LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola University Athletics announces its 2016 Hall of Fame Induction Class. This year's group includes a three-time All-American men's soccer player and a two-time national swimmer of the year.
Jeff Benbow becomes the third inductee from Biola Men's Soccer and Christine Tixier becomes the first swimmer to enter the Hall of Fame. This fall's induction ceremony will be the fifth since the Biola Athletic Hall of Fame was started back in 2012.
The pair will be inducted during a dinner and ceremony on Sept. 24, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. The festivities will take place in the Andrews Banquet Room on Biola's campus.
"This will be an exciting night," said Director of Athletics Dr. Bethany Miller. "Our inductees represent multiple sports in different eras. I am so glad we have this opportunity to reflect on their achievements during their time at Biola."
Benbow played soccer for the Eagles from 1979-1981 and proved to be one of the greats to walk the halls of this campus. He was a three-time NAIA All-American (1979, 80, 81), a three-time NAIA all-district selection (79, 80, 81) and an NCCAA All-American selection (1979).
In his 1979 All-American season Benbow set the Biola men's soccer record for the most goals scored in a single season (23). In that same season, he broke the school record for points in a season (56), which he still holds today.
He proved that he was a force to be reckoned with in the region as he was a two-time All-Far West selection (79, 81). In the 1981 season, Benbow led the Eagles to a NAIA national tournament appearance.
Benbow is top-5 in career goals scored (40), top-5 in career points (115), and he holds the all-time record in assists (35). He is the first men's soccer inductee whose primary sport was men's soccer.
Tixier put Biola Women's Swimming & Diving on the map in the national landscape of the NAIA. The Washington-native swam four remarkable years under head coach Eddie Shepard from 2011-15 and helped her team to four consecutive seventh-place finishes at the NAIA national meet.
She earned NAIA Female Swimmer of the Year honors during her junior and senior seasons and racked up a remarkable 13 NAIA All-American honors over her career. She won eight NAIA National Championships and still holds three individual event records.
She's been the best swimmer to come through Biola and still holds seven program records (some individual, some relays). As a senior, she was named the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year. She is the only Biola student-athlete to ever earn that prestigious distinction.
Benbow's former coach Tim Conrad will introduce him during the ceremony, while Shepard, Biola's Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations, will introduce Tixier.
For more information OR to reserve your spot at the event please visit https://connect.biola.edu/2016-athletics-hall-of-fame.
Tixier, Benbow Selected To Athletics Hall of Fame
Christine Tixier & Jeff Benbow to be inducted in September.
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