Induction Year: 2008

Born: May 14, 1935 in Pennsylvania

Mt. Union College, Alliance, Ohio, BA
Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado
California Lutheran University, MA

Coach Bittner has been Football Coach at Moorpark College for 34 years, 29 of those as Head Coach. Before starting at Moorpark College, he coached football, wrestling, and track for 14 years at Oxnard High School.

He is the winningest coach (at any level) in VenturaCounty, owning 194 wins.

In the last 21 years he has led the Moorpark Raiders to 1 1 Western State Conference Championships, and 17 Bowl Games.

He has won eight or more games 14 times, and nine or more games 8 times. In the last 23 years, he has had 20 winning seasons.

His teams have won 19 of the last 22 Citrus Cup Championships.

In 2002 Coach Bittner was named CCCFCA Region Ill Coach of the year.

For the last two years, Coach Bittner has been named the WSC Coach of the year, leading the Raiders to 18 wins in these two years.

His team’s victory in 2007 in the American Bowl over defending State and National Champion El Camino is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in community college history.

Coach Bittner is married to Margaret and they have two adult children, Jimmy, an Assistant Coach at Moorpark College and Mary, a coach at Camarillo High School, and four grandchildren, Noah, Lucas, J.J. and Brooklyn.

Born: December 31, 1960 in Oxnard, California

Cal State Northridge, BA 1996
Azusa Pacific University, M.S. 1999

Ernie Carrasco had an outstanding athletic career at Channel Islands High School, in baseball and football, Oxnard College, the University of Utah, and playing minor league baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Football:
1977 – All Ventura County Defense Player of the Year; First Team Frontier League.
1978 – Marmonte League MVP; All County First Team Defense, Ventura County Defensive Player of the Year; All CIF First Team, Defensive Lineman.
1979 – Chose by the So Cal Football Association to play in the 1979 Shrine game.

Baseball:
1978 – All CIF IA First Team; Co-MVP Frontier League (12-1 Pitching Record).
District 13 Little League 3rd place in World Series.
1979 – Marmonte Player of the Year (11-1 pitching record); All County Player of the Year; All CIF Second Team, Channel Islands Athlete of the Year.

In 1982 he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Organization to play professional baseball.
In 1987 he pitched for the Minnesota Twins. Unfortunately for baseball fans, Ernie suffered an injury to his arm in 1987 while playing for the Cardinals,
and this resulted in his leaving professional baseball.

In 2000 Ernie was chosen to the Ventura County All Century Football Team – Defensive Lineman.

His coaching career included 1998 Defensive Line Football Coach at Channel Islands High School, 2003-2006 Head Baseball Coach at Channel Islands High
School, and 2005-2007 Defensive Line Coach at Channel Islands High School.

Ernie is married to Lily and they have three adult children, Teresa Marie, Ernest Anthony and Daniel Ligsay.

Born: June 14, 1956 in Southport, England

Coach Steve Hoffman was hired in May of 1996 to start the Ventura College Women’s Intercollegiate Soccer Program. As the only coach to lead the Pirates in their 20-year history, Hoffman has coached the VC to 15 Western State Conference Championships. The team earned 11 consecutive titles from 1996-2006 and also won the crown in 2008, and three consecutive years from 2010-2012. Coach Hoffman has directed the Pirates to a WSC record of 216-21-17 and his overall coaching record is an incredible 326-85-42. VC has qualified for the post-season 19 times in the past 20 years under Hoffman.

In 2009 Coach Hoffman lead the Pirates to their first ever CCCAA final four appearance. His teams have also appeared in the CCCAA Elight Eight five times in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2010 and 2012. Hoffman has been voted the Western State Conference Coach of the Year six times by the conference coaches in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2010.

In 2009 the Pirates were ranked as high as third in the NSCAA National coaches association poll breaking the top five for the first time ever. VC finished the 2009 season by holding on to a top ten spot by being ranked No. 7 in final NSCAA-Adidas National coaches poll, the highest the final ranking in program history.

The California Youth Soccer Association – South honored Hoffman when they named him Cal South Coach of the Year in 1999. In 2000, the honor’s kept coming when the National Soccer Coaches Association also named Steve West Region Coach of the Year and he was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year award. Coach Steve Hoffman is one of the most respected coaches not just in California but the country.

Under Coach Hoffman’s leadership a number of Individual players have received recognition. 13 players have received NSCAA All-American honors (Joy Barry, 1997; Chrissie Sanford, 1998; Sarah Costello, 2000; Brittney MacDonald, 2002; Currie Doleman-Hunt, 2003; Allie Avina, 2005; Sienna Kluck-Escoto, 2006; Jaz Strozier, 2009; Monique Orocio, 2010; Megan Erskine, 2011; Daisy Cardona, 2011 and 2012; and Guadelupe Magana, 2013). In addition to becoming the program’s first two-time All-American in 2012, Cardona was named the NSCAA Community College Division III National Player of the Year. Sophia Chandler was named an NSCAA Academic All-American in 2014.

Uner Coach Hoffman, VC has had nine Western State Conference Most Valuable Player Awards (Barry in 1996, 1997; Sanford, 1998; Costello,1999; McDonald, 2002; Doleman-Hunt, 2003; Srozier, 2008; Orocio, 2010, and Cardona in 2012). Coach Hoffman has placed 98 players on the All-Western State Conference first team and 28 players on the All-WSC second team.

The Pirate program has been recognized by the VC athletic staff with the selection of eight players as the Ventura College Female Athlete of the Year (Barry, 1998; Almaraz, 1999; Costello, 2001; Avina, 2005; Kluck-Escoto, 2007; Orocio, 2011; Cardona, 2013; and Delanie Gavid, 2015). In 1998 Melissa Thaxton became the first women’s soccer player to be selected as the Ventura College Academic Athlete of the year, while in 2000 Marisa Pittman followed in the Thaxton’s footsteps. Alicia Coenen, 2002, Taylor Steele, 2011, and Sofia Chandler, 2015, have also earned the honor.

Prior to coming to Ventura College, Hoffman was the Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks from 1991 to 1995.

In addition to his coaching duties at VC, Hoffman is the Director of Coaching Education and Player Development for the California Youth Soccer Association-South where he runs the Cal South Olympic Development Program. He also works with US Soccer Women’s National team program and was a staff coach for the United States Youth Soccer Association where he coaches at the Region IV Olympic Development program each summer (selecting the next group of players trying out for the United States National teams).

Coach Hoffman is responsible for the 135,000 youth players and the 30,000 coaches that are members of Cal South. Coach Hoffman currently possesses a United States Soccer Federation ‘A’ license and a United States Soccer Federation National Youth Coaching License and is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and United States Soccer Federation Coaches Association of America.

Hoffman was born in Southport, England, where he completed his schooling and played soccer at youth, amateur and semi-professional levels. In 1983, he moved to California from Southport with his wife Kathy, and his three children, Melanie, Joey and Jaimie. Steve and his family settled in Ventura and have been here for over 30 years. All of Steve’s children attended Buena High school in Ventura and they have all attended Ventura College at one time. Steve and Kathy are blessed with four grandchildren Nicholas (22), Sarah (18), Jessica (12) and Alyssa (6) who love watching and playing soccer!

Coaching Statistics and Achievements

Has led the Ventura College women’s soccer team to the regional playoffs 26 times in the last 27 years.
Made the Elite 8 in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2010 and 2012
Western State Conference Champions ’96, ’97, ’98, ’99, ’00, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’08, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’16, 21.
Ventura County College Team of the Year Award (Local News Media) 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008
California Community College Athletic Association Scholar Team Award 1997, 1999, 2001
Cuesta Cup Champions 1997
Cuesta Cup Finalists 1996

Overall record 413-136-70. WSC record 263-40-27.

Born: January 14, 1957 in Hollywood, California

UCLA, 1980
Cal State Fullerton, 1982

CAREER
Coach Smith was hired at Oak Park High School in 1985, to teach history, English and coach track. The cross-country program had been dissolved, but he restarted it.

Cross-Country:
Since Coach Smith began his boys and girls teams have won a combined 21 leagues titles, 7 CIF Southern Section titles, 7 CIF runner-up, 4 State titles and 7 State runner-up.
The boys won TVL titles in 1991, 1997 through 2001 and 2003 through 2007.
They won CIF-SS 4 times, 2000 through 2003 and were runners-up five times.
They won State in 2002 and were runners-up four times.
The girls won TVL titles 10 times, 1993, 1998 and 2000 through 2007. They won CIF-SS titles 3 times, 2001 through 2003 and were runners-up twice. They won State titles 3 times, 2002 through 2003 and were runners-up three times.

Track & Field:
Boys: 7 league titles – 1988, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001 , 2005 and 2006. They won the first CIF title in the school’s history in 1988 and were runners-up in 1989.
Girls: 13 league titles – 1990-1992, 1997-1999, 2001-2007.

Coach Smith has created great enthusiasm, having about 100 athletes turn out for cross-country and two hundred or more for track & field each year. This enthusiasm stems from a Coach who has strong and consistent work ethic, high expectations and the ability to help young people meet them.

Coach Smith also takes part in youth programs, hosting and leading clinics in
several counties.

Coach Smith is married to Karlene, and they have two daughters, Lauren and Emily.

Born: April 24, 1971 in San Fernando, California

California Lutheran University, B.A. (Physical Education) 1993
California Lutheran University, Teaching Credential 2000
California Lutheran University, M.Ed. (Teaching) 2003

Willie Ruiz was an outstanding High School, College and Professional soccer player.

High School:
From 1986 through 1989 Willie guided his team to the 1989 Marmonte League Championship and to the quarter-finals of the CIF twice. He was honored as 1989 Midfield Player of the Year, 1st Team All Marmonte League, 3rd Team All-CIF, numerous All-Tournament selections and in 1989 was All-County All Star.

College:
At California Lutheran University (1990-1993)
1990: 2nd Team All-GSAC; 1st Team All-West Regional All-America; Offensive Player of the Year; Leading Goal Scorer (14), and Points (30), and a NAIA tournament berth.
1991: 1st Team All-SCIAC; 1st Team All-West Regional All-America; Offensive Player of the Year; Leading Goal Scorer (21) and Assists (5). NCAA tournament (lost in 1st round to UC San Diego 3 to 2, who won the NCAA championship and only player and team to score against UCSD in the tournament); Finished ranked nationally #7. Invited player to participate in the National Pool for Southern California.
1992: 1st Team All-SCIAC; 1st Team All-West Regional All-America; Leading Assists (6) and NCAA tournament berth, losing in Regional Finals to Colorado College (Sweet 16).
1993: 1st Team All-SCIAC; 1st Team All Regional All-America; 2nd Team All-American, Midfield Player of the Year, Leader in assists (15).

CLU Soccer Records:
He currently holds records for most goals by a freshman (14), most goals by a sophomore (21), all-time leader in goals (58), all-time leader in assists in a season (1 5), all-time leader in points (144), most assists in a game (4) and second all-time assists (28).

Professional Career:
In 1990 was invited to train in Mexico with Club Deportivo Guadalajara Chivas. In 1997 he was drafted by the C.I.S.L. Arizona Sandsharks (1st round, 4th pick). He played professionally for the Dallas Sidekicks.

Achievements:
Willie has over 15 years coaching experience in soccer camps, high school, college and youth clubs and has guided players to All-League, All-CIF, All-Regional and college careers. He is presently a physical education teacher at E.O. Green Jr. High School in the Port Hueneme Unified School District. Also serves on the Church Council at Newheart Foursquare Church in Simi Valley.

Mr. Ruiz is married to Cecilia and they have two young children, Yashin and Kiara.