2009 Hall of Fame Class
| Andy Coots | Gary Redding | Tom Hirsch | Chris Gray | Eric Baker |
Andy Coots
Coots was a member of one of Coach Gary Moore’s most competitive teams. He was a key member of the 1984 team that finished 2nd at the NJCAA National Championship.
During his freshman season, Coots finished 3rd at the Penn York Championship, 3rd at the Region III Championship, and 64th at the National Championship. The 1983 team finished 11th overall at the Nationals held in Hutchinson, KS.
During the 1984 season, Coots finished 7th at Regionals and 15th at Nationals as the team earned National runners-up honors. He finished the national championship course in Twins Falls, ID, with a time of 27:34.15. Following the season he was named the Alfred State College most valuable runner.
Coots also participated on the track and field team and the marathon team at Alfred State. On the track and field team he ran the steeplechase and the 5,000 m. He is currently 4th all-time at ASC in outdoor track history in the steeplechase with a time of 9:43.8.
After Alfred State College, Coots went on to Rochester Institute of Technology where he qualified and competed at the NCAA National Championship. Currently, he is the director of Engineering at Universal Instruments.
Gary Redding
Redding was a two-year member of Coach Gary Moore’s cross-country team. He was a key runner on one of the program’s top teams in 1984. He also ran on the Alfred State indoor and outdoor track and field teams.
Redding finished 14th at the 1984 NJCAA National Championship, held in Twins Falls, ID, as the Pioneers finished as National runners-up. ASC finished just eight points behind the national champions, Brevard (NC) CC. Earlier in the season he earned a 6th place finish at the Region III Championships.
As a freshman, Redding finished 6th at the Penn York Championship, 6th at the Region III Championship, and 108th at the National Championship.
Redding, along with his brother David (2001 ASC Hall of Fame Class), are the first siblings to be in the Athletic Hall of Fame.
In the outdoor track and field record book, Redding is ranked 9th all-time in the 5,000 m with a time of 15:27.0. Redding was also named the MVP of the 1985 indoor track and field team.
After finishing at Alfred State College, Redding went on to SUNY Utica-Rome. He currently is a manufacturing engineer at Xerox.
Tom Hirsch
Hirsch was a key member of the Alfred State College basketball teams from 1963 to 1965 under the direction of ASC Hall of Famer, Richard Giedlin. During his two years the Pioneers had a 35-19 record.
Hirsch, a co-captain, averaged 21.3 points per game and passed out 74 assists during the 1964-65 season in which the Pioneers finished 14-5. During that season he set a school record at the time with 43 points in a game. Following the season he was named All-Region 2nd team and the ASC Athlete of the Year.
For his two-year career he finished with 581 points and 111 assists.
Hirsch recently retired from Dresser-Rand where he was a principle buyer.
Chris Gray
Gray is one of the top defensive players to ever wear the Alfred State College blue and gold on the football field. He is the all-time leading tackler in program history.
In 1998, Gray recorded the greatest defensive statistical season in the football program history. He recorded 131 tackles, was credited with 5.5 sacks, recovered three fumbles, and intercepted one pass. His success on the field earned him 2nd team NJCAA All-American honors, NFC co-defensive player of the year honors, and the ASC most outstanding football player award. He was also selected and played in the Breathe Right All-American Bowl.
This followed a freshman season in which he recorded 86 tackles, was credited with half a sack, and intercepted one pass that he returned 55 yards for a score. He was a 1st team All-NFC selection, a NJCAA honorable mention All-American, and was named the ASC defensive MVP.
His marks of 217 career tackles, 131 single season tackles, and 21 tackles in a game are still school records.
In 1999, Gray was also honored with the prestigious SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.
Gray earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Buffalo following his career at Alfred State and spent time playing professionally with the Rochester Brigade in the Arena Football League-2. He is currently a health/physical education teacher in Rochester.
Eric Baker
Baker was a two-year member of the Alfred State College baseball team. He helped the Pioneers to an 82-34 record, two WNYAC championships, and a Region III championship.
For his career he hit .387 with 24 doubles, nine triples, six home runs, and 85 RBIs. He scored 115 runs in a total of 116 games and was 42 for 47 on the base paths. In 450 defensive chances, mostly at second base, Baker made just 23 errors.
Currently, he is ranked 5th all-time at Alfred State in stolen bases, 6th in career batting average, 7th in triples, and 10th in runs, hits, RBIs, and total bases.
Baker was a two-time All-Region, All-WNYAC, and ASC Most Valuable Position Player selection. He was named the NJCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year following the 2001-02 baseball season, and was named the Alfred State College Senior Athlete of the Year in 2003.
Following his career at Alfred State, Baker transferred to Mansfield University where he had a solid career. In 2005, he led NCAA Division II with a .500 batting average and was drafted in the 28th round by the Houston Astros becoming the fourth Pioneer to be selected in the major league baseball draft.