May 22, 2003
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University athletics team physician Dr. Warren Howe and former Vikings' director of athletics William "Bill" Tomaras are among the five 2003 inductees to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame from the Washington State Chapter.
The induction ceremony takes place Saturday at the Doubletree Hotel in Bellevue. A reception begins at 3 p.m., followed by the banquet at 4 p.m.
Also being inducted are Albert "Bo" Campbell, Gene Cerino and Jim Meyerhoff.
Howe, who is also a physician at the Student Health Service on campus, is completing his 11th year at Western. He has been the attending physician at the Mat Classic, the state wrestling tournament for all classifications, since its inception in 1989, and previously at the Class AAA state tournament from 1978 to 1988.
The 61-year-old Howe, who was named to the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a contributor in 1991, was the attending physician for the NAIA National Wrestling Championships in 1976 and at the wrestling venue of the Seattle Goodwill Games in 1990.
Tomaras, who was director of athletics at Western from 1963 to 1972, is known as "The Father of Wrestling" in the state of Washington. He organized the first state tournament while coaching at Washington State University.
Campbell, who is referred to as "The Wrestling Legend of Skagit Valley," coached at Sedro-Woolley High School from 1948 to 1954 and at Burlington-Edison High School from 1954 to 1971, directing teams to state titles at both schools.
Cerino is known as "The Father of the Cultural Exchange." He organized the first international high school meet against a Japanese All-Star team during his 20-year coaching career at Auburn High School.
Meyerhoff coached at Franklin Pierce High School from 1973 to 1985 and at Pacific Lutheran University from 1985 to 1988. He was the state wrestling Coach of the Year in 1984 and is currently the Assistant Executive Director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association and is in charge of the Mat Classic Tournament.
