Catching up on some accumulated news and notes about past, present and future Rock student athletes and teams:
• An overdue shoutout to Rock graduate Denny Douds, head football coach at East Stroudsburg University, who this season set the NCAA Division II record for most games coached. Douds, ESU’s head coach for the last 38 seasons, has led the Warriors into battle 397 times since 1974. He is the all-time leader among Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football coaches and ranks second among active D-II coaches in career wins with 232.
• Former Rock Assistant Women’s and Men’s Basketball Coach
Bill Wilson was named Tuesday as Director of Athletics at Northland College in Ashland, Wisc. Wilson, who is in his third season as the head women’s coach at Northland, served as an assistant coach on the 1993-94 Rock women’s basketball staff headed by Laura Williges and was an assistant under Bob Barlett during the 1989-90 men’s season. He later served three seasons as head women’s coach at both Brevard College in North Carolina and nine seasons as head women’s coach at Upper Iowa University. He received a master’s degree in education and athletics administration from SRU.
• Former Rock men’s basketball student athlete
Mason Glick was recently named a marketing specialist for the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville athletic department. Glick, who played for The Rock in the 2004-05 season and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SRU, later earned a master’s degree from SIUE. He returned to SIUE last month after serving as the Director of Marketing, Promotions, and Special Events at the University of South Carolina Upstate.
• Rock Head Baseball Coach
Jeff Messer recently announced that Walsh Jesuit High School senior centerfielder-catcher
Graeme Frye had signed a letter of intent to play for SRU. As leadoff batter for the Warriors, Frye had a batting average of .403 with four home runs and 16 RBIs with 27 runs scored last season. Frye was instrumental in leading the Warriors to the Division II state championship game in 2009 and 2010, as well as leading the team to a 20-3 season in 2011. Frye is a three-year varsity starter and was the recipient of Walsh Jesuit’s 2011 Gold Glove award. He was also named the 2011 Offensive Player of the Year and was a first-team all-conference performer last spring.
I close with some sad thoughts:
• My thoughts and prayers go out to family and friends of
Tony Pagano, who passed away last week. Tony and his wife, Jean, were my landlords and surrogate parents for nine years. I shall never forget the love and friendship they showed me. And I know Tony,
Ed Walsh, who along with his wife, Fran, was my landlord prior to Tony and Jean, and
"Gym" McFarland are hitting the little white ball around on the course upstairs, playing cards and telling tales. I only hope Mom and Dad McComas don’t believe a word they say about me.
• Thoughts and prayers also to family and friends of former Rock football student athlete
Joe Daniels, who passed away last week. I had the privilege of meeting Joe on two occasions and quickly understood why he was held in such high esteem by his former teammates and everyone who came to know him. We all take comfort he, as is the case with Tony, Ed and Gym, can now rest and be free of pain and suffering.
• And finally, my thoughts and prayers also go out to the family and friends of
Joey Gratton, who died Nov. 18 from injuries sustained in an accident at the Key West World Championship powerboat race in Key West, Fla. He was one of three competitors killed during the weekend of Super Boat International competition in Key West Harbor. It was my privilege to meet and interview Joey while I was covering the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix in Sarasota, Fla., as a sports writer and assistant sports editor for the Bradenton Herald. He was a true gentleman and a fierce competitor.
Until next time … Take care of yourself and your loved ones and have a happy and safe holiday season.
And always remember:
GO ROCK!!!
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
