Barbara Lanz
Softball (1983-84)
Volleyball (1982)

Barbara Lanz starred on the softball field for the Wildcats in the early 1980s after transferring to Chico State from Santa Rosa Junior College. In her first season with the Wildcats, Lanz earned all-Northern California Athletic Conference honors. As a senior, Lanz wa selected the MVP of the conference, all-West Region and Academic all-America, in addition to being named Chico State’s Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year.

According to coach Joan Wallace, Barbara was a smart player who hit the ball well and was nearly flawless in the field. Wallace further related that one of her most loyal fans was Art Acker. She quoted him as saying that Barbara “is the best third baseman - male or female - that I have ever watched play.”

At Santa Rosa JC, Lanz was a key player on the softball team that won the state championship in 1982, and was selected to the all-State Tournament team. She was also voted the “MVP Batter” for the Nor-Cal Championships leading into the state tournament.

Chris Elze, the head softball coach at Sonoma State and a longtime teammate of Barbara’s said, “she was never a show off or demanding of the spotlight. In fact it was the complete opposite; she outsmarted and outplayed her opponents quietly, always did her job, and was the one we could count on when things were tough.”

After graduating from Chico State, Barbara obtained a master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. She returned to her Sonoma County roots in 1993, and has been an active physical therapist working with various patient populations. She was recently honored with the Values Award for Excellence through her employer, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. She has volunteered in her community as a speaker and instructor in such as areas senior exercise, disease process and rehabilitation and community resources. Recently, Barbara initiated a specialized Parkinson’s disease exercise class - the only one of its kind in Sonoma County.

Barbara, now “Barbara McCamish” is married to David and is the mother of two delightful children, Sarah and Scott McCamish.