2022 Skipper Hall of Fame Inductees
Terry Gamble
Coach Terry Gamble, an SC4 Alumnus, came back to SC4 after his first coaching stint at Mott Community College from 1995 to 1998. In 1998, he led Mott to a ninth-place finish at the National Championships. Gamble had a successful run as head coach in his time here at St. Clair County Community College from 1999 to 2004, where he led the Skippers to national championship titles in 2000 and 2004 and to a third-place finish in 2003.
After SC4, his successes continued. From 2005 to 2008, Gamble served as the head coach at Iowa Western Community College. In 2006, Gamble was voted the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Coach of the Year after guiding the Reivers to the NJCAA National Championship that year. He also was named the AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year and coached the AVCA Player of the Year in 2006. He took IWCC to a seventh-place finish at the National Championships in 2007 and a fourth-place finish in 2008.
Gamble had a Top 20 National Ranking in 15 of his 16 junior college seasons and also was elected to the Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame and Iowa Western Sports Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007 after winning three NJCAA volleyball championships (two being at SC4) and three NJCAA Coach of the Year awards. He also was selected the president of the NJCAA Coaches Association in 2007.
Now, Gamble is at Blinn Community College in Texas and continues to coach successfully with 25 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level. In his career, he compiled a 957-323 record (.748 winning percentage). Gamble ranks first in all-time wins among active coaches in the NJCAA with 828. In addition, he ranks sixth in all-time wins in the NJCAA.
Gamble’s coaching honors also include seven District Coach of the Year honors, seven Regional Coach of the Year honors, and eight Conference Coach of the Year accolades. He has won eight regional championships, six state championships, and 14 conference championships, and has coached 17 All-Americans, 20 Academic All-Americans, three NJCAA National Players of the Year, 18 all-tournament players, 20 regional players of the year, 37 all-region tournament players, 14 conference players of the year, 38 all-state/all-region players, 52 all-conference and 31 all-conference honorable mention players.
Jeff Kneisley
Jeff Kneisley was a speedy outfielder from Toledo, OH who helped lead the Skippers to a magical season in 1976. The talented left-handed hitter played a big role in helping the team reach the finals of the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series in Grand Junction, CO. The Skippers battled Central Arizona College but came up short, losing 10-8 and finishing second in America.
Kneisley hit an impressive .387 for the season and was named a Division I NJCAA 1st Team All-American, recognizing him as one of the best 14 players in the USA. He was the only player from Michigan to receive the honor. He was also selected to the All-Tournament Team at the World Series.
The 1976 team was a special experience, one in which Kneisley recalls fondly. “We had a crazy collection of guys who had a lot of fun on and off the field. Smelt fishing was always a good night!” In reflecting upon his time playing at SC4, he stated “Coach Groch gave us all a chance to grow up and be better men. He brought guys in from all over and put us together to be one heck of a team.”
Following his time at SC4, Kneisley earned a scholarship to continue his playing career at the University of Toledo. His dominant play for the Rockets resulted in his name being scattered throughout the record books. He led the team in hitting (.410), RBI’s (35) and swiped 17 stolen bases with an incredible 51 runs scored during the 1977 season. He was voted the Rockets MVP and selected to the All-MAC team.
His talent was recognized by Major League Baseball, first signing with the Baltimore Orioles and then playing within the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He had a strong start to his professional career in the Appalachian League, hitting .296 with nine doubles, three triples and five home runs for the Pulaski Phillies in 1977. Kneisley still lives and works in the Toledo area and is planning to retire soon.
Mark Milauc
Mark Milauc graduated from Bloomfield Hills Lahser High School where he was shortstop on his baseball team. When he arrived to SC4, Coach Dick Groch moved him to third base when he discovered Milauc’s strong throwing arm.
Milauc was a powerful left-handed hitting third baseman for the Skippers. His steady defense and impressive .428 batting average during the 1974 season earned him 1st Team All-American honors. Only 13 players in America were named to the team. Milauc was one of just five infielders recognized, and the only player from Michigan honored.
Following his time at SC4, Milauc continued playing baseball at the University of Toledo. He enjoyed great success for the Rockets during the 1976 and 1977 seasons. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation from Toledo, Milauc continued his lifelong passion for baseball by playing several seasons with the Toledo Mud Hens.
Milauc passed away Aug. 6, 2016, at his home in Toledo.
Mike Schervish
Mike Schervish was a key member of the 1974 Skippers team which posted a record of 37-8, the most victories in the history of Skippers baseball. A state champion at Harper Woods Bishop Gallagher High School, he immediately became an impact player for the Skippers, receiving NJCAA Division I 2nd Team All-American honors.
The right-handed hitting star patrolled centerfield for the Skippers and was selected as the winner of the “Big Stick” award for being the best Junior College hitter, with an extraordinary .476 batting average. Schervish cherished his time playing for legendary coach Dick Groch, calling it “a favorite moment in my life.” He also recalled being one away from a trip to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, CO., sharing that attending SC4 “was a great experience and the time of my life!”
He transferred to Central Michigan University, where he played both baseball and football for the Chippewas. At the time, Schervish was one of only three athletes in Michigan playing two sports at the NCAA Division 1 level, with the other two being Rick Leach (UM) and Kirk Gibson (MSU). Mike was captain of the baseball team and led the MAC in home runs. The power hitter compiled a .623 SLG between 1976-1978, which remains one of the best slugging percentages in school history.
Schervish was selected in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft by the Montreal Expos. In his first professional season with the Jamestown Expos, he had 12 doubles, five home runs and 40 RBIs with a nearly .400 slugging percentage. Mike has lived in the Daytona Beach, FL area, the former home of the Expos Spring Training, for more than 40 years. He has spent his career in education, currently serving as an assistant principal with plans to retire Aug. 31, 2022. He and his wife of 29 years, Lynnette, have two daughters and one son, all of whom have earned college degrees.
Doug Simunic
Doug Simunic, an All-state catcher from Romeo High School, was a workhorse behind the plate for the Skippers during the 1975 and 1976 seasons. His steady play did not go unnoticed, as he was voted All-Conference both years. Simunic was recognized as an NJCAA Division I 2nd Team All-American in 1975 with a batting average of .422.
Simunic was more than a hitting threat. He formed a dominant battery with some great arms and was always in control of the game as the Skippers signal-caller. Legendary manager Dick Groch praised the toughness of Simunic, sharing that he caught 27 consecutive innings to help the team earn a spot in the 1976 NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, CO., where they finished runner-up.
He was selected in the third round of the 1976 Major League Baseball draft by the Montreal Expos and played professional baseball for nearly a decade with the Expos, Cleveland Indians, and Seattle Mariners organizations. Simunic finished his professional playing career in 1984, appearing in 813 games with 61 home runs and 319 RBI’s. He was a wall behind the dish, allowing only 78 passed balls during his entire professional career.
He was also a player/coach for two seasons in the Italian Professional Baseball League and continued coaching at the professional level with the Houston Astros and LA Dodgers organizations. Simunic is considered the most successful manager in Independent Baseball League history for guiding the Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks to five championships over his 22 seasons between 1996 and 2017.
In total, Simunic spent 42 years in professional baseball as a player, coach, or manager in the USA, Canada, Italy, and Mexico. In addition to his success in Fargo, he won six championships in the Northern League and another one in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. He also coached with USA Baseball in three World Cup Qualifiers. He met his wife, Stefanie, while playing AAA baseball for the Cleveland Indians in 1983. They have a daughter named Allasyn, who is an elementary school counselor. Simunic is now retired and lives in Charleston, W. Va.
2011-2012 Women’s Basketball Team
The 2011-2012 women’s basketball team had a non-typical college season. Coach Mike Groulx stepped in to lead the team mid-season, and it worked out for the best. When Groulx stepped in he 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. [They were] an unselfish group of ladies.”
The team had a record of 19-16-0 overall that year, heading to the national championship at the end of the season. The team defeated Mott Community College in overtime, 59-51 to make their appearance.
This group jumpstarted the success for the next three years Groulx was at SC4.
Team members included Jenae Curley, Teisha Knott, Cianna Peterson, E’Aijasha Guster, Jade Gaines, Schquwana Troup, Nikki Heim, Jenna Stauffer-Muxlow, Heidi Highstreet, Jasmine Bell, Jessica Beaubien, Sara Thomas, and Breiona Anderson. Lucretia Bowerman was the assistant coach.
