February 16, 2024 – Santa Fe College (SF) Athletics is excited to welcome all Santa Fe Saints Alumni on Saturday, Feb. 17. The celebration will also include honoring Harry Tholen, long-time Santa Fe Saints baseball coach.
Santa Fe College Athletics has been in place since the late 1970’s and currently hosts women’s basketball, men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, women’s softball, and men’s baseball, all of whom compete in the Florida College System and NJCAA Division I. Athletic Director Chanda Stebbins (former women’s basketball coach), Coach Johnny Wiggs (current men’s baseball coach), and Coach Chris Mowry (current men’s basketball coach) are the winningest coaches in their sport in the SF Athletics record books. The Saints have had multiple state championships and national tournament appearances in their forty-five-year history. Saturday will be a day when the Saints welcome back all alumni from multiple generations.
SF Athletics will also dedicate the baseball field in Harry Tholen’s name. Due to possible inclement weather, the baseball game originally scheduled for Saturday will now be played Friday with Tholen throwing out the first pitch for the noon start. Coach Johnny Wiggs, SF Alumni himself from the late 1980’s, attributes a lot of his confidence to the leadership of retired Coach Harry Tholen.
“Everyone loves Coach Tholen,” Coach Wiggs said, “even the umpires like him! He has been a hard act to follow but I have valued his support as a volunteer these last 16 years.”
Despite the weather predictions, Saturday promises to be a bright day as the Saints will move the celebration indoors to the gymnasium. All interested in attending are asked to join the SF Alumni at 10:30 a.m. for a brunch and then the Harry Tholen Field Dedication ceremony at 11:30 a.m.
Coach Harry Tholen was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011, the FCSAA Hall of Fame in 2004, the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Santa Fe College Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition to his contributions to Saints Athletics, Tholen has also coordinated the NJCAA/Chinese Taipei Series in 2008 and took an NJCAA All-Star team to China and Japan on multiple occasions. Within Santa Fe College, Tholen served as a baseball coach for over 30 years, managed the fitness center at Santa Fe for about five years, and taught multiple classes at the college.
“Coach Tholen was leader for me as a young coach guiding me in all things SF,” Athletic Director Chanda Stebbins said. “I quickly realized how respected he was on campus, and he was a great example to me of how to connect with faculty and staff. It is now an honor to be the Athletic Director and in a position to help the college, alumni, and retirees honor such a living legacy of a leader, coach, mentor and person.”
For more information on the day’s events, check out: Alumni Day & Field Dedication.