The college raised more than $25,000 for scholarships at the twenty-ninth annual MCCC Foundation Golf Outing played on October 5 at the Trenton Country Club in West Trenton. The Foundation oversees the distribution of the donations, individual and corporate, for the scholarships that MCCC offers.
According to John Simone, Athletic Director at MCCC and also the coordinator of the outing, it “is one of the prime sources of scholarship money for the student-athletes of MCCC”.
Simone says the pandemic, in addition to the college canceling most onsite classes since March 2020, has dampened the MCCC event schedule.
However, the pandemic does not appear to have dampened the enthusiasm of corporate and individual donors in their contributions to the MCCC Foundation and its scholarship programs. Even with only half the normal participants, 60 this year as compared to 110 -120 golfers in past years, the Foundation was able to meet its goal of $25,000, and exceeded last year’s numbers according to official word from college administration.
Reggie Murray, the new head coach of the Vikings women’s basketball helped organize the event and gave him a chance to meet others in MCCC athletics. Coach Murray’s resume includes 600 wins at Trenton Central High School in his 32 years in NJ scholastic sports
Mercer’s athletics program according to Coach Murray is going to be “hampered by recruiting limitations imposed by the pandemic.”
Although there have been some teams holding socially distanced practices in the fall, Murray and Simone say the goal date for resuming athletics will be January 1, 2021. However, there will be an abbreviated schedule of 14 games or up to 22 if circumstances permit.
The question of how the lack of sports this fall will affect the eligibility of the student-athletes during their academic/athletic careers at MCCC is one the coaches say doesn’t have a clear answer. However, Simone says the programs being instituted will “benefit the general student population as well as the student-athletes, attracting top-level student- athletes that will take the MCCC athletic programs to the next level.”
