Dante Estrada | Long Beach Current
Long Beach State officially welcomed seven new inductees to its illustrious Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
In celebration of the rich history of the university’s athletic programs, LBSU’s 2026 Hall of Fame class was headlined by former Beach stars like Abe Alvarez and James Ennis.
Abe Alvarez – Baseball:
Alvarez is a shining example of what makes an LBSU Hall of Famer.
While the criteria for induction include both collegiate success at The Beach and post-collegiate success at the Olympic or professional level, Alvarez meets both.
The star Dirtbag was a back-to-back Big West Pitcher of the Year in 2002 and 2003, and then went on to win a World Series in the majors with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.
James Ennis – Men’s Basketball:
For The Beach’s men’s basketball program, Ennis was a major needle-mover.
Ennis played on an LBSU team that won consecutive Big West titles in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons, and was named Big West Player of the Year in the latter year.
Ennis was then a very successful role player as a defensive wing in the NBA, playing in 395 games over eight seasons.
While this year’s Hall of Fame class takes its well-earned bow, it’s not too early to throw a name in the hat for 2027.
My pick for 2027:
A hometown kid raised in Long Beach before playing for the Dirtbags, Matt Duffy is a name that would fit right into the LBSU Hall of Fame.
While Duffy’s most notable collegiate achievement was a Second-Team All-Big West selection in 2011, his Hall of Fame case relies more on his Major League Baseball career.
Drafted in the 18th round by the San Francisco Giants, Duffy made an immediate impact when called up to the majors.
Duffy played a significant role as the youngest member of the 2014 World Series champion Giants.
As third baseman, Duffy finished as runner-up for the National League Rookie of the Year award.
While his career was ultimately shortened by injuries, Duffy’s career accolades cement him as one of the best Dirtbags in MLB history.
While there may be several candidates with much more successful collegiate careers at LBSU, inducting Duffy would not just celebrate his own pro career, but also put a spotlight on LBSU’s legacy of producing MLB stars.
A senior at CSULB, Timothy Hessen serves as the Sports Editor of the Long Beach Current. First joining the Current as a copy assistant editor as a junior, Timothy has written about sports in several different publications, including the Long Beach Current, the Coast Report and the Laguna Beach Independent. After graduation, Timothy hopes to pursue a career in journalism or public relations, with the long-term goal of either covering or working for an NFL or NBA team.