Lamar University Athletics

Cathy Mendoza was a three-sport athlete for Lamar University from 1973 through 1978, participating in softball, volleyball and track and field. She was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Babe Zaharias/John Gray Award, earning the honor in 1976 and 1977.

Mendoza was the outside hitter on some of the most successful volleyball teams in LU history. She helped the Lady Cardinals post a 54-7-1 record in 1975, which included winning the Texas AIAW championship and finishing a school-best seventh at the AIAW National Tournament.

In 1976, the Lady Cardinals were 40-18-1 and won the Southwest AIAW regional championship before placing ninth at the AIAW national tourney.

Mendoza threw the javelin and discus as a member of the track team. She won the javelin competition at the 1976 Ty Terrell Relays with a toss of 120 feet, 1 inch, which qualified her for the national track and field championships at Kansas State University. She won the discus at the 1977 Ty Terrell Relays with a toss of 116-8. She placed fourth in the javelin.

A Port Neches native, Mendoza helped LU post a 32-15 record in its first year of softball competition in 1974. She played shortstop for three years with the Lady Cardinals.