Wondolowski Joins Eight Other Standout Athletes, Coaches, and Teams Across Swimming, Water Polo, Diving, Football, Basketball, Track, Soccer, and Lacrosse
Concord, Calif., - De La Salle High School today announced who it will induct into its Athletic Hall of Fame for the Class of 2022. This year’s list consists of five individuals, including Major League Soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer Chris Wondolowski, plus two former De La Salle teams. As part of the nomination process, each honoree is recognized not only for their athletic achievements, but for their outstanding academic, professional, and community involvement.
The 2022 De La Salle Athletics Hall of Fame features individuals Kevin Bacharach ’03 (swimming & diving and water polo), Atari Callen ’99 (football and track & field), A.J. Kuhle ’00 (basketball), Chase Wheeler ’09 (track & field and football), and Chris Wondolowski ’01 (soccer and track & field), as well as coaches Steve Guthrie (swimming & diving) and Robert O’Meara (lacrosse), and the 2007 Football and 2009 Soccer teams.
“De La Salle has a rich and diverse sports history that is rooted in excellence,” said Leo Lopoz, Vice President for Athletics at De La Salle. “This year’s inductees to our Athletic Hall of Fame demonstrate the breadth of what can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and community.”
The class of 2022 will be officially welcomed into De La Salle’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 23 at 3 p.m. in the school’s Hofmann Student Center. The event will be open to the public and registration will be online through the De La Salle Athletic Hall of Fame web page.
About the Inductees:
Kevin Bacharach ’03 excelled in the water for both the De La Salle water polo and swimming teams from 1999-2003. Kevin was a three-time All-American in swimming and helped the Spartans to the 2003 North Coast Section (NCS) team championship when he anchored the 200-yard freestyle relay team to the event title. In water polo, Kevin was a second-team All-American and the Contra Costa Times Player of the Year in 2002, helping the Spartans win their third straight NCS championship.
Atari Callen ’99 had an outstanding career on the De La Salle football field and on the track. As a football player, Atari collected 3,806 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns, to go along with 180 tackles and four interceptions in his three years. Atari helped the Spartans collect three NCS Championships from 1996-98, and was the lead running back on De La Salle’s 1998 squad that defeated Mater Dei for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championship game, which resulted in the school being named the USA Today National Champions that year. He was also the Northern California Player of the Year, a PrepStar All-American, and was named to the Cal-Texas Shrine All-Star game following his senior season. On the track, Atari is just one of two athletes to win the 100-meter event at the NCS Meet of Champions three times and was a two-time state finalist in the same event. These days Atari is racking up wins coaching high school football in Idaho, and being recognized for his civil rights work by the city of Pocatello.
A.J. Kuhle ’00 was a three-year varsity letter-winner in basketball, helping De La Salle capture NCS championships in 1999 and 2000. As a team captain of the 1999-2000 squad, A.J. helped De La Salle defeat Jesuit for the NorCal Division I State title, then the Spartans defeated Clovis West, 47-46, to win the CIF Division I State Basketball Championship. After De La Salle, A.J. played four years at the Air Force Academy, three years as a starter, where he helped the Falcons to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004. Today, A.J. embodies the spirit of his Lasallian high school education through his work at ACE Scholarships, which seeks to expand education opportunities for low-income students in grades K-12.
Chase Wheeler ’09 was selected as the 2009 De La Salle Athlete of the Year after starring on both the track & field and football teams. During the 2008-09 school year, Chase won an individual state track and field championship in the long jump with a distance of 25.02.25 feet. On the football field, the wide receiver and defensive back helped the Spartan football team post a 13-0 record in 2007 and a 12-2 record in 2008, capturing back-to-back NCS championships. Now Chase is leveraging his past experience as a biotech and cancer researcher to provide (through his company Whealthy Performance) free education to individuals looking to prioritize their health.
Chris Wondolowski ’01 was a two-time Bay Valley Athletic League First-Team selection in 2000 and 2001 for the De La Salle varsity soccer team. During his senior season, he helped the Spartans capture the NCS Championship, and was named the 2001 BVAL, NCS, and Contra Costa Times Player of the Year. Chris also helped the track and field team to a BVAL Championship in 2001, running in the 800-meter and 1600-meter races. After four years at Chico State, where he was a Division II All-American in 2003, Chris enjoyed a 17-year career in Major League Soccer (MLS), playing for the San Jose Earthquakes (2005, 2009-21) and the Houston Dynamo (2006-09). A five-time MLS All-Star, two-time MLS Cup Champion, two-time Golden Boot award winner, and league MVP in 2012, Chris ended his professional career in 2021 as the league’s all-time leading goal scorer with 171 goals. From 2011-16, Chris made 35 appearances as a member of the United States Men’s National Soccer Team. He was also a member of Team USA for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Off the pitch, Chris has used soccer as a tool for social change. He was the first American soccer player to donate a portion of his salary to the Common Goal movement and is an ambassador for both Soccer Streets USA and the Nike N7 Fund.
Steve Guthrie led the De La Salle swimming and diving program for nearly 30 years while leading the Spartans to 138 dual meet victories and 19 league championships. Steve coached more than 20 High School All-Americans and five USA Olympic Trial qualifiers. In 2017, Steve was the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and CIF Coach of the Year and won the NCS Distinguished Service Award, Additionally, he was named the North Coast Section Coach of the Year in 1990 and the De La Salle High School Coach of the Year once.
Robert O’Meara was the first head coach of the De La Salle lacrosse program, which began in 2001 and compiled a 222-79 (.737 winning percentage) overall record in 17 seasons. The 2017 North Coast Section and East Bay Times Coach of the Year guided De La Salle to eight NCS championship game appearances, resulting in four section titles.
The 2007 Football Team posted a perfect 13-0 record and averaged more than 47 points per game while eclipsing the 50-point plateau five times. De La Salle defeated Centennial of Corona to win the CIF Division I State Championship when Noah Perio scored the game-winning touchdown in a 37-31 victory. The 2007 season marked the 16th straight North Coast Section title for the Spartans in football.
The 2009 Soccer Team posted a near-perfect season with a 23-1-1 overall record. The Spartans captured the East Bay Athletic League and North Coast Section Championships, as Dom Daley was named the NCS and Contra Costa Times Player of the Year. The Spartans finished the season ranked in the top 10 nationally by Adidas National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
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