| Title: | Class of 1986 |
James Ferdella, basketball has played a major role in your life and you have played a major role in the lives of many basketball players. As a player you were a fiery competitor, a trait which has not diminished throughout your highly successful coaching career.
You showed your relentless desire to perform to the best of your ability while spearheading Worcester State teams to great success from 1964 through 1968.
You were not only an outstanding competitor and team leader for four years, you were also our most consistent scorer and at the time of your graduation you were the leading all-time scorer with 1,534 points. You were captain of the team in both your junior and senior years and you held the record for the most free throws in a game, a season and a career. You established a single game scoring record with 41 points and you were named the team's most valuable player three times. In 1965, you were the first freshman ever selected MVP by the Worcester Coaches-Sportcasters Association.
You were an assistant coach at Worcester Boys Trade for three years and then you became the first and only head coach at Shepherd Hill Regional High in 1973, where you also teach. Your teams have won two Clark Tournaments, a district championship and made it to the state semi-finals once. You have produced 12 winning teams in the past 13 years and have been director of the Shepherd Hill basketball camp for 10 years.
James Ferdella, it is with great pride that we induct you into the Worcester State College Athletic Hall of Fame as a charter member.