History

In 1937, the Police School at San Jose State University saw the advantages of Judo and added the sport to their curriculum. In 1940 they asked Yosh Uchida to teach the class as a student coach. Uchida taught for 2 years before entering the Service in 1942. Upon his return in 1946, he resumed his teaching career at San Jose State on a part-time basis, while pursuing his degree in biology.

In 1953, Mr. Henry Stone from the University of California and Yosh Uchida convinced the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) to accept judo as a sport and San Jose State sponsored the first National AAU Championships. In 1962 Uchida organized the first National Collegiate Championships, held at the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The San Jose State Judo Team won the first collegiate championships that year and continued to dominate the National Collegiate, for years to come. Uchida was also involved in High School Judo and helped organize the first High School Championships held at San Jose State. In 1979, Uchida organized the first U.S. Open at San Jose State, so that the U.S. players would gain more international experience. Today it is known as the U.S. International Invitational Tournament and is held annually at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.

In 1964, Judo became recognized as an Olympic sport and Yosh Uchida became the first U.S. Olympic Judo Coach. Two of the four U.S. Olympic Team Members, Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Paul Maruyama, were coached by Uchida at San Jose State. Ben Nighthorse Campbell is now a U.S. Senator representing the state of Colorado. Paul Maruyama is now a retired Air Force Colonel and coached the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic Judo Teams

In 1975, women were added to the Judo program. As a team, the men and women at San Jose State University have set the pace for U.S. Judo and have become a leader in the sport both nationally and internationally. Coach Yosh Uchida's collegiate record is phenomenal. The San Jose State University Judo Team has won 40 out of 44 National Collegiate Team Titles. At the international scene, San Jose State University judokas have gained more medals (Olympic, World Championship, World University Game and Pan American Game Medals) than the rest of the United States.

San Jose State Judokas The following is a partial list of SJSU judokas who have competed internationally
Yosh Uchida	Head coach SJSU, President of United States Judo, 1964 First Olympic Judo Coach.
Lyle Hunt	First National AAU Champion, competed in the first Pan Am-French Championships in Paris.
Ben Campbell	Was a member of the First U.S. Olympic Judo Team in 1964 and is currently a U.S. Senator for Colorado.
Paul Maruyama	Was a member of the First U.S. Olympic Judo Team in 1964 and the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Judo Coach.  He is a retired Air Force Colonel.
Howard Fish	First U.S. World University Medalist (2 Bronze - Heavy weight & Open divisions) in 1967.
Gary Martin	World Unibversity Championships Silver Medalist in 1968.
Doug Graham	World University Championships Silver Medalist in 1968.
George Uchida	1972 Olympic Judo Coach.
James Thompson	World Team Member 1975, 1979.
Gerardo Padilla	Gold Medalist in the 1979 and 1983 Pan-American Games, and represented Mexico at the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympics.
Keith Nakasone	Assistant Coach, 1980 Olympic Team Member. Gold Medalist at the 1978 Pan-American Games, 4-time National Champion.
Christine Penick	Bronze Medalist at the 1980 World Championships.
Eduardo Cerna	1983 Silver Medal British Open, Represented Mexico in 1983 World Championships, 1984 Bronze Medal Pan-American Championships, & Mexico Olympic Alternate.
Mike Swain	Four-time Olympian representing the U.S. in 1980, 1984, 1988 and in 1992.  In 1988, he won a Bronze Medal.  Mike also won a Gold Medal in  the 1987 World Championships, becoming the first American male World Champion in Judo, 1985 - Silver, 1989 - Silver.
Bobby Berland	1984 Olympic Silver Medalist, World Team Member 1981.
Kevin Asano	1987 World Bronze Medalist, and 1988 Olympic Silver Medalist.
Dan Hatano	1992 Olympic Alternate,1991 World Team Member, 1991 World University Team Member, 4-time National Champion.
Joey Wanag	A 1992 Olympian, won a Silver Medal at the 1991 World Champion andGold Medals at the 1990 World University Games and the 1991 Pan-Am Games.
Dave Long	1992 Olympic Judo Team Manager, 1973 World Team Member.
Sandy Bacher	1992, 1996 & 2000 Olympian, 5th 1993 World Championships , 3-time U.S.Open Champion, 8-time National Chbbbampion.
Damon Keeve	1992, 1996 Olympian, World Team Member 1995, 1996 National  Champion.
Liliko Ogasawara	1996 Olympian, Silver Medalist at the 1993 World Championships, Bronze at the 1995 and 1997 World Team Member. 9 time U.S. National Champion and 4 time U.S Open Gold Medalist.
Tammy Hensley	1991 World Team Member.
Marius Popescu	1996 Olympic Alternate, 3-time National Champion.
Carlos Mendez	2000 Olympic Team member representing Puerto Rico, 1999 World Championships 7th Place, 2001 & 2003 World Team member, Pan American Medallist, Senior National Champion.
Johan Hult	1999 World Team Member representing Sweden, College National Champion
Amy Tong	2000 Olympic Team member, 1999 World Team member, Pan American Medallist, College National Champion, 3 Time Senior National Champion
Andrew Payne	1996 & 2000 Olympic Team member representing Barbados.
John Serbin	2 Time Pan American Bronze Medallist, 2 time Senior National Champion
Mike Barnes	2003 World Team Member, 2002 Pan American Bronze Medallist, College National Champion, 2003 Senior National Champion
Chuck Jefferson	2003 World Team Member, 2 Time Pan American Champion 2002 & 2003, 4 Time College National Champion, 2004 Senior National Champion