Trojan Athletics Hall of Fame

Emily Bland

Emily Bland was a stand out track and field athlete for the Trojans from 2015-2016 and is one of the few EvCC athletes to be a three time NWAC Champion.  In her first ever college meet, Emily won the 400 meter hurdle race at the Puget Sound Invite as a true freshman against a number of 4-year athletes.  What’s even more impressive is that this was her first ever competitive hurdle race at that distance, because in high school they competed at the 300 meter hurdle distance. 

Emily’s times steadily improved that season culminating at the NWAC Championships where she took 6th in the 100 meter hurdles and won the 400 meter hurdles by nearly two seconds with a time of 1:02.96 and earning NWAC All American Honors.  

The next season, Bland continued to post impressive times in the 400 meter hurdles, but once again saved the best for last at the NWAC Championships.  This time, she not only repeated as the 400 meter hurdle champion but also won the 100 meter hurdles as well.  She did so in convincing fashion, setting new personal bests and breaking school records in both events.  She ran 14.93 in the 100 hurdles, breaking the previous record by 1.71 seconds and 1:02.69 in the 400 hurdles.  That time holds up in the NWAC Top 25 All Time Marks in the 400 meter hurdles and currently the 15th fastest time in NWAC history.         

Emily went on to compete in both indoor and outdoor track at Central Washington University. In her freshman and sophomore seasons of indoor competition, she took 6th in the 60 meter hurdles at the GNAC Indoor Championships both years.  And in the 2017 outdoor season, Emily won the 400 meter hurdles GNAC Championship with a lifetime best time of 1:00.58 and qualified for the NCAA National meet.  She also placed 3rd in the 400 meter hurdles at the GNAC Championships in her senior year. 

Emily went on to finish her degree in Environmental Studies from Central Washington University. She currently resides in Ellensburg, Washington, where she works as a fitness instructor at a local gym, combining her passion for health, community, and active living.

Chuck Kinney

Charles “Chuck” Kinney left a lasting legacy both on the golf course and in service to his country. In the spring of 1950, Kinney captured medalist honors at the Washington State Junior College Golf Championships in Bremerton, firing a remarkable two-under par 70 in the one-day event. His performance helped lead Everett Junior College to its fourth consecutive state championship under the guidance of legendary local golf professional and fellow EvCC Hall of Fame member Ken Tucker.

Following his time at Everett, Kinney earned his business degree from Washington State University before embarking on a distinguished 22-year career in the United States Air Force. As a pilot, he served his country during the Vietnam War and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, exemplifying leadership, dedication, and service.

Golf remained one of Chuck’s lifelong passions. He continued competing in amateur tournaments throughout the United States and internationally, including events in Japan and Canada, carrying with him the same competitive spirit and love for the game that defined his championship years at Everett. Chuck Kinney passed away in Spokane, Washington, in 2004, remembered as a champion athlete, proud veteran, and outstanding representative of Trojan athletics.

Keone Kela

Keone Kela’s journey from Everett Community College to Major League Baseball stands as one of the most impressive success stories in Trojan athletics history. A hard-throwing right-handed pitcher with electric stuff and an intense competitive spirit, Kela developed his foundation at EvCC, and emerged as one of the top pitchers in the NWAC for the 2012 season.  Primarily in a closing role, Kela struck out 48 batters in 39 innings of work, posting a 2.07 ERA.  He also occasionally worked into the batting lineup and logged 48 at bats and hitting for an average of .292. Kela’s efforts helped the Trojans win the North Region Championship and advance through the NWAC championship tournament, where EvCC eventually finished 3rd.   

Following his freshman season at Everett CC, Kela was selected in the 12th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft by the Texas Rangers. His rapid rise through the minor leagues reflected the same determination and toughness he displayed as a Trojan. Just three years after being drafted, he made his Major League debut in 2015. His ascent served as a proud moment for Everett Community College, continuing the legacy of success for EvCC student-athletes in professional sports.

Over the course of his Major League career, Kela established himself as one of baseball’s most reliable relief pitchers. Known for his upper-90s fastball and swing-and-miss breaking ball, he became a trusted late-inning option for three MLB organizations. Throughout seven seasons in the big leagues, he recorded 7 wins, 28 saves, and 279 strikeouts with a 3.33 ERA.  Keone also had an opportunity to pitch in the MLB post season appearing in the ALDS with the Rangers in 2015, logging a 3 inning outing in which he faced 11 batters and struck out two, giving up just one hit and recording the win.  He also pitched in the 2016 ALDS with Texas going 1.2 innings, and faced 5 batters, logging a strike out, and giving up 0 hits.  

Keone continues to play professionally, both in the MiLB and in Mexico, but beyond statistics and accomplishments, Keone Kela’s path from community college baseball to Major League stadiums around the country highlights the power of perseverance, discipline, and grit,  everything that the Everett Community College Baseball program stands for.   

Matt Koenigs

Matt Koenigs took over the EvCC cross country programs in 2006, and under his leadership, EvCC rose rapidly to national prominence. His teams captured five NWAC Cross Country Championships (two men’s, three women’s), along with two combined NWAC titles in 2011 and 2012, accounting for seven NWAC championships overall. From 2007–2013, Koenigs’ men’s and women’s cross country teams finished on the NWAC podium every season, making EvCC the only program in the conference to accomplish that feat during that seven-year span.

In nine seasons coaching cross country at EvCC, his teams earned 15 total podium finishes. Since the NWAC formed in 1970, only two other championships have been won at EvCC across all nine sports combined. In the conference’s 55-year history, Koenigs stands as EvCC’s all-time winningest coach, measured by Regional Championships, NWAC Championships, and podium finishes at the NWAC meet.

At the regional level, Koenigs’ dominance was unmatched. After restarting the NWAC Regional Championship meet as meet director in 2007, his teams never lost a regional title. Across his tenures at EvCC and a single season as an assistant at Edmonds College, he compiled an 18–0 record at the regional championship meet, including 16–0 at EvCC.

Koenigs’ teams were not only champions but national leaders. In 2011 (men) and 2012 (women), EvCC recorded the fastest team times (top five runners) of any junior college program in the nation, establishing the Trojans as a premier destination for distance runners from across the United States. His athletes earned 18 individual NWAC titles, 73 All-American performances, and nine NCAA Division I placements, reflecting both competitive success and athlete development.

Koenigs was named NWAC Coach of the Year six times and received EvCC’s Associated Staff of the Year Award in 2010. He was known for building inclusive, demanding, and joyful team cultures that emphasized academic success alongside athletic excellence.

Beyond EvCC, Koenigs served as Director of Athletics and Head Coach at Trinity Lutheran College, where he built cross country and track & field programs from the ground up, guided the college’s transition into the NAIA, and led teams to national top-10 finishes despite limited resources and enrollment. He has also coached at Edmonds College and founded the Bryant Bandits Track Club, extending his impact to youth athletes in the local community.

Dan Murphy

For long time EvCC employee Dan Murphy, sports had been a dominant theme throughout his life. As an athlete, he was a three-year starter on his college soccer team; completed the New York City Marathon in 1986; and in 2021 finished the Seattle-to-Portland 212 mile bicycle ride at the age of 70. Murphy also spent more than 30 years coaching youth sports at the YMCA and other recreational leagues and in 2020 published the definitive book on the subject: “The 100 Greatest of All Time Sports Nicknames.”

However, all that pales in comparison to what he always maintained was the highlight of his professional career: The more than eight years on the mic, handling public address duties for the Trojan volleyball, basketball, softball teams.

“It was a great honor and an exciting opportunity for me to be part of the athletic program at the College,” said Dan. “It was a real thrill to be cheering for the winning teams but also for so many young people destined not only for athletic success but as graduates of EvCC and future leaders of their communities.”

In his more than 400 games as the voice of the Trojans, Murphy pioneered a blend of traditional PA with ongoing play-by-play and collaborated with the Trojan game-day team to develop high-energy, exciting player introductions to fire up the home crowd. Even visiting team coaches often thanked him for adding excitement to the games.

Dan passed away in December of 2025, but fans will always remember the passion, joy, and energy that he brought to each and every home Trojan game that he called.   

Men's Golf Teams 1950 & 1951

1950 Golf

Once again the Everett Junior College golf team ended the season as state champions, continuing a string of titles that began in 1947.  Chuck Kinney, Earl Allen, Ed Barfield, Stan Bruhn, and Nick Puhich all played for the Trojans in the regular season; the first four competed in the state meet held at the Kitsap Golf and Country Club in Bremerton.  

Kinney was the medalist in the state meet with a two-under par 70 – six strokes ahead of the second honors golfer - and the team’s gross score of 318 was nine strokes ahead of second place Olympic College.

Nick Puhich went on to play basketball at Gonzaga University; Stan Bruhn had a successful legal career in Mount Vernon; and Chuck Kinney served in the USAF as a pilot.

1951 Trojan Golf

The 1951 Trojan Golf team started the year with no returning golfers from the prior year.  That did not deter the team from capturing its fifth consecutive title under the guidance of local golf professional (and EvCC Hall of Fame member) Ken Tucker and faculty member Clarence Anderson. 

Regular season matches were held against Western Washington College of Education (later WWU), Seattle University, and Grays Harbor College.  The Trojans soundly defeated Grays Harbor 15-0 the week before the state championship meet.  In the title match the Trojan quartet of Chet Hamer, Chuck Horensky, Don Mulligan, and Fred Mercer bested second place Grays Harbor by 22 strokes.  This was the fifth consecutive state championship for the program.  Regular season participants included Jim Richstad and Bob Crane.  Hamer continued to golf throughout his life and coached high school golf on Orcas Island; Horensky and Richstad became educators, and Mulligan served in the Air Force and continued to golf until he turned 92 years old.