Warmerdam '38
1981 Ken Maddy '57
1982 Sam Iacobellis '52
1983 Lee "Pat" Brown '61
1984 H. Roger Tatarian '38
1985 Edwin John Gray '57
1986 Isa Elder '32
1987 Shirley Anne Williams '66
1988 Wendell Bell '48
1989 Joseph N. Crowley '63
1990 Michael Adams '61
1991 Paul O'Neill '60
1992 Thomas Strentz '62, '66
1993 Roy Christopher '57, '61
1994 Steven Nagel '78
1995 Norman Christensen Jr. '68, '71
1996 Marvin Baxter '62
1997 Timothy White '70
1998 Ezunial Burts '69
1999 Bill Jones '71
2000 No Recipient
2001 Kenny Guinn '59, '65
2002 Peter Mehas '62
2003 Joy Covey '82
2004 Charles Poochigian '72
2005 Richard Houghten '68
2006 Herb Depp '66
2007 Larry S. Dickenson '65
2008 Nat DiBuduo `73
2009 Trent Dilfer

Past Recipients of Outstanding Alumnus Award (Athletics)
Note: Former Football Student-Athletes in BOLD
2001 J. D. Williams '90
2002 Augie Garrido '61
2003 Laura Berg '98
2004 Stephen Abas '04
2005 No Recipient
2006 Amanda Scott '01
2007 Rod Kraft '77
2008 Kerri Donis `91
2009 Cory Hall

"We Are Your Team" - The `Dogs will be starting their 2009 Football season off right with Football Fiesta Night on Saturday, September 5th at 7pm when the UC Davis Aggies come to town. Football Fiesta Family Pack tickets are available now. To inquire about the Football Fiesta Family Pack, contact the Bulldog Ticket Office at 559-278-DOGS.