By Christina Easter
After being named the new Executive Director of Athletics, Wellness and Recreation in July 2024, Anthony Franklin will be responsible for ensuring the Triceratops continue to have coaches and student athletes who make Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) a premiere sports program.
The 2023-2024 season was filled with successes on and off the court which resulted in one conference championship, two first place finishes, four coaches winning Coach of the Year, 30 All-Academic honorees, and 15 Triceratops signing with a four-year college or university to continue their career.
Franklin should be up to the challenge as he just served as the manager of Athletics, Wellness and Recreation at Tri-C Metropolitan Campus. This was after starting as a volunteer with Tri-C and serving as the student support supervisor for many years.
Franklin holds a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He also earned credentials as a sport management agent advisor.
Franklin is passionate about alumni maintaining a connection to the College. In 2023, he was instrumental in track and field record holder Christine Pendlton being hired as Tri-C’s first female coach of cross country and track and field.
In 2022, he saw his years of dedication and determination payoff and was responsible for bringing NBA Hall of Famer Ben Wallce back to the College for a jersey retirement ceremony.
Tri-C is part of the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) and the Triceratops compete in soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country, track and field, baseball and softball. At the end of the 2023-2024 season, the College won its first OCCAC All-Sports Award after the baseball team finished in first place and won the OCCAC championship; women’s basketball finished in first place; the softball team finished in second place; and men’s basketball finished in third place.
Coaches and student athletes also won individual awards for on and off the court achievements. Kyle Stahlberg (baseball), Bryan Komlos (softball), and Jasmine Frierson and Dion Griffin (women’s basketball) were each named OCCAC Coach of the Year.
Six student-athletes earned All-Academic Status with a 4.0 GPA while completing 12 or more credits during the semester. Another 24 student-athletes also earned All-Academic status with a GPA of 3.3 or better.
Twelve baseball players will continue their career at a four-year college or university, as will members of softball, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball teams.
As the new Director of Athletics and Wellness, Franklin will be an integral part of continuing development of Tri-C;s athletic and recreation programs. Franklin will be responsible for help grow avenues of revenue generation, expand brand awareness and enhance recreation and wellness programming.
Keep up with the Triceratops at Tri-C Athletics website.
