College Division / Mitch Polin : Little Azusa Pacific University Boasts Own Olympic Team

In terms of size, Azusa Pacific University--with an enrollment of about 1,500 students--can truly be labeled a small college.

But when it comes to producing Olympic-caliber athletes, the Cougars are strictly big time.

There are certainly no other College Division programs in Southern California that can claim to have eight current or former athletes and one coach participating in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

For that matter, there probably aren’t any National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division I programs in the Southland--other than UCLA and USC--that have produced as many participants in the Seoul Games.

Most of Azusa Pacific’s representatives will be in track and field and four of them are competing for Nigeria.

There are Nigerians Innocent Egbunike in the men’s 400-meter run and 1,600-meter relay; Airat Bakare in the women’s 400 meters; Ade Olukoju in the men’s shotput and discus, and Patrick Nwankwo in the men’s 400 relay; American Dave Johnson in the decathlon and Felix Sandy of Sierra Leone in the men’s 100.

The non-track athletes are Jeff Wells of the U.S. in volleyball and Derrick Kerr of Jamaica in judo.

In addition, track Coach Terry Franson, seven times coach of the year in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics, will be an assistant coach for the Nigerian track team.

Perhaps the athletes with the best chances to earn medals are Egbunike, one of the world leaders in the 400, and Wells, whose U.S. squad is favored to win a gold medal.

Wells, who graduated from Azusa Pacific in 1986, may be Azusa Pacific’s most surprising Olympic competitor. After all, Azusa Pacific has never had a men’s volleyball team and he played basketball in his two years at the school.

Wells played volleyball before arriving at Azusa Pacific, though, and resumed the sport in earnest after graduating.

Azusa Pacific also does not have a judo program, so Kerr competed in soccer while he was with the Cougars through 1985.

But regardless of how they reached the Olympics, the nine participants will give tiny Azusa Pacific a large presence in Seoul. That’s in strong contrast to 1984, when Egbunike was the school’s first and only Olympic representative.

Although many may be quick to give the credit to Franson and his track program, the coach says it has more to do with the school’s philosophy on athletics.

“I think it’s much deeper than that and the success we’ve had in track is not just because of me,” Franson said. “It’s due to the attitude of the athletic department, the faculty and staff that have worked together to make it a success.”

Said athletic director Cliff Hamlow: “I wouldn’t want anyone to get the impression that we produce athletes only to make the Olympics. We have a very good athletic program and because of that we have some athletes who are able to go on to the Olympic level.”

According to Egbunike, the athletic program has also flourished partly because of a strong bond among athletes, coaches and department officials that has helped to create a “family” atmosphere.

“It’s a caring, family feeling where everybody is caring for everybody else,” Egbunike said. “Everybody wants to see each other do well.”

He says that is a big reason why he still trains at Azusa Pacific most of the year despite having graduated in 1985. “The spirit around here is really what I need,” he said. “It puts everything in perspective for me.”

Not that Franson has not played an important role in the success of the athletic program.

“I think without him, the track program wouldn’t have been as good because he’s like a father to every member of the track team,” Egbunike said. “This is the only track program (I know) where everyone really feels like a team. That’s what makes us feel so together.”

Hamlow added: “It’s the personality that he is, plus his expertise at what he does. If you forget the size of our school he would have to be considered one of the highest regarded coaches in America.”

Franson and Hamlow also agree that the arrival of Egbunike at Azusa Pacific in 1981 played a crucial role in the program’s development.

“Innocent came in 1981 and through him and what he represents, others came and we’ve established something and built upon it and I think it will continue to grow,” Franson said.

Hamlow said: “I think only God knows why Innocent came here. He had a life-changing situation here, not only in track but in his personal life, and so did Christian Okoye (a former Azusa Pacific star who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League) after him. . . . It’s an attraction (to the school) that has grown and it started when we had the good fortune of having Innocent arrive.”

Egbunike said he originally went to the school because of its strong religious background and its track program. “I wanted to go to a school with a strong Christian background and since I went there I’ve grown a lot athletically and spiritually.”

Franson, in fact, still uses Egbunike and Okoye as advisers in recruiting athletes for his track team at Azusa Pacific.

“A lot of times (athletes) write to coach Franson and he’ll talk to me or Christian, or somebody else who’s been here for a while, to see if they would fit in,” Egbunike said.

Egbunike doesn’t see any reason why the school’s success in developing Olympic-caliber athletes will change in the near future and neither does Franson.

“I guess I’m a little more of a visionary from the standpoint that I don’t really think there’s any limit to our (success),” Franson said. “Our limits are self-imposed and if we can continue to work at it, we can continue to make it a reality.”

College Division Notes

Cal State Los Angeles will have four former athletes participating in the Summer Olympics in Seoul. The Golden Eagles will be represented by Denean Howard in the women’s 400 meters and 1,600 relay, her sister Sherri in the 1,600 relay, Jennifer Inniss in the 400 relay and Marie Rollins in the marathon. Rollins will be competing for Ireland.

Biola has named Leroy Neal coach of its men’s and women’s track and cross-country teams. Neal replaces Gerald Masterson, who resigned to pursue his doctoral studies at the University of Mississippi. Neal was men’s and women’s track coach at Citrus College in Azusa last season and has also coached track and cross-country as Pasadena City College and Caltech.

The Biola women’s volleyball team is out to a fast 3-0 start, having defeated defending NAIA District III champion Westmont in a four-game match Saturday, thanks largely to the play of seniors Liane Lewis at outside hitter and Heather Jones at middle blocker. . . . Cal State Northridge has yet to allow a point in winning its first two football games of the season. The Matadors rolled over San Francisco State last week, 48-0, after defeating Cal State Hayward in their opener, 17-0.