Athletics at George Fox

Athletics Support Staff

MIKE WIRTA Head Statistician

Better known as “Biggs” by his friends, Mike Wirta is in his 37th year as George Fox’s basketball statistical guru. The school’s most loyal fan, he begins this season with a string of keeping statistics at 613 straight George Fox men’s basketball contests, home and road, and 438 in a row at home. The last home game he missed was in 1972. He has now seen 1,025 men’s games altogether (49.9% of all 2,053 games in the team’s 103 seasons of competition).

Wirta, 58, devotes many volunteer hours to compiling statistics and records for George Fox players and teams. His vast knowledge of Bruin sports history is invaluable in his position as official historian for the school’s Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He also calls statistics for the women's basketball team, and handles scorebook duties for the Bruins during baseball season.

A 1974 graduate of George Fox and long-time member of the University’s plant services staff, Wirta has the upkeep of the Wheeler Sports Center as his major responsibility. In 1988, the University’s Alumni Association named him its Volunteer of the Year, just the second person to receive the designation at that time. In 1994, he received an NAIA District 2 Meritorious Service Award.

"Biggs" was inducted into the George Fox Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.