CSU Pueblo Athletics Hall of Fame
1996 College World Series Baseball Team: In 1996, the Southern Colorado baseball team, in only its third year of existence as a baseball program, accomplished the monumental task of winning the NCAA Division II West Regional championship and qualifying for the Division II College World Series. At the time, USC was the only RMAC baseball team to have qualified for the College World Series. Led by All-Americans Darrell O’Brien (P/UT), Norm Padilla (3B) and Bennie Jones (OF), who was also a 1994 All-American, the ThunderWolves overcame a 36-19 regular season to sweep to the RMAC Tournament championship and eventually the West Regional title. Along the way, the ThunderWolves bested the No. 2 team in the nation, California-Riverside, en route to the regional title. At the College World Series, the ThunderWolves finished fifth.
