GCC Welcomes Three New Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

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Left to right: GCC President Jim Sunser, former GCC Coach Mahlon Hamilton, Eva Kadlecova Feese ’01 and Murry Dimon ’73.

BATAVIA, NY (10/04/2013)(readMedia)-- The Genesee Community College office of Alumni Affairs, along with the Athletics Department, were pleased to welcome the 2013 class of inductees into the Cougar Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend this past weekend, September 27 - 28. The induction ceremony occurred on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at 5 p.m. in Room T119 of the Conable Technology Building and more than 75 people attended.

The Selection Committee identified three outstanding individuals to receive the highest athletic honor bestowed by the College on its alumni and supporters, recognizing outstanding athletic achievements of individuals and teams of every era who have fostered athletic achievement and sportsmanship at the College.

The three individuals inducted into the 2013 Athletic Hall of Fame include:

Murry Dimon / Wrestler 1971-1973, Cross Country, 1972-1973, Coaches Award 1972-1973

Murry Dimon was a trailblazer at GCC in both wrestling and cross country. He came to the College after graduating from the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia. On the wrestling mat, Dimon earned a 3rd place finish at Regional Competition and went on to Nationals, finishing 7th. He had the most wins on the team with 11. Murry did not let visual impairment prevent him from participating in Cross Country. He ran tethered to another runner. Dimon earned the Coaches Award for his accomplishments at GCC. He completed an AAS degree in Retail Marketing and currently owns a business in Albany, where he lives with his wife, Patsy. They have two sons, Gregg, 28 and Charles, 26.

Eva Kadlecova Feese / Women's Basketball, 1999-2001

The records set by Eva Kadlecova Feese at Genesee Community College still stand. During her career as a Cougar she scored 1,349 points, 55 in one game. She holds the NJCAA Division II record for field goals. She was a second team All-American in 2001 when she was also named Player of the Year. While a GCC athlete, she also earned academic honors, making the President's List. She continued her playing career at St. Bonaventure from which she graduated in 2004. After that she turned to coaching, serving as assistant women's basketball coach at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, KY from 2004-2007. The team competed in the NAIA National Tournament during the 2005-2006 season. Since 2007, Eva has worked as a counselor with the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. She oversees treatment and rehabilitation for youth at a maximum security juvenile prison. Eva is married to Eric Feese. They live in Columbia, KY with their 2-year old son, Wiley.

Coach Mahlon Hamilton / Basketball, Tennis, Golf, Bowling, Swimming 1969-1983

Mahlon "Hammie" Hamilton laid the foundation for Genesee Community College athletics. He came to the college in 1969 and started the physical education program, serving as athletic director, associate professor, and chairman of the Health and Physical Education Division. Coach Hamilton was a standout athlete at Avon High School and Ohio Wesleyan University. He was a pilot with distinguished service in World War II. Prior to GCC, he spent 15 years as a teacher, coach and director in the Oakfield-Alabama Schools amassing five football championships, eight in basketball, three in baseball and two in tennis. His GCC teams earned championship honors in bowling and men's doubles tennis. He spent many years officiating football, baseball, softball and volleyball. The Genesee Orleans Athletic League named a Sportsmanship Award after him. He continues to enjoy golf and has a 12 handicap at age 93! Mahlon and his wife Lila have been married for 61 years. They live in Batavia. They have three daughters, Amy of Batavia, Wendy Wygant of Stephen City, VA and Sally Dohse of Centreville, VA, and also six grandsons and one granddaughter.

"This was GCC's fourth Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony and we were delighted to recognize another group of very deserving inductees who represent the College's wide array of athletics distinctions through the years--from our early beginnings to more recent achievements," said Jackie Christenson, Alumni coordinator. "I always enjoy welcoming alumni back to campus and seeing their amazement when they tour the campus and see all the transformations. But just as pleasurable is when alums and former employees bring their families with them to share the excitement."

For further information, please contact Jackie Christenson, Alumni Coordinator at 585-343-0055 x6265 or email: jkchristenson@genesee.edu

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For photographs go to: GCC's Facebook Page / Homecoming Photo album https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151938617043103.1073741849.27494768102&type=3

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/AthleticHallofFameInductees2013.jpg

Left to right: GCC President Jim Sunser, former GCC Coach Mahlon Hamilton, Eva Kadlecova Feese '01 and Murry Dimon '73. http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/HamiltonFamily.jpg

Left to right sitting: Former GCC Coach Mahlon Hamilton with his wife Lila, standing left to right, Amy Hamilton, Wendy (Hamilton) Wygant and Sally (Hamilton) Dohse. http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/EvaKadlecovaFeese.jpg

Eva Kadlecova Feese (right) with another former member of the GCC basketball team.