Every year since 2023, student athletes and coaches of decades past are ranked in a point system to determine who gets added to Santa Maria High School’s Hall of Fame.
With dozens of nomination submissions to narrow down each year, it’s up to the school’s hall of fame committee members to draft their top picks, 10 of whom will be honored as Hall of Fame inductees.
Held on Sept. 11, this year’s ceremony unveiled the new inductees’ commemorative plaques, which the school displays inside its gymnasium.
The new batch of inductees was honored during halftime at the school’s home football game that evening. Athletic Director Dan Ellington said he doesn’t believe it was a coincidence that the Saints beat the visiting team 40-0 that night.
“It really helps our kids get fired up,” Ellington told the Sun. “They really love the idea of having alumni come out.”
Ellington is also the Hall of Fame committee’s founding member. Hall of fame programs at other high schools inspired Ellington—who first joined Santa Maria High School’s faculty as head football coach about a decade ago—to spearhead Santa Maria High School’s effort to create one of its own.
This year’s celebration marks the Hall of Fame program’s fourth annual induction.
Some of this year’s commemorative plaques represent posthumous honors, including for students who graduated from Santa Maria High School as early as the 1950s.
Other plaques pay tribute to more recent alumni, like Jennifer Melena—who played basketball, softball, and volleyball at Santa Maria High in the early ’90s.
She was among those honored who attended the induction ceremony and half-time festivities. Other inductees who attended included basketball team alumnus Tim Patterson, who graduated from the school in 1972, and former footballer, golfer, and wrestling team member Steve Miller, who graduated in 1971.
“A lot of people [think] that we have some kind of records in a building somewhere around here on campus that tells the whole history of all our athletes. … Well, we don’t,” said Ellington, adding that the committee relies on nominations from the community to capture a variety of school alumni to select from.
Anyone can nominate individuals each year online through a designated portal on the school’s website, at smhs.smjuhsd.org/athletics/athletic-hall-of-fame.
Reflecting on this year’s festivities, Ellington emphasized his gratitude for Santa Maria High School Administrative Assistant Monica Garcia for organizing the celebratory dinner, held inside the school’s cafeteria, and the halftime ceremony.
During this year’s dinner, Ellington gave a speech about a motto he believes rings true for countless Santa Maria High School alumni and staffers across generations: “Once a Saint, always a Saint.”
It’s something he said resonates with students and coaches, even for those in the latter camp who have rival alma maters. He’s speaking from personal experience as a Righetti High School grad.
“I’ve been here for 12 years now,” said Ellington, who coached at Pioneer Valley High School before working for Santa Maria High School. “I feel just like I say at the dinner: ‘Once a Saint, always a Saint.’ … I really think a lot of Saints take that to heart.”
Three individuals were honored posthumously at this year’s Hall of Fame event: track and football alumnus Jerry Watson Sr., who graduated in 1952; and prolific coaches Bob Biddle and John William Yanez—Biddle coached at Santa Maria High between 1959 and 1983, and Yanez between 1967 and 2000.
Rounding out the full top 10 list is 1993 grad Gabriel Cota, baseball and basketball; 1973 grad Pat Kelly, baseball and football; 1971 grad Rick McCutcheon, basketball; and 1970 grad David Cumberland, baseball and basketball.
The nomination period for 2027 opens on Jan. 1 and runs through March 30. For more info about the process and eligibility requirements for inductees, call Ellington at (805) 925-2567, Ext. 3540.
“The first couple of years, I got several complaints about: Why ‘this guy’ didn’t get in, why ‘that guy’ didn’t get in,” Ellington said. “We need nominations every year. … I’m sure there’s a lot of athletes that slip through the cracks.”
Highlight
• On Sept. 17, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce named Laurie Tamura as 2026’s Robert P. Hatch Citizen of the Year. Tamura is president and principal planner of Urban Planning Concepts. For the past 20 years, Tamura has also held leadership roles with the Scouting America Los Padres Council, including driving efforts to rebuild Camp Rancho Alegre’s Outdoor School after 2017’s Whittier Fire. “Laurie has spent more than 30 years showing up for this community, whether that meant shaping the neighborhoods we live in or making sure our kids have a place to grow, learn, and lead,” Chamber CEO Michael Boyer said in a statement.
Reach Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in September 24 – October 1, 2026.
