Harry H. Simmons Memorial Scholarship - Created by the Simmons family to honor "The Chief" and his wife (Bodie), the Harry H. Simmons Memorial Scholarship Fund supports the athletic program at Colorado State University at Pueblo. "The Chief" passed away March 27, 1990 prior to the NCAA's "Final Four" at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. His services were held on the morning of the national championship game where his family greeted friends, former players, and coaching and athletic administration colleagues from around the region and country.
Harry H. Simmons Memorial Scholarship Recipients
- Kelly Dorenkamp, 1994-1995 & 1995-1996
- Peron Austin, 1996-1997& 1997-1998
- Willie Duncan, 1998-99
- Ryan Stoll, 1999-2000
- Shedrick Hawkins, 1999-2000
- Bob Carmody, 2000-2001
- Darius Pope, 2001-2002
- Mike Folda, 2002-2003
- Alfred Sanchez, 2003-2004
- Brian Vecchio, 2004-2005
- Brian Wood, 2005-2006
- Brett Cloepfil, 2006-2007
- Ty McTyer, 2007-2008
Harry" Chief Simmons - A legendary coach in Southern Colorado, Simmons was well-known as "The Chief". A Marine veteran, Simmons coached men's basketball for 35 years (1945-1980) at what is now Colorado State University at Pueblo. Between Pueblo Junior College, Southern Colorado State College and the University of Southern Colorado, Simmons compiled a 603-326 (64.9%), 11 national tournament appearances, including the National Junior College Athletic Association title in 1961. Simmons is a member of several Hall of Fame organizations, including the NAIA, the National Association of Athletics Directors, the National Junior College Athletic Association, the Colorado Sports and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The RMAC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year Award is called the Harry "Chief" Simmons Award. His overall coaching record for 40 seasons was 701-348 (66.8%), including 67-7 at Vineland High School (1939-40), 15 -8 at Fountain High School (1941) and 16-7 at Trinidad State Junior College (1942). His coaching career took a two-year hiatus when he served in World War II from 1943-1945.
Harry H. Simmons Memorial Scholarship Recipients
Kelly Dorenkamp, 1994-1995 & 1995-1996 - A 1996 graduate of CSU-Pueblo with a BSBA degree in Business Administration, Dorenkamp currently resides in Lamar where he works as a Retail Buyer for Big R of Lamar, inc., a retail story chain with nine stores in Colorado, including the one in Pueblo. During his three-year CSU-Pueblo career, the 6-2 Dorenkamp scored 990 points (11.6 average) with 223 rebounds, 175 assists and 115 steals for 85 career games. A 1991 graduate of Granada (Colo.) High School, he is the son of Joe and Debra Dorenkamp. After playing freshman football at Mesa State, Dorenkamp played a season at Lamar Community College for former ThunderWolf standout Brian Hochevar before transferring to CSU-Pueblo.
Peron Austin. 1996-1997 & 1997-1998 - A recreation major at CSU-Pueblo, Austin works for the Pueblo Parks and Recreation Department while teaching at Centennial High School where he is also the junior varsity basketball coach. A 1990 graduate of San Francisco Riordan High, the 6-foot Austin played two seasons at Napa Valley College before completing his career at CSU-Pueblo where he scored 335 points and grabbed 199 rebounds while being credited with 389 assists and 190 steals. He is the son of Thurman and Ann Austin.
Willie Duncan, 1998-99 - A Mass Communications major at CSU-Pueblo, Duncan is currently living in Aurora, Colo., and working at Ridgeview Academy, a school for at-risk youth. A 1995 graduate of Chicago Simeon High School, the 6-6 Duncan played two years at Elgin Community College before finishing at CSU-Pueblo where he ranks among the career leaders in field goal percent (312 of 507, 61) while scoring 789 points and grabbing 279 rebounds for 57 games as a ThunderWolf. He is the son of Mary Duncan.
Ryan Stoll, 1999-2000 - A 1995 graduate from Summit High School in Frisco, Colo., the 6-3 Stoll was sociology major at CSU-Pueblo. Stoll compiled 75 points, 96 rebounds, 64 assists and 61 steals for 89 games during his four-season career at CSU-Pueblo. Stoll is currently working in the fitness business in Denver. He is the son of Dave and Bev Stoll.
Shedrick Hawkins, 1999-2000 - A 1993 graduate of Baton Rouge (La.) Broadmoor High School, Hawkins played only one season at CSU-Pueblo where he scored 87 points and grabbed 73 rebounds for the Thunderwolves. A Criminal Justice major, the 6-6 Hawkins played two seasons at Western Wyoming Junior College (1993-1995) before enrolling initially at CSU-Pueblo where he red-shirted for the 1995-96 season. Hawkins is currently employed at a rubber factory in Baton Rouge. He is the son of Jeremiah and Sheila Hawkins.
Bob Carmody, 2000-2001 - An accounting major at CSU-Pueblo, the 6-3 Carmody played at Kishwaukie College before playing his final two seasons for Joe Folda where he scored 708 points (12.9 average) and grabbed 178 rebounds for 55 games. As a Thunderwolf, he also compiled 114 assists and 92 steals while shooting 50.9 percent from the field (237 of 466). A 1997 graduate of Crystal Lake (III.) High School, he is the son of Bob Carmody and Judy Bejcek. Carmody works for Wachovia in Chicago, but will be relocating to the Denver-area.
Darius Pope, 2001-2002 - A 1999 graduate of Colorado Springs Mitchell, the 6-3 Pope played four seasons at CSU-Pueblo where he was an education major. Pope was as an AII-RMAC West first-team pick for the 2003-2004 season and he finished as CSU-Pueblo's career three-point leader with 264 made. Playing 107 games (69 as a starter), Pope ranks 13th in CSU-P all-time career scoring with 1,226 points. He had career averages of 11.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in his four years at CSU-Pueblo. A music education teacher in Aurora, he is the son of Cromwell and Lynette Pope.
Mike Folda, 2002-2003 - The son of the CSU-Pueblo athletic director, Folda is an assistant basketball coach at Trinidad State Junior College where he also coaches the golf team. After graduating from Pueblo East High School, the 5-10 Folda played two seasons at Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College. A 2004 graduate of CSU-Pueblo with an exercise science degree, Folda compiled 179 points, 78 rebounds, 117 assists and 33 seasons in 54 games for the Thunderwolves. A Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic pick as a senior, he is the son of Joe and Rosie Folda. His father played two years at Northeastern before completing his college career at the University of Northern Colorado. Joe Folda compiled a 314-196 in 17 years as the ThunderWolf coach (1987-2005) before being replaced by Patrick Eberhart.
Alfred Sanchez, 2003-2004 - After completing his career at CSU-Pueblo, Sanchez completed his education at New Mexico Highlands where he earned a degree in Elementary Education. He is currently teaching at Abobe Acres Elementary School in Albuquerque, N. M. A three-year starter at CSU-Pueblo, Sanchez was an all-RMAC West first-team pick for the 2002-2003 season as a junior. His father is the principal at Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque while his mother and three sisters are also teachers. Sanchez posted career averages of 15.4 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in starting 80 of 82 games in his three-year career. He led the team in scoring his final two seasons in Pueblo (2002-2003 and 2003-2004) as he ranks ninth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1265 career-points. His 153 assists in 2003 were the seventh-highest single season total in school history.
Brian Vecchio, 2004-2005 - A December 2005 CSU-Pueblo graduate with a major in physical education and a minor in education, the 6-9 Vecchio is coaching and teaching at Manitou Springs High School where he earned all-state honors. He was a two-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic selection. Vecchio started 95 of the 108 games he played at CSU-Pueblo. He ranks 16th on the all-time scoring list with 1,183 career points. Vecchio led the team in scoring in 2004-2005 at 15.4 points per game. His 260 career 3-pointers made ranks second all-time. He posted career averages of 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He is the son of Ken and Brenda Vecchio. His father played at Wyoming.
Brian Wood, 2005-2006 - A 2001 graduate of Buena Vista High School where he finished his career at the state's all-time scoring leader (2,551. 24.8 average), Wood played two seasons at Akron before finishing his career at CSU-Pueblo. Wood saw action in 51 CSU-Pueblo games with 41 starts. He led the team in scoring in 2005-06 with 10.8 points per game average. Wood averaged 7.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in his two years in a ThunderWolf uniform. Wood also charted 30 steals and five blocks. Married to his high school sweetheart (Chrystal) Wood is currently living in Fountain where he is a math teacher at Fountain Middle School and assistant basketball coach at Fountain-Fort Carson High School. His brother Drew, a standout linebacker at Colorado State University, also ranks among the Colorado career prep scoring leaders (23.3 points per game.).
Brett Cloepfil, 2006-2007 - A Greeley West High School graduate, Cloepfil finished his CSU-Pueblo career by being a second-team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference West selection for the 2006-2007 season as he led the Thunderwolves in scoring with a 13.1 average. Cloepfil made 57 of 63 free throws (90.5) as a senior and ranked among the NCAA Division II three-point shooters (71 of 175, .40.6). He set a school record with 41-straight free throws in 2006-2007 as he led the RMAC in free-throw percentage. Cloepfil played in 73 CSU games (35 starts) during his five years in Pueblo, and shot 41.1 percent for three-point attempts (118 of 287) and 90.4 percent (85 of 94) from the free throw line. He had career averages of 7.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. An Exercise Science and Mass Communications major, he is the son of Steve and Ann Cloepfil.
Ty McTyer, 2007-2008 - A native of Las Vegas, Nev., McTyer played two seasons for CSU-Pueblo after competing two seasons at Florida Atlantic University. At FAU, McTyer played in 48 games where he averaged 15.2 minutes, 3.7 points and 2.6 assists per contest. During his two seasons at CSU-Pueblo, McTyer started 29 of 46 games and averaged 24.5 minutes, 8.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He started 20 of 28 games as a junior in 2006-2007 with a 10.3 scoring average while compiling 2.6 assists per contest. An Education major at CSU-Pueblo, the 6-0 McTyer was an all-state player at Las Vegas Durango High School where he average 17 points, eight assists and nine rebounds as a senior. He is the son of Cherrie LaNier.
