July 18, 2002

PROVO, Utah - Four former BYU athletes and one athletic administrator were inducted into the Brigham Young University Athletic Hall of Fame Wednesday evening, joining more than 150 other athletes, coaches, and administrators who have been recognized since the first induction banquet was held in 1975.

Vai Sikahema (football), Tito Steiner (track and field), Anna Mosdell Jack (track and field), Susanna Lee Noot (tennis) and Dale McCann (former Cougar Club director) were inducted in ceremonies held in the Cougar Room at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Hall of Fame inductees were honored for the quality of their athletic achievements, their determination, hard work and example, as well as their community service.

"This is another incredible class for our BYU Athletic Hall of Fame," said Mike Middleton, director of the BYU Cougar Club. "We are pleased to recognize the accomplishments of these remarkable individuals and are grateful for the legacy of success and excitement they created at BYU."

Vai Sikahema

BYU running back and return specialist Vai Sikahema first caught fans attention in the 1980 Holiday Bowl when he returned a punt for a touchdown in BYU's 46-45 come-from-behind victory over Southern Methodist University. Following a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to South Dakota between his sophomore and junior year, Sikahema returned to BYU and redshirted in 1983. The next season, Sikahema was a key member of the 1984 National Championship team. He was named named All-WAC and ranked seventh nationally in kick-off returns.

As a senior, Sikahema was named All-WAC as a return specialist and completed his BYU career as the all-time career punt return leader with 153 returns. Sikahema went on to play eight seasons in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles. Sikahema was a two-time NFL Pro Bowl selection and set the NFL Pro-Bowl single-game punt return record with seven returns in the 1987 game. He was also named to the 1992 All-Madden Team.

Following his playing career Sikahema began a career in broadcasting and is currently the sports director and anchor for NBC's Channel 10 in Philadelphia. He graduated from BYU in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Vai and his wife, Keala, are the parents of three sons and a daughter: Landon, L. J., Trey, and Lana.

Tito Steiner

As a young boy in his homeland of Argentina, Tito Steiner spent hours practicing his high jump. Inspired by Bill Toomey's 1968 performance at the Mexico Olympics, Steiner began serious decathlon training when he was 16. Years later, with encouragement from another great BYU decathlete, Raimo Pihl, Steiner accepted a scholarship and came to BYU.

Before coming to BYU he participated in the 1975 Pan American Games, where he finished fourthin the decathlon; he also competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where he placed 12th. Six months later in 1977, Steiner won his first NCAA title as a Cougar - and All-America honors - with 7,659 points.

His second year at the NCAA Championships brought a third-place finish and another All-America honor. In 1979, Steiner also won his second NCAA championship, with a score of 7,918. Fittingly he was named Deseret News Athlete of the Month (April) and-for the third time-All-American. Steiner redshirted in 1980 to train in Germany for the Moscow Olympic Games, but when Argentina joined the Olympic boycott, he spent the remainder of his redshirt year undergoing and recuperating from a knee operation.

Back at BYU for his final year, Tito had two goals in 1981: another NCAA title and a new NCAA record. He fulfilled both ambitions by winning his third NCAA decathlon title with a record 8,279 points. That mark surpassed the NCAA meet record of 8,079 set by Raimo Pihl in 1976. Steiner became one of only a handful of Cougar athletes ever to earn All-American status in every year they competed.

Tito resides in Argentina with his wife Hildegard Malgay and has three children Hermann, Sabrine and Christofer.

Anna Mosdell Jack

Anna Mosdell Jack came to BYU in 1989 after a summer full of success and honors - Canadian Summer Games champion, Canadian Junior National champion and fifth in the Pan American Championships held in Argentina.