HORNET TRADITION

Since the first Hornet football team took the field in 1916, winning has been a tradition at Fullerton College.

In its 110-year athletic history, Fullerton College has won hundreds of conference titles, over 30 state championships and 5 national football titles.

Of course, Fullerton College has also had its share of standout athletes — many going on to achieve success in the professional sports world.

  • Longtime NFL quarterback Steve DeBerg played football at Fullerton College. DeBerg was inducted into the Fullerton College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
  • Former NFL and UFL head coach Jim Fassel (1997 NFL Coach of the Year) led the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV vs the Ravens in 2000 and led the United Football League's Las Vegas Locos to back to back to back championships (2009, 2010, 2011). Fassel was the Hornets' starting quarterback during the 1967 national championship season. He was also inducted into FC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
  • Washington Redskins Hall of Famer and defensive back Brig Owens began his playing career at Fullerton College. Owens, one of the game's first three-way players, was named as one of the Redskins' 70 Greatest Players. He was also inducted in the FC Athletics Hall of Fame in its very first year in 2005.
  • Former NFL quarterback Dave Wilson played for the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1989. Wilson was inducted into the FC Hall of Fame in 2017.
  • In Major League Baseball, Hornet Hall of Famer Steve Trachsel (Class of 2008), a starting All-Star Major League pitcher.
  • The Mad Hungarian, Al Hrobosky, was one of the most intimidating MLB relievers in the 1970's, and it began before he even threw a pitch. Hrabosky pitched for the St. Louis Cardnials, Kansas City Royals, and Atlanta Braves, before his retirement in 1982. Hrbosky was in inducted into the FC Hall of Fame in 2005.
  • In basketball, Jerry Pimm (FC Hall of Famer 2015) was the former men's basketball coach at UC Santa Barbara and Utah.
  • Legendary softball coach Sharon Backus (FC Hall of Famer 2007) was a star player at Fullerton College before she was the architect of the UCLA dynasty. At the time she retired after 21 seasons with the Bruins, Backus was the winningest softball coach in D1 history with a record of 847-167-3 (.835). 
  • Margo Davis pioneered two sports (softball and women's basketball) paving the way for state sanctioned athletics for women.
  • Colleen Riley at one time was the state's winningest women's basketball coach with 540 wins. She was the first coach in community college women's basketball to amass 500 wins.
  • Alex Omalev coached basketball at FC from 1949 to 1960 before starting the basketball program at Cal State Fullerton. He has one of the best records at FC at 259-76 (.773). He also worked for the Los Angeles Lakers as an interpreter for Vlade Divac.