The Fifth Annual Thoroughbred Cup golf and tennis tournament, one of two major annual events coordinated by the Friends of Skidmore Athletics (FOSA), raised more than $30,000 this year. A total of 100 golfers and 28 tennis players participated in the event, which took place simultaneously June 20 at the Saratoga National Golf Club and on the Skidmore tennis courts.
In addition to coordinating the Skidmore Athletics Hall of Fame and various alumni athlete outreach activities, FOSA also provides the framework to support the overall athletics program, intramural sports, fitness and recreation programming, and individual athletic teams.
The Thoroughbred Cup continues to generate support and a growing list of enthusiastic participants. Winners this year were as follows:
Golf (foursome): Bob Antonez ’78, John Antonez, Steve Sullivan, and Don Borkowski;
Tennis: Alexander Roberts won the men’s division and Barbara Griffin Roberts ’80 was the women’s division winner.
Rob Zola ’89 won the grand prize raffle drawing.
After a day on the course and the courts, more than 150 Skidmore alumni and friends attended a cocktail reception and dinner at the Saratoga National Golf Club, recognized as a “Top 100 Public Course in America” by Golf Digest. Director of Athletics Gail Cummings-Danson welcomed the group and President Philip Glotzbach announced the Hall of Fame recipients to be inducted Oct. 17 at the FOSA Benefit and Hall of Fame induction ceremony. John Chaplin, director of leadership gifts at the College, was named the “2009 FOSA MVP” for his instrumental role in supporting FOSA’s efforts. The honorary title reflects the group’s appreciation for Chaplin’s help in launching FOSA and assisting the group’s efforts over the years.
The 2009 FOSA Thoroughbred Cup Committee chairs were Dawn Penniston Murray ’03, Andrew Simon ’02, and Steve Yale ’81, The committee included Ben Anderson, Albert Antonez ’83, Robert Antonez ’78, Ben Bates ’03, Dave Bakyta ’89, Tim Brown, Parent ’99 and ’06, Beth Brucker-Kane, Megan Buchanan, Brian Clark '02, Deborah Sehl Coons '72, Rob Coan '89, Peter Conlin ’98, Mike Cornell ’92, Steven Cornell ’81, Ken Dunbar ’00, Matt Ferrari ’05, John Friedman ’89, Ellen Hannan ’78, Sarah Ireland, Shanley Irving ’05, Eric Lampman ’07, Ron Levene ’86, Jack Martin ’08, Brian McCawley ’02, Taylor McKenna ’07, Will Mudge ’04, Cindy Diaz Munter ’95, Jon Olson ’02, Richard Palmer ’05, Kendra Pariseault ’05, Rob Parks ’03, Taylor Parrott ’07, Gabby Rosenthal ’06, Robert Spellman ’86, Matt Tiede ’02, Mike Vessa ’81, Matthew Waldenberg ’05, and Ted Whittemore ’04.
Thoroughbred Cup sponsors included the following: Thoreauly Antiques, Ltd. ,Upstate Transit of Saratoga, LLC., Langan Automotive, MLB Construction Service, LLC, National Iron Bank (Steven Cornell ’81), Frito Lay (Chuck Waimon), JCB Specialties, Inc. (Ben Bates ’03), John Melligon ’81, Lee Peyser ’81, Adam Simms ’81, C.T. Male Associates, P.C., Judith Roberts Kunisch ’69 and the Skidmore College Alumni Association, Set Back Inn (Scott Toth ’00).