San Diego State superfan Chet Carney will be remembered during a May 31 celebration of life on campus.
The program will begin at 1:30 p.m. inside the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center on campus. Doors open at noon. The event is free and open to the public, though those wishing to attend are encouraged to RSVP here by the end of the day on Friday.
Carney, a San Diego native and graduate of both Crawford High School and SDSU, died in February at his Encanto home. He was 70.
Chet Carney, San Diego State superfan and an Aztec ‘for eternity,’ dies at 70
Instantly recognizable in his overalls, custom SDSU jerseys and hard hat, Carney was one of the Aztecs’ most vocal supporters for decades. He led “1-2-3 Aztecs” cheers during games and encouraged basketball fans to put their fingers in the air during free throws “to help tip it in.”
Carney began cheering for SDSU as a student yell leader during the 1978-79 school year. He returned to the role in the early 1980s, leading cheers from the football field at the school’s request.
When that ended, Carney became an unofficial cheerleader for the school he loved — and arguably SDSU’s most recognizable fan. He sat in the student section for men’s basketball games, rooting for the Aztecs and yelling at opposing players alongside members of the pep band.
The May 31 event will also include a display of Carney’s SDSU memorabilia.