Glendale Community College inducts one of ‘best groups we’ve ever had’
GLENDALE — Glendale Community College has inducted 12 classes into its athletic hall of fame. The class of 2013 athletes might be recognized as the best the college has ever inducted.
“This is one of the best groups we’ve ever had,” Glendale college athletic director John Cicuto said.
PHOTOS: GCC’s Hall of Fame ceremony
Cicuto had high praise for each one of the inductees, mentioning and thanking Terry Coblentz, the 2005 men’s tennis team, Joe Staub, Dave Greenbaum, Hal Sears and Bill Stokes for all of their contributions to the college.
The five individual inductees and coach Bob MacKay’s tennis team each spent time thanking the college during Saturday’s ceremony at the J.W. Smith Student Center.
Coblentz, who was inducted as an outstanding coach, has been working with the college for nearly three decades, starting as the women’s tennis coach in 1982 and then as the women’s athletic director before retiring in 2011.
“She’s spearheaded the progress of the women’s program,” Cicuto said.
Coblentz has let her teams and other inductees earn the accolades. She was humbled by Saturday’s induction.
“This is an honor,” she said. “This is the epitome of Glendale Community College athletics.”
The other honorees echoed her words.
MacKay, who piloted the 2005 team to the Western State Conference championship and to a trip to the Southern California Regional Finals, said the inductees were all special.
He had a special team, led by singles players Dylan Kim, Stanley Sarapanich, Sergy Vagramian and Hakop Tadevosian.
Kim, Vagramian and Tadevosian were all from Hoover High’s 2002 CIF championship team.
“It was just a good group of guys,” Tadevosian said. “Coach did a great job with us.”
Staub — recognized for his outstanding athletic achievement — thanked his coaches, including David Elecciri, his high school coach at Cantwell High, for their time and dedication to helping him become the only trank and field athlete in the college’s history to win two state titles in one meet. As a Vaquero, Staub won the discus at 180 feet 2 inches and the shot put at a mark of 62-5 1/2 in 1980. Both marks still stand as the college’s all-time records.
“I’m flattered,” said Staub, who went on to Cal State Northridge, where he set a national record in 1979 with a shot put of 63-1. “I didn’t expect it. This gives me a wonderful connection to the college, a connection I’ll keep forever.”
Sears, inducted for Pillar of Achievement, connected and came back to the college for the first time since 1970, when he was an all-conference linebacker for the Vaqueros.
After his short stint at the college, he went to the University of Miami and earned All-American honors in the 1971 season. He was inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.
“It’s quite an honor,” Sears said. “I’m lost for words.”
Like Sears, Stokes, recognized for his outstanding athletic achievement, was a standout football player.
Even though he was a top 25 prospect, as listed by Baseball America, Stokes opted to play football for the Vaqueros in 1985. He still holds the school record with 24 career sacks.
He had tremendous individual success, including helping USC win the 1987 Pac-10 championship, but he said he remembers the camaraderie with his teammates the most.
“I exceeded as an individual, but it was all about the team experience,” Stokes said. “That’s the longest-lasting memory.”
Greenbaum, recognized for meritorious service, has tons of memories from the college.
He played tennis at the school in 1958 and has supported the college for more than 50 years, including being the college’s foundation board president for three years and serving as a member of the hall of fame committee since its inception in 2001.
“It’s the people you meet and the friends that you make that makes this all special,” Greenbaum said. “Glendale has been a great place to interact with people, with caring people, with quality people.”
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