Connecticut College Athletic Hall of Fame
One of Connecticut College’s first recruited blue-chip basketball players, Peter Dorfman '84 was a competitive and dominating player who helped the men’s basketball program reach the next level of competition and gain respect in the NESCAC and New England Division III.
Prior to Dorman’s arrival in the fall of 1980, the men’s basketball team’s record was 4-19 in 1979-80 and rarely above .500 before that. He had an immediate impact as a staring freshman center, helping turn the program around in the next few years. In his tenure, the Camels dominated the Whaling City Ford Tournament, winning the championship in 1980, 1982, and 1983, and finishing as runner-up in 1981.
In his senior season, he led the 1983-84 Camels to a 21-4 record as the team broke several school records, including season wins (21) and consecutive wins (8). The squad also earned the program’s first post-season appearance and reached the finals of the 1984 ECAC New England Division III Tournament.
Individually, the four-year starter was a three-time team Most Valuable Player (1981, 1982, 1984) who served as a co-captain in the 1983-84 season. With good hands for a soft shooting touch, Dorfman shot an impressive career .551 field goal percentage while scoring 1,257 points (currently ranking fourth all-time), all before the three-point shot was in effect. At 6’8”, he was also impressive on the boards, graduating with school records for rebounds in a season (243) and career (817, 8.9 per game average), in addition to having a wide arm span for blocking numerous opponent shots.
