MCCC Athletics Committee Announces the Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction Class
06/05/20
The Mercer County Community College (MCCC) Foundation and its MCCC Athletics Committee (MAC) are excited to announce the inaugural class of the College's newly-formed Athletic Hall of Fame. The first class, which is comprised of three teams and fifteen individuals, will be celebrated and inducted during a reception and dinner on Saturday, November 14, 2020, at Trenton Country Club. Further details about the event, including ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities, will soon be available. All proceeds will go to scholarships for our student-athletes and improvement of our athletic facilities.
The Vikings are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIX and the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). In its more than a half-century of sports excellence, MCCC's storied athletic history includes 14 national championship teams, with nearly 250 student-athletes achieving All-American honors, and over the past decade 44 being recognized as Academic All-Americans. Many Mercer student-athletes successfully transfer to four-year colleges throughout the United States, and some have gone on to play professional sports.
While over the years Mercer has honored several teams and players in a variety of ways within a particular sport, the new Athletic Hall of Fame will celebrate the college's outstanding athletic history across the entire sports program. "The Athletic Hall of Fame is the highest level of recognition presented to student-athletes, teams, coaches and administrators at Mercer County Community College," commented Dan Klim, chair of the MAC. "By honoring those who have contributed to the sports heritage of MCCC and Mercer County as a whole, we are providing an important link to the past - as well as a bridge to the future."
The 18 inaugural inductees are:
Teams
1963 Men's Soccer - 1st of eight National Championship teams
1973 Men's Basketball - 1st of two National Championship teams
1999 Women's Tennis - 1st of four National Championship teams
Men's Athletics
Heath Fillmyer (Baseball) - All-American (2014) and MLB
Mickey Forker (Soccer) - All-American (1968 & 1969)
Dave Gallagher (Baseball) - 17 years of professional baseball with nine years in MLB and MCCC Coach (2000-2002)
Randy Garber (Soccer) - All-American (1971 & 1972 and Penn State 1974) and NASL 1975-1979
Mel Weldon (Basketball) - All-American and National Player of the Year (1973)
Connie White (Basketball) - All-American and National Player of the Year (1974)
Women's Athletics
Elyse Diamond (Soccer) - 1st Mercer All-American in the sport (1983) and current Women's Soccer Coach
Terri Dorner (Basketball)- 1st Mercer All-American in the sport (1980) and Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame
Joanne Zola (Softball) - 1st Mercer All-American in the sport (1985) and MCCC Coach (2000-2002)
Administrators
Lisa Camillone (Athletic Trainer/Asst. Athletic Director 1983-2016) - pioneering figure for female Athletic Trainers
Stan Dlugosz (Men's Soccer Coach 1963-1981 and Men's Tennis Coach 1974-2007) - 2 Soccer National Championships
Charles Inverso (Men's Soccer Coach 1986-2009) - 5 National Championship teams
Al Leister (Athletic Director 1973-1989) - innovative Health and Physical Education Professor (1970-2006)
Butch Miller (Baseball Coach 1973-1993) - 503-263 Coaching record and 1981 Junior College World Series
Special Recognition
Howie Landa (Legendary Basketball Coach) - 2 National Championships, 3 times National Coach of the Year
