Husband and wife, two-time NCAA Track & Field National Champion Willie Hordge (Track & Football, ’09) and six-time All-American Latoya Edwards-Hordge (Track, ’10), will lead a class of six into the Buffalo State Athletics Hall of Fame at this year’s induction ceremony on Sept. 23.
National track champion Xavier Mateen (Track, ’11), Ashley Parker (Lacrosse, ’08), Mary Cohen (Hockey, ’08), and legendary late football assistant coach Gene Zinni (Honorary) will complete the Class of 2016.
Hordge captured NCAA Division III titles in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the 2007 outdoor championships. He was the SUNYAC Runner of the Meet during the conference outdoor championships, sweeping titles in the 100 and 200 as well as in the 4×100-meter relay. Hordge also won the indoor SUNYAC title in the 200-meter dash in that season and went on to be an All-American, placing fourth in the 55-meter dash. After an injury-plagued 2008, he returned in 2009 and won SUNYAC outdoor titles in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. He also played two seasons with the Bengals’ football team, including scoring 10 touchdowns while rushing for 607 yards on 131 carries as a running back in 2009.
Edwards-Hordge is one of the most elite sprinters in the history of the Bengals’ women’s track and field programs and helped deliver the team’s first-ever SUNYAC Indoor Championships in 2009 and 2010. The SUNYAC Runner of the Meet at both the indoor and outdoor championships as a senior and also earned the honor at the indoor meet as a sophomore. She finished her career as a 12-time SUNYAC Champion. She also earned six All-America certificates, including two with the 4×100-meter relay. She was also a three-time All-American in the 55-meter dash, including placing third in 2008, and added a fourth place finish in the 200-meter dash at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Mateen assembled a productive career before breaking through as a standout senior when he captured the 2011 NCAA Division III Indoor title in the 55-meter dash. He also won the event at the SUNYAC Championships that season and placed third in the 200-meter dash. He went on to win SUNYAC Runner of the Meet honors at the outdoor championships where he won the 100 and 200-meter dashes and the 4×100-meter relay. He was also a two-time NCAA Qualifier with the 4×100-meter relay, and won conference titles with the 4×100-meter relay in 2008 and 2010 and won the 4×400-meter relay in 2008.
Parker becomes the first women’s lacrosse player inducted into the Hall. A three-time All-SUNYAC selection as a defender, she was an integral member of the women’s lacrosse team during its rise to prominence in the mid-2000s. Parker earned first team All-SUNYAC accolades during her sophomore and senior seasons and was second team as a junior. She holds the school record for most ground balls in a season (58) and in a career (135), and also has the career mark for caused turnovers (82).
Cohen was a two-time All-ECAC West selection as a defenseman with the women’s hockey team, earning honorable mention status twice. She was also named to the league’s All-Rookie team in 2004-05. A three-year captain, she holds the career records for goals (15) and assists (25) by a defenseman. She also holds the school single-season marks for assists (10) and points (16) by a defenseman.
Zinni will enter the Hall as an honorary member for his work as an offensive line coach for nearly 20 years with the Bengals’ football program. Respected and loved by his former players for his football knowledge and great sense of humor, Zinni played a vital role in helping Buffalo State earn 10-consecutive postseason berths from 1991-2000. His 2015 offensive line unit helped the running game average 190 yards per game while allowing just 15 sacks in 11 games. He was also an accomplished player as a member of the famed 1958 University at Buffalo football team that forfeited the only bowl bid the program had ever received. The team won the Lambert Cup, the Eastern U.S. small-college football championship and was invited to play in the 1958 Tangerine Bowl against Florida State. The team voted to turn down the bowl invitation after learning that they would be allowed to participate only if the team’s two black players stayed home. Zinni passed away on Feb. 25, 2016 at the age of 79.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be part of Homecoming/Family Weekend Festivities. The evening begins with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. on the floor of the Sports Arena followed by the induction ceremony. Tickets are $20 and may be purchased by contacting Senior Associate Athletics Director Tom Koller at (716) 878-6514 or kollertc@buffalostate.edu.
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