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Headmaster Donald Cushing with HOF Ta’Quan Zimmerman
Athletic Director and HOF inductee Tom Espinosa and HOF inductee Ron Coderre
PUTNAM — At the recent Putnam Science Academy inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame eight were inducted.
Four former athletes, a contributor, coach, super fan and a team were inducted into the Putnam Science Academy Hall of Fame. The 7-foot big man Rundell Mauge, who played for the Mustangs back in 2008, still holds the record for most points (44), rebounds (26) and blocks (15) in a single game. Mauge also swatted everything in sight with 187 blocks in a single season.
Enes Ulukaya, who played for PSA from 2006 through 2009 and accumulated 580 points, was also inducted. Ulukaya also helped PSA capture its first Coastal Prep League Championship which it went on to win 3 straight times.
Ta’Quan Zimmerman scored 26.6 points per game in his lone season and that remains the most ever per game by a Mustang with players like UConn product Mamadou Diarra and Kentucky-Wildcat-turned-NBA-pro Hamidou Diallo playing in the same gym.
Dayshon “Scoochie” Smith went on to play at Division I Dayton where he made his mark before playing in the Cleveland Cavaliers organization. Scoochie scored over 1,000 points at PSA and ranks first all-time in steals with 205 in 2012 through 2013.
The 2012-2013 basketball team reached the Elite 8 in the National Prep Championship tournament after an impressive 29-5 record. At the time, that was the furthest the Mustangs have ever gone in the National Prep tournament.
Bryan Sailor, an outgoing fan who has become family at PSA, was inducted as a Super Fan for his time and effort that he puts in to the program at Putnam Science. Sailor has attended more than 90 percent of all PSA games.
Ron Coderre was voted in undoubtedly as a contributor for what he has been able to do for not only PSA as a school but their athletics as well. Coderre was the first to cover Putnam Science Academy basketball by writing in the local papers and also helped develop the “Mustang Club” which still to this day is PSA’s biggest fund-raiser.
The last induction was Tom Espinosa. “Espo” coached multiple sports before settling in as the head men’s basketball coach where he has gone on to win 79 percent of his games. Espinosa has not only won during the regular season but he also won when it mattered most bringing home the 2018 National Prep Championship last year. In his time at Putnam Science Academy, Espo is responsible for helping send more than 40 athletes to Division I programs across the country.
Josh Sanchas
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy