This story is dedicated to 1971 alumnus and 2016 Athletics Hall of Fame inductee James T. McCloe, who recently passed away. On behalf of SUNY Delhi, the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee sends its deepest condolences to McCloe's family and the lives he touched.
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QUICK LINKS: HALL OF FAME SITE | NOMINATION FORM | ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
DELHI, N.Y. (October 19, 2020) – On November 16, 2019, the 12th SUNY Delhi Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place. It marked not just the ushering in of the 42nd, 43rd, and 44th inductees, but a turning point in the annual festivities. For the first ten years, the ceremony took place in June. The program then made the switch to the fall in order to tie in with a SUNY Delhi athletics event, while generating more student engagement. And with the addition of The Bluestone at The College Golf Course the following year, the induction ceremony had its new venue.
For many that have been part of the Athletics Hall of Fame since its inception in 2008, it has been an amazing development considering its origins as a summer ceremony in the Clark Field House lobby. In fact, there was no official "hall" until one was built when Clark Field House had an addition put on in 2010. To date, our inductees represent 11 sports and include student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and outstanding supporters. While we are unable to conduct our annual induction ceremony this fall as planned, we hope this retrospective can serve as a reminder of our core values and mission in the SUNY Delhi Athletics Hall of Fame. Please stay tuned as we prepare to announce the next induction class and details on the ceremony!
The Beginning
Entering the 2007-08 academic year, then Athletics Director Michael Spisto, a former SUNY Delhi basketball student-athlete and coach, felt the time was right, and frankly, long overdue, that an Athletics Hall of Fame be started. Up to that point, Delhi was known as a national fixture among NJCAA Division III customs. The cross country and track & field programs had combined for 15 national championships, the college was approaching its second decade hosting the NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Tournament, and many of the sports programs were coming into their own with recognition on regional and national levels. Though sports such as baseball, field hockey, and wrestling were no longer offered, their extraordinary accomplishments still warranted a place in Delhi history and immortality.
"Being a proud alum I just thought it was time to really honor the great student athletes, administrators, coaches and donors that had come through SUNY Delhi. People that were the cornerstone of our success both on and of the playing surfaces," said Spisto. "We needed to say thank you for everything they had done and there was no better way of doing that than creating the Hall of Fame and having them inducted into it."
With the backing of the institution and College Advancement, the hall of fame was formed. A committee was assembled that enlisted members of the campus and community with a long amount of service to SUNY Delhi and the Athletics Department. The first hall of fame ceremony took place in conjunction with that June's Alumni Weekend 2008. With a packed crowd assembled in the Clark Field House lobby, SUNY Delhi was proud to welcome in its inaugural members. By the end of that summer, Spisto left SUNY Delhi to pursue other career opportunities, leaving behind a new legacy for decorated Broncos, past, present, and future. He was later recognized to the very hall he founded as part of its 2015 induction class.
The Hall Today
Twelve ceremonies are said and done, but new things have continued to make the events as lively as ever. With the encouragement of SUNY Delhi President Dr. Michael Laliberte, the program moved to the fall beginning with the 2018 ceremony to generate more student engagement and to tie in with an athletics event.
The most recent ceremony in 2019 broke new ground. The day began at The Bluestone, SUNY Delhi's new bar and restaurant event center at The College Golf Course, where induction speeches took place in a brunch ceremony. The festivities moved that afternoon up to Clark Field House, as the newly-inducted members and their parties joined the raucous home crowd to cheer the women's basketball team to a victory. At halftime, the inductees were presented to the public for the first time as Hall of Famers. The event wrapped up following the game at the Kennedy Lounge for a happy hour social.
"It has been a pleasure to welcome back so many alumni and Broncos legends to join them and their families to celebrate their accomplishments," said Athletics Director and Committee Chair Bob Backus. "As our number of inductees continues to grow, it's great to see many of them return for future ceremonies and become supporters of new inductees. As we just recently lost another former Bronco and hall of famer, it's extremely valuable to invite them back and have them as involved as they can and are able to be. It's our history."
The Selection Process
Every Athletics Hall of Fame induction is carefully considered by the selection committee that meets several times a year. People are asked to submit an online nomination form available at DelhiBroncos.com/HallOfFame. In the usual timeline of an autumn ceremony, nominations are taken through May, with the committee meeting shortly thereafter to decide on inductees. The committee will select as many as four inductees per year based upon objectives including, but not limited to character (i.e. positive representative of SUNY Delhi Athletics) and accomplishments during and after Delhi.
"The committee cannot do their work without people taking the time to nominate and provide us with details that enhance the candidates' chances for selection," said Backus. "We try to work a year in advance and induct representative classes that reflect our athletics history. Get as much detail to help promote the nominees, specific information, paper clippings, old year books, statistics, etc. Plus, what they have continued to do after their time at Delhi. Tell the whole story."
Epilogue
The SUNY Delhi Athletics Hall of Fame is proud to have 44 inductees to date, with alumni dating as far back as 1959, to most recent as 2012. It was established to recognize student athletes, coaches, faculty, staff, and friends who have brought distinction, excellence, or success to SUNY Delhi Athletics.
To nominate a candidate, please consider the following criteria:
- The candidate must be of good character and a positive representative of SUNY Delhi Athletics
- Student athletes must have completed their degree at SUNY Delhi or transferred on to complete a degree at an accredited college or university
- Student athletes may be nominated at any time following three years after completing their association with SUNY Delhi
- Coaches, faculty and staff are eligible for nomination following three years from their retirement from SUNY Delhi or three years following their employment at the college
- Sponsors and contributors to SUNY Delhi Athletics are eligible for nomination at any time
- There will be a maximum of four nominees each year
- No more than two candidates from any sport can be inducted in the same year
