Athletic Department inducts 2022 Hall of Fame class

The 2022 Alfred State Athletic Hall of Fame class featured former coaches Gina Boyd and Jason Lockner along with football players Tyree Parker and Codera Jackson, track and field athlete Richard Harris, and basketball players Haley Witchella and Patrick “Ice” Smart-El. The 2014-15 women's basketball team was also honored.

Boyd was the women's basketball coach for 31 years and recorded 425 victories. She came to Alfred State in the early 1990s and was named Coach of the Year six times. She coached four NJCAA All-Americans, three USCAA All-Americans, and countless athletes have earned All-Conference athletic and academic honors during her time leading the basketball program. During the transition to the NCAA, Boyd led the Pioneers to two USCAA National Championship tournament appearances. She finishes her basketball coaching career with a .557 winning percentage (425-338 overall record).

She served as an assistant athletic director, coordinator of physical education, taught physical education classes, and served as the director of the Summer Sports Festival. Previously, she was the softball coach, the college’s first Senior Woman Administrator, and oversaw the Learn to Swim Program.

Lockner guided the Pioneers to a 75-40 overall record in his nine seasons at the helm of the lacrosse program. In each of his last seven seasons, Alfred State was nationally ranked among the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) teams and were ranked as high as No. 4 in the country. Between 2000 and 2005, the Pioneers posted at least ten wins per season. In 2001, Lockner was named NJCAA Region III and National Coach of the Year. He coached eight All- Americans and more than 20 All-Region III and Academic All-Americans during his tenure. 

On top of coaching lacrosse, Lockner coached men’s soccer and taught physical education classes.

Parker was a member of the football team from 1995-96. He was a two-year defensive captain for the football team. In 1995, he recorded 81 tackles which ranked him second on the team. He also picked off two passes. In 1996, he recorded 75 tackles and one interception. He was Co-MVP with Alfred State Hall of Famer LeRoy Collins in 1996.

Jackson was a member of the football team from 2003-04 and coached the defensive backs at Alfred State for one season. In 2003, he had 38 tackles, 11 pass break-ups, one interception, and two forced fumbles. In 2004, he was named NJCAA All-American, the team’s defensive MVP, and first team All-NEFC after recording 33 tackles, 20 pass break-ups and seven interceptions that season.

He went on to Youngstown State and was a NCAA DIAA All-American and was inducted into Youngstown State Hall of Fame. He went on to play arena football for the Rockford Raptors.

Harris is a decorated two-year member of the track and field team from 2000-02. He was a two-time NJCAA All-American in the 110 hurdles and 4x100 relay in 2001 and a two-time NJCAA All-American in the 110 hurdles in 2002.

He was part of the 2001 NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championship runner-up team and a member of the 2002 indoor team that finished 16th in the Nation. Alfred State won the indoor regionals both years. He garnered multiple All-Region selections and finished third at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships in 2002.

He holds the record for the 60-meter hurdles for indoor track and is in the outdoor record book tied for first in the 110 hurdles.

After Alfred State, he went on to Buffalo State and won the NCAA DIII National Title in the 110 hurdles.

Witchella was a significant part of the women's basketball program from 2011-2015. In her three seasons as a Pioneer, she played in 73 games and left quite the mark in the history books.

She leads the program in points (1,331), rebounds (988), rebounding average (14.7), defensive rebounds (692), offensive rebounds (405), defensive rebounds per average (9.5), offensive rebound average (5.55), field goals made (531), field goals attempted (1197), free throws made (259), free throws attempted (442), blocks (247), steals (169) and games started (72).

Witchella is the second Alfred State women’s basketball player to earn All-American honors from the USCAA. She was named first team USCAA All-American and named to the all-tournament team at the National Championships in 2014-15.

Smart-El was a member of the men's basketball team from 1986-88. He is the all-time leading scorer at Alfred State with 1,434 points. 

He averaged 24.3 points per game during the 1987-88 season and scored 657 total points which is the fourth most all-time. During the 1986-87 season he averaged 29.4 points per game and scored 782 total points which is the most All-Time. He passed out 327 assists during his career. 

He was first team All Penn-York and second team All-Region as a first-year student, He was named team MVP, Freshmen Male Athlete of the Year and Senior Male Athlete of the Year.

The 2014-15 women’s basketball team was 19-7 and advanced to the USCAA National Championship semifinals. The team averaged 66 points, 56.3 rebounds, and 16 assists per game. The team beat several scholarship schools on their way to the National Tournament.