Four former Vulcans standouts will comprise Cal U’s 24th Athletic Hall of Fame class.
Nate Forse is one of four members of the 2019 Hall of Fame class.
The 2019 inductees are former baseball pitcher Les Bakos, 1968; football wide receiver Nate Forse, 2007; softball outfielder/shortstop Kristin Heslop, 2002; and tennis player Helena Van Eysendeyk, 2007 and 2009.
Bakos was a four-year pitcher for the baseball team from 1965-1968. He helped the Vulcans earn NAIA District 18 playoff appearances in 1966 and 1968, and in 1967 he led the team with a 1.35 ERA and 26.1 innings pitched.
During his senior season, Bakos went 7-1 overall — a single-season school record for individual pitching victories that still ranks eighth in the Vulcans’ record book. He earned all-section honors and helped the team achieve its sixth post-season appearance in nine years.
Forse transferred to Cal U, where he was was a three-year all-conference wide receiver for the football team from 2005-2007.
He finished his playing career with 148 total receptions, 2,068 yards and 15 touchdowns. His 10 touchdowns in the 2007 season ranked third in the PSAC.
Forse helped the Vulcans compile a 29-6 cumulative record with three consecutive PSAC-West titles, including advancing to the 2007 NCAA Division II national semifinals in the program’s first NCAA playoff appearance.
Heslop was a four-year starter and three-time all-conference outfielder and shortstop for the softball team from 1999-2002.
Her 184 career RBI total is still a school record, while her 38 home runs rank third. Other career totals include a .373 batting average, 221 hits, 13 triples and 160 runs scored. Her 67 RBI total in 2000 also remains a school record.
The 2002 PSAC-West Athlete of the Year and a second-team All-American, Heslop helped the Vulcans compile a 149-49 cumulative overall record and 71-9 divisional record, with four PSAC-West titles, four NCAA post-season appearances, two PSAC championships and one NCAA regional crown.
Van Eysendeyk was a three-year standout for the women’s tennis team from the 2006-2007 season through 2008-2009. She compiled career records of 92-7 in singles play and 92-11 in doubles competition.
A three-time International Tennis Association All-American and Scholar Athlete and two-time PSAC-West Athlete of the Year, she was named the ITA National Senior Player of the Year in 2009.
During her three seasons with Vulcans tennis, VanEysendeyk helped the program compile a 77-8 cumulative record, with three consecutive PSAC team championships and trips to the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals.
Hall of Fame Honors
The 2019 Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at California University’s signature fundraiser, the Bow Ties & Pearls Ball, set for June 29 in the Cal U Convocation Center.
The event is open to the public; proceeds benefit scholarships for Cal U students and legacy projects on campus. Ticket prices and more information will be available online at calu.edu/bowtiesball.