Category: Athletics

SC4 welcomes NJCAA athletes, NCAA coaches to campus for recruitment event

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) welcomed 15 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) men’s and women’s basketball teams from across Michigan, Ohio and Illinois to the SC4 Fieldhouse this month to play in front of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) coaches. The event is one of just five similar events taking place across the country aimed at recruiting NJCAA players to four-year college and university teams.  

“Many talented NJCAA players—Skippers included—continue on, excelling on and off the court at four-year institutions and professionally,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “This event provides a great opportunity for both athletes and coaches to discover matches and paths they may not have known to pursue previously.” 

Participating teams represented NJCAA Region 4, 12 and 24.

SC4 to host annual Golf Classic June 23 benefiting student athletes

The St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Athletics Department will host its annual SC4 Golf Classic on Friday, June 23, at Marysville Golf Course. Participants will enjoy 18 holes of golf with friends to support SC4 Athletics.

This year’s event sponsor is SC4 alumnus and Skippers Hall of Fame member Joe Mericka. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available.

“We are grateful for the ongoing community support of Skippers Athletics and our students,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “This event is a great opportunity for us to come together, have some fun and help our hard-working student athletes pursue a college degree.”

The four-person scramble is limited to the first 28 teams to register. The cost is $125 per golfer or $500 per team. Golfers can register for the event online at sc4.edu/thepier/golf.

Check in begins at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Dinner, awards and prizes will begin at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Dale Vos at (810) 989-5671 or email dvos@sc4.edu.

Three Skippers Baseball players awarded All-MCCAA Honors

Three St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Baseball players have been selected to the 2023 All-Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) teams. Sophomore pitcher/utility Brendan Seman was named to the All-Region XII and All-MCCAA teams as well as First Team All-Eastern Conference. Freshman infielder Brendan Battani and sophomore Pitcher Beau Becker were both named Eastern Conference Honorable Mention. Learn more here.

Five Skippers Softball players earn MCCAA Eastern Conference Awards

Five St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Softball players have been selected to the 2023 All-Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) teams. Sophomore shortstop Sarah Fantin was named First Team All-Eastern Conference and was named to the Eastern Conference All-Freshman Team. Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Meriah Mason, sophomore catcher/second baseman Abigail Thibodeau, sophomore infielder Miranda McNaughton, and freshman utility Brandi Bassett were all named Eastern Conference Honorable Mention. Learn more here.

SC4 adds adaptive sports, wheelchair basketball team to its athletic offerings

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) is pleased to announce the launch of a wheelchair basketball team beginning in the fall 2023 semester.

The SC4 wheelchair basketball team is open to SC4 students and community members with disabilities or those who are able-bodied and passionate about wheelchair basketball, with priority given to students enrolled at SC4. Those interested in joining the wheelchair basketball team for 2023-24 should visit sc4.edu/athletics, send an email to mjwhittredge@sc4.edu or contact the Athletics Department at 810-989-5670 with questions. 

This co-ed team brings collegiate athletic offerings at SC4 to 16 teams, joining opportunities in baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, dance, Esports, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling. Its addition makes SC4 a leader in adaptive sports offerings among colleges and universities in Michigan.

“Our Skippers Athletics program continues to grow and flourish, and the addition of adaptive sports at SC4 is a significant step forward in creating a more inclusive and diverse campus community,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “We’re thrilled to offer this new opportunity for both athletes and fans.”

Last fall, talented wheelchair basketball teams from around the Midwest and Canada converged at SC4 for an action-packed weekend of wheelchair basketball. Hosted by the University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness department in conjunction with SC4, the Wolverine Invitational marked the second edition of the event and kicked off the second competitive season of wheelchair basketball for the University of Michigan.

This year, SC4’s wheelchair basketball team plans to schedule exhibition contests and games as part of the inaugural season. The team is also working to participate as part of the Wolverine Invitational, which is scheduled to return to the SC4 Fieldhouse this fall, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. 

“The opportunity to host the Wolverine Invitational right here on our own campus with high-caliber collegiate athletes from institutions such as the University of Michigan is extremely exciting,” Vos said. “We’ll provide more information on game schedules and more as soon as details are finalized.”   

SC4 Softball team to be featured on ESPN+

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Skippers Softball games against Macomb Community College and Henry Ford College will be featured on ESPN+ this month as part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Game of the Week streaming broadcast.

The Skippers will take on Macomb at 3 and 5 p.m. on Friday, April 21, and Henry Ford at 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 22—both at the SC4 Softball Field in Marysville, Mich. 

“This is an incredible opportunity to shine a light on our athletes and community, as well as allow for more Skippers, Monarchs and Hawks fans to watch the games from both near and far,” said Dale Vos, SC4 athletics director. “We’re thrilled to have been chosen and are proud to represent our College and community in this national broadcast.”

To learn more about SC4 Skippers Softball players and additional upcoming games, visit sc4skippers.com/sports/sball/index.

To watch the streamed games on ESPN+, visit plus.espn.com/ and click “Subscribe to ESPN+ only.” Please note there is a subscription fee for the ESPN+ service.

SC4 announces 2023 summer camps

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) will host a variety of athletics and STEM-based camps this summer.

Camp offerings include:

  • Galaxy Quest STEM Summer Camp for learners in grades 3-8
  • Basketball Camp for learners in grades 5-12
  • Basketball Shooting Camp for learners in grades 5-12
  • Cross Country Camp for learners in grades 5-12 
  • Esports Camp for learners in grades 5-12
  • Soccer Camp for learners in grades 5-12
  • Softball Camp for learners in grades 5-12
  • Volleyball Camp – Advanced for learners in grades 8-12
  • Volleyball Camp – Beginners for learners in grades 4-7
  • Volleyball Camp – Defensive Specialist for learners in grades 7-12
  • Volleyball Camp – Hitters and Setters for learners in grades 7-12
  • Wrestling One-Day Clinic for learners in grades 5-12 
  • Additional camps may be offered!

The Galaxy Quest STEM Summer Camp will incorporate hands-on science and nature fun. Campers will engage in experiments, nature exploration, immersive space simulations in the Challenger Learning Center at SC4 and more.  

All athletic camps take place in the SC4 Fieldhouse, except for softball at Marysville Park, soccer at Morton Park in Marysville and the Esports in SC4’s Fine Arts Building. Camps are led by SC4 coaches and student-athletes.  

“These camps provide a wonderful opportunity to learn from collegiate coaches, athletes and experts,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “We expect these camps to fill fast and look forward to welcoming youths to camp this summer.” 

For more information regarding dates, times and to register, visit sc4.edu/camps. Email experiencecenter@sc4.edu with questions related to the STEM camp. Send questions regarding the athletics camps to athletics@sc4.edu or (810) 989-5662.

Alumni Spotlight: JD Wheeler

Current or most recent title and employer?
Athletic Director – Hartland High School

How did SC4 help prepare you?
SC4 was a major building block in my development as a student and an athlete. Coming from a small town in the thumb of Michigan, the environment that SC4 provided was perfect for me. I grew up a lot during my two years in Port Huron. The life skills learned made my transition to Central Michigan University very easy. SC4 was the “first step” that I needed to propel me into a successful future.

What do you like most about what you do professionally?
I enjoy working with student-athletes and young coaches. I love setting them up to reach the goals that they have set for themselves and their teams. Interscholastic Athletics are a very unique avenue for students to learn a lot about life. I enjoy providing an environment for them to do that while also having a great time with their teammates and coaches.

Did you transfer on and earn other degrees? If so, what degrees and from where?
Yes. Central Michigan University (K-12 physical education) and a master’s degree from Oakland University.