2013 Sierra College Athletic Hall of Fame Class

Don Bransford

Athlete (Men's Basketball)

  • Graduated from Colusa High School (1965), attended Sierra College (1965-67), Oregon State (1967-70), Sonoma State (1971-73), Tennessee (1973-77), and UC Santa Barbara (1977-79).
  • While at Colusa, played on Pioneer League championship basketball team.
  • While at Sierra, earned men's basketball Team Leadership award.
  • Earned Golden Valley Conference Outstanding Player on Sierra's league championship team (1967).
  • Colusa High girl's basketball coach (1989-94).
  • Colusa Unified School District Trustee (1981-present).
  • Earned MA in Exercise Physiology at Sonoma State (1973), PhD in Exercise Physiology at Tennessee (1977).
  • Owner, Bransford Farms, 1200 acres of almonds, prunes, rice in Colusa (1980-present).
  • State of California Governor's Advisory Drought Planning Panel (2000-01), appointed by Gov. Gray Davis.
  • UC President's Agricultural Advisory Commission (2003-present). 
  • California Food and Agriculture Board (2008-present), appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
  • Married 39 years to Diane and has four adult children.

Stacey (McAfee) Buehner

Athlete (Cross Country, Track)

  • Graduated from Del Oro High School (1984), Sierra College (1986) and Fresno State (1989).
  • Played varsity basketball, cross-country and track at Del Oro.
  • Del Oro Girl's Athlete of the Year (1984).
  • Set Del Oro record of 10:47.5 in 3200.
  • Ran track and cross-country at Sierra (1984-86).
  • Set Sierra track records: 1500 (4:42), 3000 (10:12) and 5000 (17.15).
  • Set Sierra women's cross-country three-mile course record in 1986 (17:37.4)
  • Ran track and cross-country at Fresno State (1986-89). Set FSU 5K cross-country record in 1988 (17.10). FSU women's cross-country team won Big West championship (1988).
  • Received Liberal Arts BA from FSU (1989).
  • Named Fresno Runner of the Year five times.
  • Met husband Eddie at FSU while both were on cross-country team. They have four children.

Darci Brownell

Coach (Softball)

  • Graduated from Del Campo High School, Sacramento State and National University.
  • As a Del Campo player, earned All-League, All-Metro and Optimist Team honors.
  • During ten years as Del Campo coach, posted 139-26 record with four league titles, nine post-season appearances, a third-place CIF section finish and four Coach of the Year honors.
  • Was a four-year starter at catcher at Sacramento State. Twice named first-team All-Conference. Batted .375 and led team in doubles and triples as a senior.
  • In 14 years as Sierra's coach, has 529-132 record with two Big 8 titles, 14 post-season appearances, four CCCAA final four appearances, one championship game appearance (2009), 10 regional championships, five super-regional appearances, and five consecutive state top eight finishes (2009-13).
  • Three Big 8 Coach of the Year, one NorCal and one state Coach of the Year award.
  • 2010 Sierra coaching staff earned NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year award.
  • CCCFCA president (2002-10), NFCA California JC representative (2006-10).
  • 82 Sierra players in 14 years have received four-year college scholarships, 59 of those athletes have graduated from a four-year school.
  • Has produced 32 NFCA Scholar Athletes, 2007 and 2013 teams named NFCA Scholar teams for highest national and CCCAA GPA. The 2007 team had top GPA of any team in any CCCAA sport.

Dr. Brack Davis

Community Member (Sierra College Team Physician)

  • Graduated from Palo Alto High School (1949) and Columbia University (1953).
  • Earned Doctor of Medicine from Harvard University (1957).
  • Flight Surgeon, Carrier Group 55, USS Yorktown (1959-62).
  • Completed Orthopedic Residency at Stanford University (1968).
  • Sierra College Team Physician (1969-94).
  • Worked with Sierra coaches Homer "Buzz" Ostrom, John Horrillo and Rex Chappel.
  • Private practice at Roseville Orthopedic Group (1968-94).
  • San Francisco 49ers Training Camp Physician (1981-94).
  • USAID Afghanistan Wazir Trauma and Orthopedic Hospital (2005-06).
  • Has three children and seven grandchildren.

Paul Gonzalez

Classics Committee Nomination (Football)

  • Graduated from Roseville High School (1960) and Sierra College (1962), attended Pacific University, OR (1962-63), graduated from Sacramento State (1966) and the University of the Pacific (1970).
  • Ran track, played basketball, football and wrestled at Roseville.
  • Was one of 11 Roseville athletes selected to carry Olympic torch at 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics.
  • Played basketball, football, and ran track at Sierra (1960-62).
  • All-Golden Valley Conference in football (1960).
  • Sierra's Most Outstanding Lineman (1960).
  • Played on Golden Valley Conference football champions (1961).
  • Earned football scholarship to Pacific (1962-63). Also played on the Pacific baseball team.
  • Played football at Sacramento State (1964-65). Team won Far Western Conference championship and played in Camellia Bowl.
  • Coached Bolivian men's and women's national basketball teams (1976-77).
  • Sierra Foothill League boy's basketball Coach of the Year (1980).
  • North team head coach, Optimist Boy's Basketball All-Star Game (1985).
  • Sacramento Bee girl's basketball Coach of the Year (1987, 1989).
  • Camellia Sports Hall of Fame inductee (1988).
  • Sacramento Bee girl's softball Coach of the Year (1997).
  • Won 2001 Placer County Office of Education "Teachers Who Make a Difference" award.
  • Coached high school sports for 45 years, last ten with son David at Bella Vista.
  • Married to high school sweetheart, Janis for 49 years. They have three adult children, all of whom are educators.