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| (from left) Joe Eimer, Hernan Maldonado, Carl Cochran, Aundrea Tilly, Sue Newcomb, Kim Marino, Val Brown, Cynthia James, Mike Mielke |
The Stockton Office of Athletics & Recreation held the first Stockton Athletics Hall of Fame banquet at The Carriage House in Galloway on October 8. Seven alumni and two former staff members comprised the initial class of the Stockton Athletics Hall of Fame, and they were honored before a capacity crowd of 165 people that included family and friends plus numerous Stockton athletics staffers and College personnel.
G. Larry James (distinguished service), Sue Newcomb (coach), Val Brown ’85 (women’s basketball), Carl Cochran ’98 (men’s basketball), Joe Eimer ’97 (men’s soccer), Hernan Maldonado ’87 (men’s soccer), Kim Marino ’04 (track & field), Mike Mielke ’86 (track & field) and Aundrea Tilly ’96 (women’s soccer) were inducted as the first class of the Stockton Athletics Hall of Fame.
The festivities began with remarks from Stockton College President Dr. Herman J. Saatkamp before the posthumous induction of G. Larry James. Cynthia James accepted on behalf of her late husband and referred to him as “a man that loved the school so very much.” Sue Newcomb’s induction followed before a buffet dinner was served to all in attendance. Val Brown led off the alumni class. During her speech, Brown said “To Coach Joe Fussner, thanks for giving me the green light” in reference to his granting her the freedom to shoot the basketball often enough to score a school-record 2,027 points.
Carl Cochran stood alongside the podium as his daughter Kayla spoke on his behalf and told the story of Cochran’s journey from youthful troublemaker in Atlantic City to Stockton’s career leader with 2,124 points on the basketball court. Among those thanked by Cochran were men’s basketball coach Gerry Matthews, former Stockton President Dr. Vera King Farris and Tony Bethel, who is the assistant director of Stockton’s Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program.
Mike Mielke traveled the farthest distance of any inductee, coming from Colorado Springs to join in the festivities. Mielke, who served 19 years in the military and also competed in the U.S. Olympic trials, said that the three things he learned as a Stockton student-athlete were “face adversity, work hard and solve problems.” Two-time NCAA pole vault champion Kim Marino reiterated a common theme of the night’s speeches by giving credit to those around her. “I was successful because I was surrounded by so many great people,” Marino said.
Hernan Maldonado, the all-time leading scorer in Stockton men’s soccer history, said “It is a great feeling to be a part of the first class of the Stockton Athletics Hall of Fame.” That sentiment also was echoed by several of the inductees. Stockton women’s soccer scoring leader Aundrea Tilly made the trip from South Carolina for the banquet. Tilly mentioned another common theme of the night, thanking the parents, when she said, “In four years, my mom missed only one soccer game, and I will be forever grateful for that.”
Joe Eimer, the only First Team All-American in the history of the Stockton men’s soccer program, capped the evening. Eimer played two seasons as Stockton’s goalie after transferring from Gloucester County College. In the last of the many heartfelt speeches on the night, Eimer said “I came here and it was the best decision of my life.” Eimer’s quote was a fitting end to an event at which Stockton honored its athletic elite and they in turn took the opportunities to thank those who assisted in their successes.
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