Stanford Hall of Fame beckons

Steve Virgen

Newport Beach residents Wendy Humphreys and Ceci St. Geme, who

have experienced a touch of a small world story, will be inducted

into Stanford University’s Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2002, at a

special dinner Friday.

Humphreys, the former Wendy Rush, and St. Geme, the former Ceci

Hopp, met each other because of their husbands, who played football

together at Stanford. St. Geme, who lived in Northern California a

year and a half ago, called Humphreys to find out about the local

schools and doctors in the area. Months later they received word they

would be inducted into the Stanford Hall of Fame.

Humphreys, who attended her freshman year at Newport Harbor High

before moving to Lake Arrowhead and starring at Rim of the World, was

a four-time All-American (1984-87) in volleyball at Stanford. She

holds the Stanford school record for career assists with 5,003. She

was a member of the U.S. National Team in 1989-90. She was also the

Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year in 1987 and the Pac-10

Female Athlete of the Year in 1987-88. She earned first-team

All-Conference honors three times and was a member of the NCAA Final

Four All-Tournament Team in 1985 and 1987.

Humphreys, who commuted to the Southland for three years to play

for the Orange County Volleyball Club with Coach Charlie Brande, also

holds Stanford’s single-season record for assists (1,610).

“I am extremely honored,” said Humphreys, who is the third female

volleyball athlete to be inducted into Stanford’s Hall of Fame. “I

haven’t been up there in a few years. I’m really excited to go up.

We’re taking our older two children. There are a lot of new buildings

and I’m just anxious to see it all.”

Humphreys and her husband Brad have four children, two boys, Ben

(age 6) and John (1), and two girls, Kelsey (7) and Ashley (3).

St. Geme, a standout in track and field, was the 1982 NCAA

champion in the 3,000 meters. She ranks second all-time at Stanford

in the 3,000 meters (8:57.27) and fourth all-time in the 1,400 meters

(4:17.02).

The freshman school record holder in the 3,000 meters (8:57.27) in

1982, St. Geme was also a two-time All-American in cross country

(1981 and ‘82).

St. Geme and her husband Ed have six children, five girls and one

boy. Anne, 14, is a freshman cross country runner at Corona del Mar

High. Christine, 13, will compete in track and field as an

eighth-grader at Corona del Mar Intermediate. Bo, is the younger

brother, who also has sisters, Tess and Emma.

Months after St. Geme gave birth to her third child she became a

USA Track and Field national champion after winning the 5,000 meters

(15:57.71) in 1994.

St. Geme, who will be the second female track athlete in the

Stanford Hall of Fame, is originally from Greenwich, Connecticut and

starred at Greenwhich High (Class of 1981).

“It’s interesting looking back,” St. Geme said of her time at

Stanford. “I caught the first wave of runners who benefited from

Title IX. I was the first-ever female national champion in NCAA track

in 1982.”

In addition to the special dinner Friday, Humphreys and St. Geme,

along with eight other inductees, will be honored during halftime of

the Stanford-USC football game on Saturday.