Cohen honored for career at College of New Jersey

By Wayne witkowski
Staff Writer

Ocean County College Athletic Director Ilene Cohen (center) stands with OCC’s president, Dr. Jon Larson, and his wife, Judy, during a ceremony in which Cohen was inducted into The College of New Jersey’s Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame.

Ilene Cohen fondly and vividly remembers the 1987 season when the Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey), Ewing, softball team made its run to the NCAA Division III national championship, winning 2-1 over Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Cohen was an all-American center fielder and lead-off hitter on that team. Playing in the national championships at Eastern Connecticut State gave her family, friends and student fans an opportunity to get to the games.

"I still wear the [championship] ring every day," said Cohen. "That whole year was unbelievable. We were ranked in the top five all year long, mostly No. 1 or No. 2. Every once in a while I put in the videotape [of the game]. I can’t describe the feeling."

But Cohen, 37, the director of athletics at Ocean County College, Toms River, had a chance to reflect on those feelings when she was inducted in the fall into the College of New Jersey’s Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame. Donna Skitinni, a pitcher and roommate of Cohen’s, was the presenter during the induction.

"I had been to the college’s hall of fame ceremonies in the past, but when I walked into the room and saw three tables with guests for me, I was very happy with all of the support I had," Cohen said.

Cohen was an integral part of the ’87 team’s success, but had her own season of distinction the following year when she led Division III in hits with 74, and was fifth in batting averages at .487.

Cohen admits she was "pleasantly surprised" when she was told she would get the honor, but was even more moved when she learned her parents had submitted the nomination.

Her memorable college career came on the heels of a superb all-state career at Union High School where she also played center field and was lead-off hitter, batting over .600 in her junior year. She worked as a substitute teacher in the Union Township school system after graduating from college with a degree in recreation administration. Cohen earned a master’s degree in 1998 in athletic administration at The College of New Jersey. She spent 11 years as assistant athletic director and softball coach at Middlesex County College before moving over to Ocean C.C. a year ago.

"I love the position and working here with the employees and staff. It’s a nice family atmosphere," said Cohen.

She has helped revive the women’s athletic program and recently became the head softball coach when Vicky Wagner switched from coaching softball to women’s soccer. The women’s soccer team finished fourth, women’s tennis was second in Region XIX, and most of the teams are very competitive in the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC).

Cohen, who in July was elected president and treasurer of the GSAC for a two-year term, also serves on the executive committee of the College Athletic Association of New Jersey. She was honorary president of the Trenton State College Softball Alumnae from 1990-93.

She has earned coaching honors in recent years, receiving the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XIX Coach of the Year award in 1997, the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association NJCAA East Region Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1998, and the Garden State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award in 1998.

"Softball here last spring was pretty decent," said Cohen. "We took our lumps but we should be better than in the past. We’ll stress teamwork, the whole team aspect, and the importance of unity."

Cohen, who also served as athletics building manager, said she has enjoyed her choice of working with college athletes instead of high school athletes. "I prefer that, but I like working with the young kids in camps," said Cohen.

Now she is working hard with new responsibilities with the college’s men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, tennis and swimming teams, which recently reclassified from Division III to Division II scholarship status. The men’s basketball team is a two-time defending GSAC champion.

With her background of success at TCNJ, Cohen can impart on the coaches and athletes at OCC what is needed to be a national caliber program, which the school already enjoys with swimming and tennis.

"I know what it takes," said Cohen. "I try to push our athletes and coaches. Can we get there [to that level]? Yes. At least we have a nice opportunity here to do so."