Zack Papachristos to Enter State Hall of Fame

Former Chabot College wrestling and golf coach Zack Papachristos, a longtime Castro Valley resident, will be inducted into the California Community College Athletic Association Hall of Fame at an April 6 ceremony in Ontario, CA.

The CCCAA Sports Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed in California Community College athletics. Papachristos was actually elected to the Class of 2021, but last year’s induction ceremony had to be postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In 14 seasons as Chabot wrestling coach (1969-1983) Papachristos led the Gladiators to five state championships, 12 Northern California titles and 12 Golden Gate Conference crowns. He coached 18 individual state champions and 52 All-Americans. His dual meet record was 156-6-2 and his teams lost only one conference dual meet in 14 years. He was named Coach of the Decade for the 1970s.

Papachristos took over as Chabot golf coach in 1992 when the school faced the prospect of dropping the program and remained in that position for 26 years, winning 10 regional and 20 conference titles and reaching the sport’s pinnacle with a state championship in 2011.

The Castro Valley Sports Foundation elected Papachristos to the first class of the Castro Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He also has been inducted into the California Wrestling (2002), the Chabot (2011) and the Greek (1997) Halls of Fame.

Papachristos began his coaching career at Canyon High School in 1962 (before it became a middle school). In four years as wrestling coach his teams were 64-8 in dual meets and twice won the Hayward Area Athletic League championship. He also coached tennis at Canyon, his teams going 51-1 in dual meets and winning the North Coast Section title in 1968.