Sonoma State Cossacks — Football & Pro Alumni
A home for stories, stats, and photos of professional athletes who attended Sonoma State — starting with football. If you know an athlete we’re missing, send the name and a source link.
Notable football names
Larry Allen
Hall of Fame offensive lineman; the most famous Cossack ever.
Freddie Bradley
Running back who played briefly for the San Diego Chargers.
Arena / Indoor Era
SSU football alumni who played in the AFL / indoor leagues (including the San Jose Sabercats era).
Football photo wall
Help us build the master list
What to send
Email us a name plus at least one supporting link:
- Official team bio, league bio, college bio, or reputable news article
- Sport + position
- Years at SSU (if known)
- Any photos you want included (with permission)
Easy edit tip
Keep photos in assets/img, then change the filename in the HTML where you see src="assets/img/…".
When you add new pages later, copy the same header/footer for consistent navigation.
Cossack history
1969: the first team
Sonoma State’s first football team took the field in 1969. Head coach Lloyd Helgeson guided a JV schedule, and the team finished 5–3.
Have a scan, roster, ticket stub, or story from the early years? We’d love to add it.
1991: NCAC champions
In 1991, Sonoma State defeated UC Davis to capture the NCAC title—ending UC Davis’ NCAA-record streak of 20 straight conference championships.
That squad was powered by a ferocious defensive front (including Sam Hernandez and Corey Cheney-Rice) and a linebacker corps led by Greg Franklin and Ray Mosones.
Source notes and details drawn from the historical “Cossack History” write-up maintained by alumni.
Cossacks in the pros
Professional signings (selected)
- Fred Whitted — Toronto Argonauts (CFL), signed 1984
- Mike Henry — Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL), signed 1987
- Dennis Hochman — New York Jets (NFL), signed 1987
- Ed Beaulac — Houston Oilers (NFL), signed 1991
- Sam Hernandez — Charlotte Rage (AFL), signed 1992
- Henry Milton — Arizona Rattlers (AFL), signed 1993
Know someone missing? Hit “Submit a player” and include the sport, years at SSU, and the pro team/league.
Arena League spotlight: San Jose SaberCats
