Top row, from left, Ethan Washburn ’15, Maxwell Woelk ’15, Cody Wilkes, Timmy Callahan ’14, Jacob Wolfgong ’15 and Owen Hunter ’12. Bottom row, from left, John View, Robert French and Robin Perkins.
A national championship cross-country team and its coach, a U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) All-American cross-country runner, a professional timber sports athlete and administrators who started a new era of athletics at the College constituted the inaugural class of inductees into ESF’s Athletics Hall of Fame Sept. 13.
The ESF Athletics Hall of Fame was developed to honor former students, coaches, administrators, faculty, staff and members of the ESF community whose contributions have brought distinction, honor and excellence to ESF Athletics, and to familiarize the entire community and alumni with ESF’s rich athletics history.
“Our student athletes are competitive academically and athletically,” said Dr. David C. Amberg, ESF interim president, during the induction ceremony held in the Gateway Center. “Our athletics program has produced outstanding student athletes and some of our athletics teams have earned national championships. They are coached by knowledgeable and passionate coaches. All are supported by the ESF administration and the ESF community.”
The class of 2019 included Timmy Callahan ’14, cross-country; Dr. Robert C. French, administrator; Robin Perkins, administrator; John View, cross-country, and track and field coach; Nathan Waterfield ’04, timber sports; and the 2011 men’s cross-country national championship team.
Callahan ’14 was the College’s first USCAA National Champion. He received the SUNY Chancellor’s Scholar Athlete Award and set two cross-country and five track and field school records.
French, former ESF vice president for enrollment management and marketing, was the key player in establishing the College’s athletics program. He believed an athletics program would help ESF recruit more and better students, help retain students and increase school spirit and College visibility. He built an athletics program that now comprises timber sports, soccer, cross-country, track and field, golf, bass fishing and basketball.
Perkins played a vital role in establishing ESF Athletics. She took on extra duties far beyond those as secretary to French, managing many behind-the-scene details, such as the program’s budget, arranging team transportation and processing team purchases and payrolls.
View was the first coach of ESF’s cross-country, and track and field teams. He coached the cross-country team to four national championships. As the USCAA’s winningest cross-country coach, he was inducted into the association’s Hall of Fame in 2018.
Waterfield was first introduced to timber sports when he attended The Ranger School in 2003. He improved his skills when he attended ESF, becoming a strong competitor during his two years on the ESF Woodsmen’s team. He graduated ESF in 2006 and became a successful professional national timber sports competitor in the Stihl Timbersports Series.
The 2011 ESF men’s cross-country team secured the USCAA National Championship Nov. 11, 2011, in Lake Placid, New York. The national championship was a first in ESF Athletics program history. Members of the team were Matt Allen ’13, Collin Bartholomew ’13, Brian Busby ’15, Callahan, Matthew Deluca ’14, Dylan Foti ’15, Joseph Gerchman ’15, Matthew Glaub ’15, Nicolas Grieco ’15, Andrew Gritzmacher ’15, Daniel Hohl ’12, Owen Hunter ’12, Sean Kernan, James McKenna, Michael Miles ’12, Nathan Sleight ’15, Ethan Washburn ’15, Cody Wilkes, Maxwell Woelk ’15 and Jacob Wolfgong ’15.
Nominations for the class of 2020 ESF Athletics Hall of Fame can be made here.