Yakima Valley College Athletics

A graduate of Yakima’s West Valley High School, Wayne Purdom went on to become a standout student-athlete at YVC and later returned to teach and coach at the college.  As a two-way football player (linebacker and offensive guard), he was the inspirational leader for YVC and led them to the program’s only conference title in 1964. Purdom also won the 191-pound championship at the 1965 NWAC Wrestling Tournament. He then transferred to Montana State University where he was a Big Sky wrestling champion and all-conference football player including being named defensive “Player of the Year” in 1966.  Upon returning to YVC in 1968, he served the college as a physical education instructor, head wrestling coach and assistant football coach. In 1974, he was named the head football coach and served in that capacity until 1988. In 1982, he was honored as the NWAC Coach of the Year.  In 2001, he was inducted into the NWAC Hall of Fame.