1999 Hall of Fame Inductee

DANNY PAYNE &endash; Pleasanton, CA
Soccer &endash; 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978

Danny Payne came to the Chico State Soccer program as a freshman from Livermore. He is one of the very few Chico State athletes who was awarded First Team All-Conference honors during all 4 years of competing in the Far Western Conference.

In his sophomore, junior, and senior, seasons he earned All Far West honors. Dan left his mark on the Chico State Soccer program in his senior year as he was voted Most Valuable Player by his teammates. He was also voted MVP of the league by the coaches. He didn't stop there, though. He was All America and he went to the Senior Bowl in Tampa, Florida. He was later named (along with one other Athletic Hall of Fame player) Co-Soccer Player of the 1970-80 decade for Chico State.

Danny Payne epitomized what we call the Student - Athlete. He graduated with a 3.4 grade point average in accounting. He was selected as one of three Chico State Scholar Athletes of the Year, and chosen as the Fall Season Winner. He was drafted into the American Soccer League by the Sacramento Gold and made the ASL All-Star Team as a rookie in 1979. His Sacramento Gold team won the ASL Championship that year. Dan followed the 1980 season with another ASL All Star award and set a league record for continuous game time played. The record ended with a season ending ACL knee injury. He bounced back in '81 and '82 for the Atlanta Chiefs in the NASL and finished his professional soccer career in Charlotte playing for the Carolina Lightning of the ASL.

Danny is married to his college sweetheart, Gayle, who is also a graduate of Chico State. They were married in 1980 and have two children, Shaun 13, and Danielle 11; both play youth soccer. Dan currently enjoys a partnership role within a CPA firm and lives in the East Bay Area. He has volunteered his time by serving on the board of several non-profit organizations in the Bay Area. He continues to play and coach the game of soccer.