2008 Hall of Fame Class
| Joe Van Gorder | Toni Darling Johnston | Gerry Cox |
Joe Van Gorder (1999-2001)
Van Gorder is one of the top two-way players in Alfred State College baseball history. During his time at Alfred, he helped the program to WNYAC, Region III, and NYS Division I Championships. The Pioneers were 93-36 during his career.
On the mound, Van Gorder is the hardest throwing left hander in ASC history. He accumulated an 11-4 career record including a 10-3 record as a sophomore in 2001. Van Gorder struck out 135 batters in his career and currently holds the college records for most strikeouts in a season (108) and the most strikeouts in a game (13). At the plate he was a .351 career hitter with 36 doubles, three triples, two home runs, and 79 RBI.
Van Gorder was named the Region III Player of the Year, 1st team All-Region, and the Alfred State College most valuable pitcher in 2001.
After Alfred State, Van Gorder attended West Virginia University on a baseball scholarship. Following playing one year at WVU, he was drafted in the 14th round of the MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He spent the next two seasons in the Cardinal organization before returning back to New York to play with the Elmira Pioneers of the Can-Am League.
Currently, Van Gorder is a member of the SWAT team in Alachua City, FL.
Toni Darling Johnston (1995-1997)
Darling was a two-sport athlete during her time at Alfred State. On the softball diamond she was the top pitcher as the Lady Pioneers advanced to the NJCAA World Series in 1997 and also was the starting point guard on the basketball court leading the team to Region III Final Four in 1996 and 1997.
As a freshman, Darling was 11-5 with a 1.83 ERA. She struck out 76 batters in 103 innings while recording three no-hitters and five shutouts.
In 1997, she was named 2nd team NJCAA All-American and 1st team All-Region after leading the Lady Pioneers to the World Series. She was 18-7 with a 1.52 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 143 innings pitched. During her Alfred State career she threw four no-hitters, tossed four complete game shutouts, and also combined on another shutout.
On the basketball court Darling was named All-Region in 1996 and 1997. She finished her two-year career with 310 points, 180 rebounds, 148 assists, and 102 steals.
Darling was chosen as the Alfred State Freshman Female Athlete of the Year, the Western New York Athletic Conference Freshman Female Athlete and the Alfred State Senior Female Athlete of the Year.
After Alfred State, Darling went on to SUNYIT where she continued to play softball. In 2006 she was inducted into the SUNYIT Athletic Hall of Fame.
Currently, Darling is a mid-wife and a registered nurse. She is also an active player in fast pitch leagues.
Gerry Cox (1970-72)
Cox is the first bowler to be inducted into the Alfred State College Athletic Hall of Fame. He is the only Pioneer ever to win a title at the NJCAA National Bowling Championship.
Cox was a two-year member of the bowling team. During his sophomore season in 1972, Cox won the NJCAA National Singles Bowling Championship by rolling a 675. Earlier in the year he was the Region III Bowling Champion and the ASC Team MVP.
Cox graduated with a degree in data processing from Alfred State and has held jobs with Blue Boy Foods, Ness Automatic Machine Company, Eastman Kodak, and Johnson and Johnson.
Cox has continued to bowl and won the Rochester Bowling Association 700 Tournament in 1980 and the Rochester Senior Singles Tournament in 2002. He has bowled one 299 and has received three 11 strikes in a row awards. On top of competing in bowling, Cox has also competed in masters swimming events in the Empire State Games.