Class of 1998
Javier Centeno
Centeno was a graceful midfielder with tremendous passing skills and had a knack for scoring.
He was a major part of one of CCRI’s most successful soccer teams. He was a two-time NJCAA All-American, and was a two-time All-New England first-team. From the 1985 CCRI regional finalists that ranked as high as 5th in the nation, Centeno was 1 of 5 all-region selections. He was the team’s MVP in 1987.
Being an All-Stater from Central Falls High School, after CCRI, he went to play professionally for the Miami Freedom in the American Professional Soccer League and played for the Rhode Island Sting Rays of U.S.I.S.L.; as well as being invited to the 1996 Major League Soccer combine in Los Angeles.
Centeno has been inducted into the New England Soccer Hall of Fame in 2015, was named RI Boys Youth Soccer Coach of the Year once, he has served as a Youth Supervisor for the Central Falls School Department, and starting in 2002, Centeno has been involved with an organization named Project GOAL as a Director of Soccer and Co-Founder.
Jerilyn Johnson
Johnson turned the 1990-1991 CCRI women’s basketball season into an array of achievements, as a freshman became an All-Region and All-Conference second team. In that ‘90-’91 season, she gained a national prominence.
The former Central Falls High School standout was a Kodak All-American, earned her name on the all-time leading scorers list, and at that time, she set 12 CCRI records in one year. she averaged 21.3 points per game and after graduating from CCRI, she took her talents and dedication to Rhode Island College, becoming a two-time All-Little East selection, as well as Athlete of the Year in 1992.
Johnson accomplished all of this while also working full-time. She was also inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Scott Perry
Perry's baseball career started with a flourish; he was the team’s MVP as a freshman in 1980. It didn’t stop there, he continued to achieve so much more by the time he completed his career.
He became New England Player of the Year and NJCAA All-American in 1981. He led the nation in RBIs (runs batted in) per game, averaging 1.91 per game. Perry set seven former CCRI records and had a .455 batting average, 51 hits, 9 home runs, 10 doubles, and 49 RBIs; in that year he was selected as the team’s MVP again.
In 1981, he was selected by the Texas Rangers of the MLB and was put into their farm team in Florida and after an injury cutting his career short, Perry has coached youth sports and continued to play in the Rhode Island Senior Baseball League.
Joseph Rossi
Not many accomplish the achievement that Rossi accomplished, in his first game at CCRI, he pitched a no hitter. He had an immediate impact on the team, being the team’s MVP and an NJCAA All-New England in his freshman year.
He became a two-time New England Junior College All-Star team member in 1977. Once graduating from CCRI, he led Rhode Island College to an NCAA Division III World Series berth, then he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 1981, Rossi led the farm team of the Dodgers to win the pennant in the California league and after, he played professionally in Italy for 3 years, with 2 of them being as a player-manager.
Donald Tencher
Tencher packed a century’s worth of dedication, vision, zeal, innovation, initiative and success into nearly two decades of employment at CCRI.
From 1978 until 1995, his work ethic was an infectious part of CCRI’s legendary athletic status. From the developments of programs such as the college’s acclaimed National Youth Sports program, programs for student development, marketing, general recreation, and many others were fortified to succeed because of his influence and persistence.
Tencher is a member of many NCAA and NJCAA committees and his administrative knack forged the Colonial States Athletic Conference into an association, as well as becoming its first Commissioner. In 1995, Tencher took over as the Director of Athletics at Rhode Island College. He has served as the Chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee, served on the NCAA’s Initiative Grants Committee, and was appointed to one of the NCAA’s most influential sports committees, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel, where he was the liaison to men's and women's basketball and the committee chair, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) where he is currently a member of its Board of Directors and its national secretary.
In 2017, 2014, 2010, 2006 and 2001, he was selected by NACDA as the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year. He has received the General Robert R. Neyland Lifetime Achievement Award from the All-American Football Foundation and was the recipient of the Frank Keaney Award from the International Institute for Sport. As well as receiving the James J. Corbett Memorial Award; The Corbett Award represents the highest honor anyone can achieve in collegiate athletics.
In addition to his duties as Athletic Director, Tencher was promoted to Assistant Vice President for Administration in October of 2012, a position he held until 2017. He was also inducted into Rhode Island College’s Athletic Hall of Fame.