Dr. Danielle Campagne currently serves as the Interim Chief of Emergency Medicine at UCSF Fresno. Photo contributed

Fresno State’s Top Dog awards took a turn Saturday when one honoree helped save the life of a fellow honoree. 

Scott Barnes, a former Fresno State Basketball standout and current athletic director at Oregon State University, attended the ceremony to receive the Outstanding Alumni Award for the Department of Athletics.

Toward the start of the ceremony, witnesses feared Barnes was experiencing a medical emergency. That’s when Dr. Danielle Campagne stepped in and administered aid to the athletic director along with other medical personnel in attendance with her.

“My colleagues and I are honored to have been there to provide emergency medical care. This is what we do as emergency medicine physicians. Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” said Campagne in a statement.

Campagne currently serves as the interim chief of emergency medicine at UCSF Fresno, and was the Distinguished Alumna honoree, the highest honor given by the Fresno State Alumni Association.

After Campagne took lifesaving measures, Barnes was transported to Saint Agnes Medical Center where he was showing signs of improvement and communicating with family members Sunday.

Dr. Campagne earned her medical degree at University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine before completing residency at University of California, San Francisco, Fresno, where she served as a chief resident.

Part of her job at UCSF Fresno is supervising medical students and residents in the emergency department at Community Regional Medical Center.

A former Sanger resident, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Fresno State in 2000 where she was a member of the honors college and played on the tennis team.

Barnes received both a bachelor’s degree in 1986 and a master’s degree in 1993 from Fresno State. During his time at the university, Barnes was a basketball letterman and helped the Bulldogs advance to the NCAA Tournament and NIT. As a senior, he was second team all-conference player before playing professionally in Germany.

In a statement on Sunday following the incident, the Pac-12 expressed support for Barnes and his family during this difficult time.

“Scott Barnes is a dear friend, trusted colleague and incredibly loved man across the Oregon State and Pac-12 families and the entire college sports community. Our thoughts are with Scott and his family at this time,” said Pac-12.

Fresno County Supervisor Sal Quintero said Tuesday he was in attendance at the event when he saw Barnes’ face grow blank while addressing the audience.  Then he heard a thud when Barnes apparently lost consciousness.

Quintero said Campagne and her colleagues saved Barnes’ life.

“I told her afterward ‘you should have worn a cape or something,'” Quintero said.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.