JONES TROPHY ROOM DISPLAYS

PEPPERDINE'S Rich Athletic History

-By Jeremy Tammaro

Athletic powerhouses such as Duke University, the University of Notre Dame, and UCLA have more in common with Pepperdine University than might first meet the eye. As Alexandre Dumas said, "Nothing succeeds like success," and each of these institutions boasts a significant sports legacy.

John Watson in the Jones Trophy Room

For students of Division I schools that proudly fly NCAA Championship banners, the victories provide a sense of pride that lasts entire lifetimes. At Pepperdine, seven such championships have been etched into the history books. The achievement, for any school, is praiseworthy. At a school of Pepperdine's size, it is nothing short of astounding.

This remarkable history is savored on the top floor of Helen Field Heritage Hall, in an area known as the Jones Trophy Room.

"This room is a recognition of more than sixty years of history and athletic success," said John Watson, Pepperdine director of athletics. "It brings back those memories. It is a place to bring recruits and their families."

Pepperdine's legacy of winning began, literally, in another time and place. Pepperdine's roots were planted firmly in South Central Los Angeles until the University relocated to Malibu in 1972. However, more than just a bundle of trophies and awards were lost in the transition. With the move, some of Pepperdine's sports programs were left behind, but these programs are brought back to life just up the stairs on the second floor of Heritage Hall.

Pepperdine's national small college championship football team and eight All-American football players live on through the old Waves jersey and letter jacket enshrined behind a glass case that holds an old football, an antique helmet, and several pictures of the team in action many years ago.

Pepperdine's men's and women's track teams-and their combined sixteen All-Americans, four NAIA individual national champions, and national records-breathe an old air of athletic greatness.

"The Jones Trophy Room is a reminder that we don't offer every sport, but those that we do offer we perform to the best of our abilities," Watson said. "Pepperdine has some of the best teams in the nation for its sports."

Also pictured in the trophy room is Women's Swimming and Diving Coach Nick Rodionoff, the only coach in the country to be inducted into the United States Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame for both sports. And numerous other coaches, benefactors, and athletes' stories fill the room just beyond the glass that groups them together.

"There is a bonding that exists between the University and its athletes," Watson said. "And given the massive renovations that the trophy room has gone through, the bond can continue to be enjoyed by future generations."