Three Individuals, Men's Tennis Teams Enter Athletic Hall Of Fame
Three standout individuals and the most dominant tennis teams in school history will be honored with inductions into the Pacific University Athletic Hall of Fame.
DeeDee Arnall '06, the late Dr. Frank Dierickx '41, Billy Merck '97 and the 1962, 1963 and 1964 men's tennis teams comprise the 21st induction class, joining over 100 other individuals and teams as members of the Hall of Fame.
This year's ceremony will take place on Fri., Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m., at the Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center on the Pacific University Forest Grove campus. The ceremony takes place in conjunction with Homecoming activities and admission is free. An invitation-only dinner for inductees and their special guests will be held prior to the ceremony. The ceremony is open to all alumni and friends of the university and does not require registration.
DeeDee Arnall '06, basketball/track and field
DeeDee Arnall was arguably the best female performer in Pacific history and is one of only two athletes in school history to be named an All-American in two sports: basketball and track and field. A three-time All-Northwest Conference selection in basketball, Arnall was named as a Third Team All-American by D3Hoops.com in 2006. She left Pacific as the career record holder in scoring average (17.8 points per game), free throws made (409) and free throws attempted (597), ranks second on the all-time scoring list (1,571) and seventh on the all-time rebounding list (701). She also set single season records for free throws made (133) and attempted (179).
On the track, Arnall was a four-time All-NWC selection in the javelin, winning the NWC title in 2003, 2004 and 2006. The Pacific and conference record holder in the event (154 feet, 6 inches), Arnall earned All-America honors in 2004 and 2006 after finishing in the top-three at the NCAA Division III Championships, including a second place finish in 2006. Arnall won the prestigious Ad Rutschman Award in 2005, honoring the top small college student-athlete in Oregon. In addition to her athletic achievements, Arnall was named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America Women's Basketball Team in 2005 and 2006 and the Academic All-America Women's Track & Field Team in 2006. A native of Warrenton, Ore., Arnall is finishing her doctor of osteopathy degree at the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif.
Frank Dierickx '41, baseball
The late Dr. Frank Dierickx was a three-year standout pitcher at Pacific. While his participation pre-dated All-NWC honors, Dierickx caught the attention of pro scouts and was signed by the Detroit Tigers organization in 1940. He played parts of five seasons in the minor leagues with Muskegon (Class C), Salem (Class B) and Portland (Triple A) in-between medical school and a two-year stint in the military. Dierickx pitched in parts of the 1945 and 1949 with the Portland Beavers, all the while continuing as a practicing surgeon. Upon his discharge from the Army, Dierickx was invited to tryouts with the Yankees, Giants, Phillies, Reds, Red Sox and Dodgers.
Billy Merck '97, soccer
Billy Merck was the key defender on Pacific's great men's soccer teams in the mid 1990s, including NWC championship squads in 1994 and 1996. A two-time First Team All-NWC selection (1996 and 1997), Merck was named a First Team NAIA All-Pacific Northwest Region selection and a Honorable Mention NAIA All-American as he anchored a Boxers' defense that allowed just 22 goals, a record that stood until 2009. From the defense, Merck scored five goals during the 1996 season and led the team in assists in both 1994 and 1996. Merck started every possible match of his four-year career and was a three-year captain. The Pacific career record holder in assists, Merck went on to play four seasons of professional indoor soccer. A native of Portland, Merck earned his Ph.D. in literature from Washington State University in 2008 and works as an instructor at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash.
1962-1964 Men's Tennis Teams
The 1962-1964 men's tennis teams proved to be a dominant force not only in the NWC, but was one of the best college teams in Oregon. Three-time NAIA District II team champions, Pacific won the 1964 NWC team championship with an unblemished 13-0 record, including wins over Division I programs from Oregon and Oregon State. The Badgers advanced to the 1963 and 1964 NAIA National Championship, with the 1964 team finishing sixth. Dr. Lund Chin, a 1995 inductee into the Hall of Fame, won three consecutive NWC singles titles and he paired with Rhody Rodolico to capture the 1963 doubles crown. Members of the teams include Chin, Rodolico, the late David Lowe, George Long, Sandy Farquhar, Greg Shay, Jim Horne, Geoff Hiscock, Skip Cashin, the late Gordon Okumoto and Larry Seward.