Worcester, MA --- Teammates Stephen Kokernak '63 and Don Cushing '66 have each been recently honored as inductees in the 2009 New England Basketball Hall of Fame class. The ceremony was held at Mohegan Sun Casino on Friday, October 9.
Kokernak was honored for his contributions as a player at the Division III level while Cushing was distinguished in the Ron Perry grouping for his contributions as a player and coach at both the college and high school levels. Both gentlemen are also members of the Lancer Hall of Fame.
Kokernak was a four-year guard who was the first player to top 1,000 points as he notched 1,486 points in his outstanding career. His total is eight-best all-time. From 1960-63 the squads that he played on compiled a 55-30 record as they reached the New England State College Conference finals three times. The 1962 team won the championship over Gorham, Maine State College, which is now the current University of Southern Maine.
Kokernak also earned the distinction of being the Worcester Area Coaches-Sportswriters Association MVP in the 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons. Kokernak was inducted into the second ever WSC Hall of Fame class in 1987.
Following his graduation from Worcester State, Kokernak was a varsity basketball coach at Clinton High School from 1963 to 1965 and he was an assistant coach at Doherty from 1969-1980. Kokernak was a mathematics teacher at Doherty who retired from teaching in 2002. Kokernak worked for six years as a bookkeeper for his sons company, Back Channel Media, before he retired for good in 2008.
Kokernak remains active as he spends his time golfing, cruising, hiking and with his wife and family.
Cushing was a solid four-year forward who ended his career with 1,003 points and 1,001 rebounds. Cushing was named a co-captain in his senior year and he was tabbed as the MVP of the Worcester Area Coaches-Sports Writers Association in 1966.
After he graduated, Cushing became the head coach at Bartlett High in Webster for both the basketball and soccer teams. On the hardwood his squads posted a record of 405-162, reached the state tournament 21 times and won 15 league titles. In 2003 Cushing was elected into the Massachusetts High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. In different stages of his 35 years at Bartlett he was a teacher, assistant principal, coach and athletic director.
Cushing is currently the first assistant coach for the Worcester State men's basketball team and he is a principal at St. Joseph's School in Webster. Cushing remains active in the Worcester State Hall of Fame Committee, once serving as its chairman. Cushing was also honored in 2007 with the Paul N. Johnson Award for his contributions to basketball in Central Massachusetts. Cushing was a member of the 1988 Lancer Hall of Fame Class.
Cushing's wife, brother and two daughters are also all WSC graduates.
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2009 New England Basketball Hall of Fame Class
