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- Year:
- 1970-1972
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- Sports Played:
- Football Athlete
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- Induction Year:
- 2023
Bio
Setting records at Orange Coast College is a feat on to itself. Setting records that haven’t been broken in over 50 years makes you a hall of famer. Such is the case for OCC football standout Craig “Zeke” Zaltosky. A Huntington Beach High School graduate, Zaltosky came to OCC and forever left his legacy when the freshman racked up 11 interceptions for the Pirates during the 1970 season. In fact, he also set a school and national record with six interceptions IN ONE GAME, accomplishing the feat against San Diego Mesa (with three returned for touchdowns). As a sophomore, Zaltosky accounted for six more interceptions, bringing his career record to 17. Zeke’s single-game, single-season and career interception records still stand to this day, 53 years later. His strong defensive play earned Zaltosky JC All-American honors as a freshman and as a sophomore at OCC. In addition to being a lockdown free safety, Zaltosky also was a punt and kickoff return specialist. His 59 career punt returns are the most for an OCC player and he’s tied with fellow HOFer, Mike Hunter, with four punt return touchdowns. In 1971, Zeke was the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year as well as OCC Male Athlete of the Year. After Coast, Craig went on to play at Stanford University, where he still resides in the Cardinal record book in punt return yards. Sadly, Craig died in May of 2004 in an automobile accident in Kona, Hawaii. The Craig Zaltosky Memorial Scholarship was established by friends and teams of both OCC and Stanford.
