Sports MBA Celebrates the 78th Annual Salute to the Champions

The Salute to the Champions is San Diego’s premier sports awards gala, honoring the year’s standout performances while recognizing all-time greats with inductions into the Breitbard Hall of Fame. This year’s Hall of Fame inductees included Barry Zito and Stephen Strasburg, two athletes whose careers left a lasting legacy in San Diego and beyond.

The volunteer opportunity offers Sports MBA students hands-on insight into large-scale event operations. Mika Lee (’26) reflected on the experience, saying, “It was such an honor to volunteer at such an amazing event showcasing San Diego’s passion for sports and to be in the same room as Hall of Famers. I learned so much about event operations and the amount of detail that goes into every part of the show, from the pre-event tech rehearsal to the actual ceremony. The most impressive part of the Gala for me were the speeches from the award recipients, who spoke about their moments of adversity and how they overcame them.”

Additional honorees included Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Joe Harper of the Del Mar Racetrack, the Ron Fowler Community Champion Award recipient San Diego Miracle League, along with the 2025 Professional and College Stars of the Year and Month, including Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC) and Adrian Morejon (San Diego Padres), highlighting memorable performances across professional and collegiate sports.

Sports MBA is grateful for the continued partnership with Annie Heilbrunn and the San Diego Sports Association, which allows our students to engage with one of the most notable and meaningful events in the San Diego sports community.