MCCC Annual Golf Classic on Sept. 30 to Benefit Student Athletes

MCCC Annual Golf Classic on Sept. 30
To Benefit Student Athletes

8/1/14

West Windsor, N.J. -- The Mercer County Community College (MCCC) Athletics Department and MCCC Foundation host the 23rd Annual Golf Classic on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at Mercer Oaks East. The 18-hole championship course is located on a beautifully landscaped site adjacent to Mercer County Park in Princeton Junction, N.J. Proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the MCCC Student-Athlete Scholarship Fund. The course has been designated among the top four public courses in New Jersey.

Co-Chairs for the event are Foundation Board members David Fraytak and Lori Danko. Committee members include Doug Borden of Borden Perlman Salisbury & Kelly; MCCC President Patricia C. Donohue; Paul Fitzgerald of First Bank; F. Thomas Kull; Erik Larsen of Investors Bank; Nina Melker of Hopewell Valley Community Bank; Scott Needham of Princeton Air Conditioning; Rocky L. Peterson, Esq. of Hill Wallack LLP; and Steve Ritzau. The tournament is held in memory of Mr. Ritzau’s late wife, Dr. Cynthia Shaffer, who served on the MCCC Foundation Board and was an avid supporter of youth sports.

Pictured at a recent planning meeting are, from left, MCCC alumnus Russ Stupienski, who played baseball for the Vikings and is now an assistant coach; Miranda Leone, a member of the women’s tennis team; committee members Scott Needham, of Princeton Air Conditioning; Dave Fraytak, co-chair; Rocky Petersen, Esq., of Hill Wallack; Foundation Chair Nina Melker, of Hopewell Valley Bank; MCCC Athletics Director John Simone; Eric Larsen, of Investors Bank; Ed Gwazda, MCCC Vice President for College Advancement; and F. Thomas Kull of Lambertville.

The practice range for tournament participants opens at 10:30 a.m. Registration and lunch begin at 11:30 a.m., with tee-off at 12:30 p.m. The tournament features a shotgun start, scramble format.

Skill prizes include hole in one, longest drives for men and women, and closest-to-the-pin on four holes. The tournament concludes at 5:30 p.m. with an awards reception, silent auction and dinner. Golfers and dinner-only guests will enjoy the premier facilities available in the Mercer Oaks clubhouse and a silent auction featuring guest foursomes at top regional clubs, restaurant packages and more.

The cost for a hole sponsorship, including a foursome, is $1,200. Individual golfers can register at $225 per golfer. (Foursomes will be arranged for individual golfers.) For non-golfers, tickets for the awards reception, auction, and dinner may be purchased separately at a cost of $100. The tournament is open to the public.

With its $5,000 contribution, Investors Bank is the featured tournament sponsor. Wells Fargo repeats this year as a Front Nine sponsor at the $2,500 level. There are numerous other sponsorships still available, including the Back Nine, hole and tee sponsorships, golfer gift and many more. Sponsors receive a variety of benefits, including a named scholarship at the College, based on their level of participation. Silent auction items and prize donations are also sought.

According to MCCC Athletics Director and Assistant Dean for Student Services John Simone, the tournament has traditionally enjoyed solid support from the business and philanthropic communities, which recognize the value of providing educational opportunities for young people in the region.

“All the funds we raise go directly to scholarships to support our student athletes. These young people are passionate about sports, but also recognize that their college education will be the cornerstone of their future. The college is committed to supporting their success on the field and in the classroom. We invite the community to be a part of our mission,” Simone said.

Simone notes that 2013-14 was a banner year for the number of student athletes who earned academic honors, with 25 named to the Region 19 All-Academic Team, 36 to the All-GSAC Academic Team, and two runners who were selected as Academic All-Americans by the NJCAA Cross Country Coaches Association. He adds that close to 90 percent of MCCC athletes complete their degrees at Mercer and/or transfer to four-year colleges.

The 2013-14 year was also notable for its athletic successes. A total of 137 students competed on the college’s nine athletic teams. Almost all of Mercer’s teams advanced to post-season tournaments, with the baseball team playing at the NJCAA World Series for the first time since 2002 and two players named as All-Americans, one of whom was drafted by Major League Baseball. The women’s cross country team fielded a full squad at nationals for the first time in the program’s four-year history, and the women’s soccer and softball teams were Region 19 runners-up. Fifteen students were named to the All-Region 19 Team and 15 were named to the All-Garden State Athletic Conference Team.

For tickets to the golf tournament and/or sponsorship information, call 609-570-3740 or visit www.mccc.edu/golf. Participants and sponsors may register online; a printable registration form is also available online.

MCCC Athletics

MCCC Foundation

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