(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 17, 2011) HCCC women’s soccer trailed Hudson Valley 2-0 but came back to tie, then Emily Baldwin scored on a 35 yard shot with 35 seconds to play for a 3-2 win.

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 15, 2011) Onondaga CC 3 – Herkimer Lady Generals 0. HCCC now 2-2-1. Next game Saturday Sept, 17 at 1 p.m. at Hudson Valley.

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 13, 2011) Herkimer County Community College’s inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Reception will be held Friday, September 30 as part of the College’s Fall Fest & Alumni Weekend.

The College will honor five individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the College through intercollegiate athletics. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with a strolling dinner and cash bar, induction ceremony at 6 p.m. followed by a social hour with dessert. WKTV sports anchor Jason Powles will serve as master of ceremonies.. For reservations, contact the Foundation Office at shepardta@herkimer.edu or (315) 866-0300, ext. 8459.

The 2011 inaugural class includes: Thomas LaPuma, professor emeritus and former athletic director; John W. (Jack) Alofs, retired men’s basketball coach (posthumously awarded); Dwight Barnett ’06, men’s soccer; Sharon Gleasman-Howell ’79, multi-sport athlete; and Dr. Frederick Douglass Opie ’87, men’s lacrosse.

About the Inductees:

Thomas LaPuma, of Frankfort, was instrumental in developing the intercollegiate athletic program at HCCC as well as the physical education curriculum, fitness center, and intramural sport program. LaPuma was hired as an instructor of physical education in 1970 and retired as a professor emeritus in 2003. He served as director of athletics from 1974 to 1990. During his tenure, LaPuma coached men’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s softball, men’s volleyball, men’s golf, men’s baseball, men’s wrestling and men’s bowling. In 2001, he was awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Involved in numerous professional organizations throughout his career, LaPuma was a member of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) from 1999-2009, and served as the sole USA representative for FISU sponsored world championships and world university games from 2001-2009. From 2005-2010, LaPuma served as vice-president for the men’s division of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

John W. (Jack) Alofs taught physical education and coached basketball at Herkimer from 1971 until his retirement in 1991. During his 20 years at Herkimer, Alofs achieved a 72 percent winning percentage with a record of 391-155. Highlights of his career included a fourth place finish in the National Junior College Division I basketball tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas, in 1987, and a Division III Junior College National Basketball Championship in 1991. Alofs was twice named New York State Junior College Coach of the Year, and was inducted into the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2005, Alofs published a book, “Jack Plus 5: Secrets, Strategies, Experiences and Fundamentals in Coaching Winning Basketball.” In his book, Alofs shared his coaching techniques and strategies, as well as many human interest stories about his experiences coaching high school and college basketball. Originally from Gloversville and a long-time resident of New Hartford, Alofs died on May 14, 2007 at the age of 70.

Dwight Barnett ’06, a native of Jamaica, NY, led the 2005 Herkimer Generals men’s soccer team to a national championship. While at Herkimer, Barnett was named two-time All Mountain Valley Conference Player of the Year, two-time Region III Player of the Year, two-time NJCAA first team All-American, two-time NSCAA first team All-American, and NSCAA Division III Junior College National Player of the Year. After graduating from Herkimer, Barnett received an athletic scholarship to Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida where he led the Fighting Knights to two consecutive NCAA national tournament appearances and was selected as the Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He was also named a NSCAA third team All-American and a CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine third team Academic All-American. Barnett went on to play for the Montreal Impact of the United Soccer League First Division, scored his first goal of his professional soccer career in the 83^rd minute of a 2-1 victory over Miami FC. Barnett was the first men’s soccer player from HCCC to be drafted by Major League Soccer.

Sharon Gleasman-Howell ’79, of Ilion, excelled as a multi-sport athlete at Herkimer. Howell was a member of the 1978 and 1979 volleyball, basketball and women’s track teams. She competed in volleyball and track regionals and nationals, was named Most Valuable Player for track, Most Improved Player for volleyball, and was named to the regional all-star volleyball team. Howell was named All-American for track and held several records including the 100 meter, 200 meter, long jump, high jump, 400 meter relay, 800 meter relay and sprint medley relay. She was named HCCC’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1979 and was one of the first HCCC female athletes to receive a Division I scholarship. She earned a B.S. in physical education from the University of Rhode Island where she played volleyball and broke several track records, some of which still stand in the top 10 today. Howell also holds an M.S. from SUNY Cortland and is an associate professor and coach at HCCC.

Dr. Frederick Douglass Opie ’87, of Boston, MA, was a two-time NJCAA All-American lacrosse player and Team MVP while at Herkimer. Opie continued his education at Syracuse University where he played in two national championship games in 1984 and 1985 in which the Orange lost to John Hopkins University both years. He also played club lacrosse with the Long Island and Maryland Lacrosse Clubs and earned a World Championship with the Men’s National Lacrosse Team in Perth, Australia in 1990. Opie holds a Ph.D. in African American Studies from Syracuse University and is Visiting Associate Professor of African and African Diaspora History and Foodways at Babson College. He is author of Hog and Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America (Columbia University Press, 2008), Black Labor Migration in Caribbean Guatemala, 1882-1923, Florida Work in the Americas Series (University of Florida Press, July 2009) and numerous journal articles on Latin American history and foodways.

Herkimer County Community College’s athletic program is a Division III member of the National Junior College Athletic Association and has amassed 32 national, 83 regional and 119 conference championships. Herkimer placed second in the 2010-11 National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) Cup competition. HCCC has placed in the top five of the competition since its inception in 2004.

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 10, 2011) HCCC women’s soccer 5-Delhi 2. Generals outshot visitors 20-3. Next game at Broome Co., Tue. 9/13.

(Sept. 4, 2011) The Herkimer Generals Men’s Soccer team improves to 2-0 with a 9-0 win over Clinton CC in Plattsburgh. Next up is a trip to Fulton-Montgomery CC on Wednesday.

The Herkimer Generals Women’s Soccer team upsets the defending national champions and #1 ranked Clinton CC Cougars by a score of 3-1. Herkimer returns home to play Jefferson CC on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 3, 2011) HCCC’s women’s volleyball team won one of their three matches today at the Alfred State tourney. They defeated Mohawk Valley 25-22 and 25-20.

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 1, 2011) The Herkimer Generals won their men’s soccer season opener 4-0 over Hudson Valley. Next game: Sunday at Clinton County.

(Herkimer, NY – Aug. 31, 2011) Herkimer County Community College women’s soccer team led #6-nationally ranked Holyoke for 65 minutes, but lost 2-1 in OT. Next game is Sunday at #1 Clinton County.