head coach at Vanguard (Costa Mesa), which plays in the Golden State Athletic Conference against Fresno Pacific.

"My first coaching job was with Boyd and I still wear the NIT ring," Litz said.

Marvin Carter, a reserve guard on the '83 team, is still living in the area and has two sons playing for Clovis East. He said he was overwhelmed to enter the Hall of Fame.

"I'm excited, full of joy. I can't describe winning the NIT and looking up in the stands and seeing 6,500 fans partying with us. I think we have beaten any team the way we were playing."

About the only bummer to the evening was a computer glitch that preventing the showing of Ron Anderson's video message from France, where the 51-year-old is still playing pro basketball.

Trent Dilfer said being inducted with perhaps the most distinguished class in Hall history, was special because of the people going in alongside him.

"It's such a point of pride for me," he said. "There's Laura Berg, who I worked out with. If I worked as hard as her, I probably would have won more Super Bowls.

"And Marquez Pope. He took me under his wing as a freshman. He was a real pro in college before he ever went to the pros."

Dilfer, who wasn't heavily recruited, became an NFL first-round pick and had his No. 12 jersey retired by Fresno State. He also met his future wife at the school.

Dilfer vividly remembered when it hit him that he had the talent to excel in college.

"I was in the dorms my freshman year and called my stepdad and told him I can play with these people and will be better one day. I began picturing myself as more than an average player."

On Dilfer's new analyst job on ESPN: "It's the next best thing to playing."

Dilfer also praised former Bulldogs coach Jim Sweeney for giving him a chance to play in college.

"He gave me a platform for my athletics and where I could use my energy.

"I remember playing on Lambeau Field \[in Green Bay\]. My fingers were freezing and all I could hear in my head was Coach Sweeney saying "No Dogs Down. People call me a mentor now, but I just take what Coach taught me."

Pope said he's in the process of starting a business called World Sports Zone, a combination of yahoo, google and facebook, and is looking for investors.

He said it will "change the world of sports."

Berg is the only U.S. women's softball player to be a member of four Olympic teams. She won three golds and a silver before retiring after the last Games.

"I'm speechless to be with these great athletes," she told me before the dinner started. "I've watched Trent play on TV and Stephen Abas compete live in the 2004 Olympics."

Berg said she owed her success in part to her Fresno State teammates, especially the ones who won the 1998 NCAA championship.

"I had to compete with great athletes and owe them a lot for this award."

Asked if she missed softball, Berg said, "I don't. I miss hanging out with my \[U.S.\] teammates. There was nothing like being up on the gold medal podium."

Berg said her long range goal is to become an L.A. police officer.

This is a player who competed harder than anyone on the field. She said she got it from her brother Jeff: "Reaching for the last dinner roll and racing him to the mailbox."

Inductee Tom Goodwin still looks in good shape, like he could steal a few bases in the major leagues. He's currently an outfield/base running coordinator in the Boston Red Sox organization. He was to be inducted last year but couldn't make it here.

"My bad," he said. "Somebody took a right turn."

Golfer Joan Pitcock was inducted, too, and gave thanks to Steve Cleveland -- yeah, that Steve Cleveland -- who coached her at Clovis West when she helped the boys team win two Valley titles.

Swimming inductee Michael Mealiffe spoke about the controversial high-tech suits, that drew attention in the last Olympics after records were shattered by the dozens, and have since been regulated more closely by the sport.

"We swam with no goggles and in speedos," he said. "The institution of the new rules is good. But I'm a little bitter we didn't have those suits. It will bring swimming back to what it should be."