Coast Guard to induct four into Athletic Hall of Fame
New London — The Coast Guard Academy announced Monday it will add four new members to its Athletic Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15, during the Hall of Fame Banquet at the Officers’ Club as part of Homecoming Weekend on campus.
The Class of 1980, which will be celebrating its 35th reunion, will have three members inducted — Sue (Donner) Bibeau, Robert McCaffrey and David Stalters. Chris Cieplik (Class of 1992) rounds out the 2015 Hall of Fame class.
“Once again, we have the privilege of recognizing the outstanding, exemplary achievements of four outstanding individuals by indication into the CGA Athletic Hall of Fame,” athletic director Tim Fitzpatrick said. “Each inductee contributed tremendously to the prestige of the varsity athletics program at CGA during their time as cadet-athletes, and then went on to accomplished careers — both in the Coast Guard and afterwards in the civilian world. The example that they set will resonate greatly to our current cadet-athletes and to CGA supporters and fans throughout the country.”
Bibeau was captain of the 1980 sailing team which placed third in New England and competed at the national championships. She is the first woman at any service academy to earn a varsity letter, earning 11 during her time at CGA, eight in sailing. She also competed in basketball and gymnastics.
McCaffrey was a two-sport athlete and captain of the football and wrestling teams. He was a two-time New England champion at 150 pounds, a two-time New England runnerup at 158 pounds and a four-time NCAA qualifier. He was also the 1980 New England Championship MVP and led the Bears to New England titles in 1979 and 1980, In football, he led the Bears in tackles as a junior and senior.
Stalters competed in cross country and track. He was the New England cross country champion in 1979 and a two-time NCAA qualifier. Stalters was the 1980 New England indoor champion in the two-mile and steeplechase and was an NCAA qualifier in three events in 1980. He was named the most outstanding Coast Guard Academy senior athlete in 1980.
Cieplik was a third team All-American as a member of the men’s soccer team in 1991. He was a three-time All-New England selection and led the team in scoring three of his four years.
Cieplik, a team captain as a senior, is one of just six players in program history to earn All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). He was inducted into the Southeastern Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009.
Tigers rally
• The Connecticut Tigers overcame a 4-1 deficit by scoring two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and four in the seventh to overtake the Auburn Doubledays 10-5 in a New York-Penn League game at Dodd Stadium.
A.J. Simcox went 3-for-5 with two RBI to lead a 16-hit attack for the Tigers (25-23) while Joey Havrilak added two hits, including a two-run homer in the sixth, and Shane Zeile and Patrick Mackenzie each had two hits.