Yuba banquet to honor 22nd class tonight
For the first time in three years, Yuba College brings back its Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony where it will induct its 22nd class into the school hall of fame.
This year’s class includes Jim Arnold (1987-88 football), Luke Byrnes (1997-98 football), Liliana Partida (1976-78 track and field), Dr. Fred Smiley (1961-63 basketball), Angela Vannucci (1998-99 volleyball) and the 1984 baseball team.
The ceremony will be held beginning at 5 p.m. today (Saturday) at Peach Tree Golf & Country Club in Marysville. Reservations are $50 per person and can be secured by visiting https://bit.ly/3krjcbq or by calling the athletic department at (530) 741-6779.
The masks and proof of COVID-19 vaccination are not required, according to the Yuba College Athletic Department.
Today, Arnold, Byrnes, Partida and Vannucci are featured.
Arnold: Played football for the 49ers in 1987 and 1988. He was a standout wide receiver not only at Yuba College but at the state level with two record-setting seasons. He set multiple single season records as well as career records including state leader in catches (65), single-game receptions (14), and career grabs (118).
In 1987, Arnold was presented with the Yuba College Coaches Award. In 1988, he was named team captain and Most Valuable Player. Arnold went on to transfer to Sacramento State where he earned a Bachelor’s degree of science in criminal justice. After school, he went on to work as the Chief of Probation in Yuba County.
Vannucci: Played volleyball for the 49ers in 1998 and 1999 when she was a starting outside hitter both years. Some of her accolades include team MVP, all-conference and all-state in 1998-1999. Vannucci finished her career at Yuba with 600 kills and 589 digs, while helping lead her team to the first round of the playoffs in 1998. In 1999, Vannucci and the 49ers advanced to the final round of the playoffs.
Vannucci earned a full scholarship to Colorado School of the Mines where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in economics with a 3.24 GPA. She is currently a Real Estate broker/ President at Blackburne & Sons Realty Capital Corporation.
Byrnes: Played football for the 49ers in 1997 and 1998 where he was a standout offensive tackle earning all-league and all-state honors.
Byrnes helped Yuba to an 8-3 finish, a conference championship and Lions Bowl win in 1998.
Byrnes went on to transfer to Texas A&M Kingsville and was voted best offensive lineman in 2001 while helping lead Kingsville to a conference championship in 2001. In 2002, Byrnes was named first team alllone Star Conference and second team all-west Region for a team
that was ranked as high as No. 11 in the country during its conference championship-winning season.
Byrnes earned his degree in communications.
Partida: A home grown product out of Yuba City High School where she was already a recognized runner on the team’s track squad. Partida competed in the junior Olympics in the 400 meters.
Some of Partida’s awards while at Yuba College included Most Valuable Women’s Track Athlete (1977, 1978), team captain (1978), Yuba College
Outstanding Female
Athlete (1978), runnerup team finish in the
Bay Valley Conference and Northern California Regional and third place at state.
In 1977, Partida won state in the 400 and 4x400-meter relay.
After graduating from Yuba College, Partida went on to open the first fitness center on Kauai, Hawaii – launching her into the career of health, fitness, and wellness.
She continues her career co-owning successful all women’s health clubs in San Rafael with husband John Crosby, daughter Annalisa Partida, and step children, Clay and Jake Cosby.