2021 Skipper Hall of Fame Inductees
Kieondre Arkwright
Kieon Arkwright is a Flint, MI native who started out at SC4 and helped make school history. Arkwright was key in leading the men’s basketball team to their 8th place finish at the NJCAA DII Men’s Basketball Championship in the 2009-10 season.
Arkwright earned First Team All-MCCAA honors and helped lead the Skippers to a regional title. From there the team made a run in the National Championship for the first time in school history. His time and success at SC4 led him to earn a D1 college scholarship to further his education and basketball career.
Arkwright now holds a BA degree from the University of Texas Pan American. After college, he also spent a few years playing professionally in Central America where he won a championship in the ACB League. After hanging up his sneakers, he focused on training other players and constantly learning new techniques.
In 2019 Arkwright became the founder of the Denver Nuggets Basketball Academy. In addition to Denver Nuggets PG Monte Morris, Arkwright also trains WNBA superstar Skylar Diggins and many pros who make their living playing overseas.
Arkwright has made his mark in the youth basketball world by running clinics for major shoe companies (Nike/Jordan Brand) in the U.S. and establishing a clinic base worldwide. He is currently in the field of athlete management/strategy and leads basketball camps, clinics, and fan engagement programs around the world.
David Dusellier
Dave Dusellier was a dominant force on the mound for the Skippers in the mid-70s and continued to baffle batters after leaving St. Clair County Community College.
Dusellier played at SC4 in 1974 and 1975, finishing his time as a Skipper with an 11-2 record and an earned-run average below two. While playing summer amateur ball, he won 45 straight games from 1972-75.
After his second season at SC4, he transferred to Western Michigan and didn’t slow down. He was named Second-Team All-Mid-American Conference as a junior, as he finished with a 6-2 record and 1.86 ERA. His senior season was cut short due to an injury, but he never finished a collegiate season with an ERA above two.
Dusellier graduated from Western in 1978 with a degree in political science and criminal justice. He is now retired after working as the Port Director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Blue Water Bridge.
“My freshman year (at SC4), we came one out shy of getting to the national tournament,” he said. “The quality of players that Dick Groch recruited there for a junior college was incredible. I learned so much about baseball from him. After I graduated, I came back and was the pitching coach for him for three years.”
Mitchell Fernandez
Mitchell Fernandez’s time as a golfer at St. Clair County Community College led to multiple opportunities at some of the nation’s most prestigious courses.
Fernandez was a student at SC4 from 2009-12 and a national qualifier for the Skippers golf team. He took the Winter 2011 semester off while playing hockey for the Port Huron Fighting Falcons of the North American Hockey League, before returning to the college.
After leaving SC4, Fernandez transferred to California University of Pennsylvania, and played hockey for two more years. From there, he turned his attention back to golf. He worked at Inverness Club in Toledo for two years and served as the Assistant Head Professional at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania for two and a half years.
Fernandez currently works with Henerson Brothers Insurance in Pittsburgh.
“(SC4) was a steppingstone in athletics and academically to move onto a different institution,” Fernandez said. “It set the foundation for my life, really. It’s my hometown school, and I’ll never forget where I came from. Instead of going to a huge university right away, I feel like it was a great gateway to my future.”
Wayne Gottleber
Wayne Gottleber was a hard worker who quickly became one of the best arms for the talented Skippers, helping to lead the team to great success during his career. The dominant right hander earned 1st team All-conference recognition with a record of 5-1 and an ERA of 2.58 during the 1975 season. Gottleber compiled an impressive career average of 2.6 strikeouts per inning pitched for the Skippers.
Hall of Fame coach Dick Groch recalled Gottleber’s dominance on the mound, stating he “fashioned a sharp breaking curveball that featured power and depth” as he repeatedly fooled hitters.
He was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 28th round of the 1975 Major League Baseball draft. After signing his contract, Gottleber began his professional career playing with the White Sox in the Gulf League.
Wayne cherished his time as a student and playing ball at SC4, calling the journey “One of the greatest times of my life” and “the most awesome experience I could ever have imagined.”
When asked about his manager, he said, “I loved Coach Groch. I learned more in two years from him than from any other coach. To this day, I would run through a brick wall for that man. He is the greatest man I have ever met in all my journeys.”
Michael Groulx
Mike Groulx spent many years at SC4, first as a player under coach Dale Vos, and then as his assistant coach. Groulx assisted Vos in leading the Men’s Basketball team to SC4’s first NJCAA DII National Tournament appearance in the 2009-2010 season.
The next year, midway through the season, Groulx stepped up to take over the women’s program. That year the ladies made their appearance at the NJCAA DII Women’s National Tournament. When asked about the 2011-12 team, Groulx said, “I took over and inherited a group of amazing young ladies looking for someone to lead them. They were ready and willing to work.” He attributed their willingness to learn and belief in him and each other to that group’s success. “[They were] an unselfish group of ladies.”
The next year, Groulx led another team to the championship. And the following year, they did it again! Groulx noted that “each group was different. [The 2013-14 team was] the greatest group of competitors I have ever coached. They continually rolled over teams by 50 points.” Many of the girls on that team earned Division 1 basketball scholarships. Each year at SC4 Groulx earned Women’s Basketball Region Coach of the Year honors.
After his time at SC4, Groulx continued his success at Eastern Michigan University from 2014-2016 where his teams did well, losing late in the MAC tournament each year. They also qualified for the NIT tournament in both years, making the Sweet 16 in 14-15.
From there, he moved on to Canisius College from 2016-18 before moving back to Michigan and taking the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director position at Farwell High School. Groulx says, “I love it up there. It’s a small town, and a small rural district, so it allows me to coach the girls’ basketball team, AP and AD – and I get to help more students every day.”
When asked about his time at SC4, Groulx commented, “[They were] some of the greatest years of my life as student-athlete and coach. My goal in life is to get back there. SC4 gave me family and education – and the mentorship and friendship of Pete and Dale were astronomical in my time there. It always has a special place in my heart.”
Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones was an outstanding pitcher for the Skippers, posting a 9-3 record with a 2.16 ERA during the 1976 season as the Skippers finished second in America. The 6’3” powerful right-hander received 1st team All-Conference and All-District honors before continuing his playing career at Bowling Green State University.
Following his time at Bowling Green, Jones was selected by the Oakland A’s in the 1977 MLB draft. He played in the Major Leagues from 1980-1984, where he posted a record of 9-9 with a 3.95 ERA.
Jones became a coach in the Detroit Tigers organization in 1989 and was named the pitching coach for his hometown Tigers in 2011, where he worked alongside Jim Leyland in guiding the Tigers to the World Series in 2012. Jones coached Cy Young award winners Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer during his time with the Tigers.
He was also named the pitching coach for Team USA during the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Jones helped lead a team filled with Major League All-stars, including right-hander Marcus Stroman who took a no-hitter into the 7th inning of the final game, as the US beat Puerto Rico 8-0 for the first title in Team USA history.
Jones retired from the MLB in 2015, enjoying great success during his 38-year baseball career.
Tim Langolf
Tim Langolf began his golf career at Marysville High School. In his senior year, he qualified and played in the State Golf Tournament.
In fall of 2009, Langolf started at SC4 as a key member of the golf team. From 2009-2011 he played for SC4 – winning many tournaments as an individual. In the Spring of 2011, Langolf placed 2nd at the Regional Tournament, thus qualifying him for the National Championship Tournament.
When asked about his time at SC4, Langolf replied, “I really enjoyed my time at SC4 – [coach] Dale Vos is a great guy. Markus Schulz assistant coached while I was at SC4 too, and was extremely helpful for me during my time there.”
After his time at SC4, Langolf transferred to Bethel College in Indiana for school and golf where he continued his tournament successes. Throughout his time at Bethel he won many tournaments individually. Additionally, at a tournament that he won individually, he and the team set the Low Score record for the college.
Langolf graduated in 2013 from Bethel with a degree in Youth Ministry. Directly after graduation, he moved to Texas to live near his sister, Stephanie, and his now wife, Christa. In 2016 he took over as manager of a custom jewelry store in Houston, TX called Wolf Diamonds.
Langolf still resides in Texas where he and his wife welcomed their daughter, Olivia, to the world in November 2020. Though life gets busy, Langolf said he is still playing golf when he can.
Carrie Lohr
St. Clair County Community College has served as a springboard for big opportunities in Carrie Lohr’s life both as an athlete and a coach.
Lohr played basketball at SC4 from 1989-91, earning First-Team All-Conference, All-Region and All-State honors for the Skippers, before transferring to the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where she served as a team captain.
She returned to SC4 as an assistant coach and took the reins of the women’s basketball program in 2002, coaching the Skippers for nine seasons and compiling a 166-106 record. Her teams finished with a record above .500 every year during her tenure leading SC4. She was named the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Junior College Coach of the Year in 2003-04 and 2009-10.
In efforts of building the SC4 women’s basketball, Lohr commented “I recruited not only locally by but players that had goals to compete at a four-year university. During my nine years as the head coach at SC4, 24 student-athletes went on to four-year institutions to continue their education and playing career.”
After her ninth season at SC4, Lohr moved onto Wayne State, where she has been head coach of the Warriors women’s basketball team ever since. Through her first 10 seasons at Wayne State, Lohr has a 160-119 record, and has led the Warriors to three first-place divisional finishes in the GLIAC, and three trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Lohr became Wayne State’s all-time winningest coach in 2019 and was the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 career wins. So far, Lohr has been dubbed Coach of the Year four times while serving as the head coach at SC4 and WSU.
Thaddus McFadden
Thad McFadden was not recruited in a typical way. As he recalls, it was late summer, just before classes began and he had no idea what he was going to do for college. He did know that he wanted to play basketball, so he came to an SC4 open gym with a friend. Coach Vos called him aside, offered him to come to SC4, and the rest is history.
McFadden spent his time at SC4 playing basketball from 2005-2007. During that time, he earned All-MCCAA and All-Region honors both years. He was in the top three scoring in the conference, scoring an average of 23 points per game and four assists per game.
After SC4, McFadden headed to Fairmont State where he was Second team NCAA Daktronics All-American, two-time First Team All-WVIAC selection, two-time WVIAC All-Tournament Team selection, ranked second in the country in scoring average as a senior (25.4), owns the single-season (110) and career (216) records for made three-pointers, and in just two seasons scored 1,367 points.
After graduation, McFadden began playing basketball professionally all over Europe and has been for the last 10 years. He has been in Spain for the last four years, and said, “I have been really lucky. SC4 changed my life. I went from playing at a juco and then to Fairmont, and now reaching to the highest level of basketball in Europe at age 31.”
McFadden plans to play until he’s 40 – and credits being able to do so to his awesome family, with his fiancé and son. He said they are on board with his career and travel, and it makes all the difference. “I will play until my body says stop.”
Joseph Mericka
Joe Mericka excelled on the golf course while at St. Clair County Community College — and has continued to do so ever since.
He was the low-scorer for the Skippers in 1967 and 1968 – teams that were coached by the late Sam Kromer, himself a member of the Skippers Hall of Fame. With Mericka leading the way, the Skippers won state championships in both seasons.
Mericka finished his time at SC4 with an impressive average score of 72, which Kromer told him was the lowest in school history. He was named All-State in both seasons.
After his time at SC4, Mericka went to Florida Southern University, where he finished 11th in the country in the NCAA Small College competition. He has remained active in the local golf community, winning several area tournaments.
“Thank you for including me among such a terrific group of Skippers,” Mericka said. “I am very honored. I will always be grateful for the memories SC4 provided.”
Markus Schulz
Markus Schulz was a stand-out golfer for SC4 in the late 70s, early 80s. He helped lead the team to qualify for the State Tournament both years while at SC4, playing as the number one spot both years. After his time playing for SC4, he helped coach with Ross Green and Dale Vos.
Schulz said, “I enjoyed my time here so much that I helped the coach too. The community college has always been a part of the community, and I love to support the college and community. All three children went to SC4 too!”
Schulz’s inspiration for playing golf was his father – Gunter Schulz – who introduced Markus to the game when he was about 12 years old. Schulz always enjoyed golf, but got serious about the game in college. During and after college, he and his father played in many tournaments together before his father’s passing.
After his time at SC4, Schulz won several Michigan Opens and qualified for the Amateur several times, even qualifying for match play a few times. He has won the McDonald Amateur twice – an international tournament including St. Clair, Macomb and Lambton counties that he took over as sponsor for to keep it alive. Schulz has been Club Champion at Port Huron Golf Club 13 times, and had many second-place finished as well.
Additionally, Schulz has qualified three times for the Atlas Trophy Matches (top 12 amateurs in private golf clubs vs. top 12 in public clubs in Michigan). He has competed and won club invitationals all over Michigan as well as the United States.
Schulz and his family own all the McDonald’s locations in St. Clair County and his son Dieter and daughter Erika own some more locations in Macomb County. His other daughter Karlee is at Baker College in the food program. He and his wife Jean spend the winters in Florida and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.
Jim Whymer
Whether it was during his more than three decades working at the Times Herald, or his time in the athletic department at St. Clair County Community College, Jim Whymer was always a great supporter of Skippers athletics.
Whymer, who passed away in September of 2020, worked at the Times Herald from 1978 through 2012, covering Skippers athletics throughout his time. He was named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Honor and Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame as a sportswriter.
After leaving the newspaper, he began working part-time in the marketing department at SC4, eventually moving into athletics. While there, the relationships Whymer built with players, coaches and administrators throughout the years helped him bring several schools and events to the SC4 Fieldhouse.
He was crucial in creating the Skippers Holiday Basketball Showcase, which grew to more than 40 teams from around the state in 2019 and played a major role in bringing middle and high school tournaments and games onto campus.
Whymer’s attitude and smile were contagious, and a welcoming sight for the staff and student-athletes in the Fieldhouse and throughout the college.
Kristen Wiloch
Kristen Wiloch was a player at SC4 during a time when Skippers volleyball was top in the nation. She remarked, “My time at SC4 was most memorable for having the best mentors and coaches available to us and a great team of outstanding players. Coach Gamble, Cornwell, and Romberg instilled hard-work ethics into us which lasted throughout my extended college playing experience and into my career and home life today.”
Wiloch won the national championship at SC4 in 2004 as a team captain, and earned herself Second Team All American honors. As starting middle blocker for the Skippers, she also earned All-Tournament team honors which leveraged her to score a D1 spot at Central Michigan University.
While at CMU Wiloch said she focused on obtaining her degree in accounting and being a clutch player. She said, “The best thing to come out of both SC4 and CMU was the lifelong relationships I built with my team. Working with girls with the same ambition and spirit built the best foundation for friendships.”
Shortly after college, Wiloch started her family and began working in the healthcare field in accounting. In 2018, she went back to school at Davenport University where she graduated with distinction in 2020 with her Master’s in Business Administration.
Today, Wiloch works as a Senior Financial Analyst with McLaren and has for the past five years. She has three kids: 11 (boy), 9 (girl), and 2 (boy), and an amazing, hardworking boyfriend. In addition to her full-time job, she also coaches JV volleyball at her alma mater, Almont High School. Wiloch said, “None of this would have been possible without giving credit to my time at SC4.”
1972 Baseball Team
The 1972 Skippers baseball team, coached by Hall of Fame coach Dick Groch, helped begin the long stretch of success in the Skippers baseball program from the 1970s into the 1980s.
Compiling a regular-season record of 35-8, the team won the Conference Championship as well as both the state and region titles during the 1972 season. After finishing as the top team in the region, the Skippers went on to win the District Championship, which earned them a birth in the NJCAA DI College Baseball World Series in Grand Junction, CO. The talented Skippers squad competed against the best teams in America but were eliminated in the second round of the tournament, falling short of winning a national championship.
Several team members continued their baseball playing careers at the university and professional levels.
Team members included Bryce Brown, Randy Fergerson, Steve Lange, Bob Perkins, Mark Wedra, Mike Zalucki, John Dykes, Bill Nahorodny, Doug Ansel, Mike Brehmer, Don Fowler, Bill Herbert, Terry Mills, Jim Welsh, Mark Secory, Bob Semanco, George Howay, Chas Petrillo, and Gary Zajac. Ron Mason was the assistant coach.
2013-2014 Women’s Basketball
The 2013-2014 women’s basketball team was the last group of Skippers coached by Mike Groulx. Like the teams before them, this group was resilient. Half of the ladies in the group were heading for back-to-back National Championship appearances, and Groulx and Bowerman were hoping that third time is the charm.
Skippers went 30-4 overall that year, going an outstanding 18-0 in conference play. Groulx recalled that they were a strong group of competitors and consistently rolled over their competitors by 50 points or more. The Skippers knocked out Delta College in early March and made their way to the Championship. After winning their first two games of the championship, the Skippers fell twice by less than seven points, finishing fourth for the second year in a row.
Many of the players continued on to the four-year level earning Division I and II scholarships.
Team members included Destiny Spinner, Perianna Burnett, Whitley Currie, Sheyna Deans, Quinnece Garrison, Haley Rutledge, Emily Gerrow, Taryn Kiah, Andranay Beverly, Ta’Kira Height, Lariah Stevens, Sky Alexander, Rachel Kehoe, and Aja Williams. Lucretia Bowerman was the assistant coach.
