Hall of Fame Weekend Is Here
Capacity Crowd Expected for Hall of Fame Dinner at Bello
Center
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – A special evening is on tap Friday when Bryant University will officially welcome 10 new members into the Athletics Hall of Fame when the 16th annual Hall of Fame Dinner takes place at the Bello Center.
This year’s class of former athletes and coaches spans six decades and brings the total of members of the Hall of Fame to 109 since the Hall of Fame began back in 1987.
This year’s class includes four All-Americans, seven all-conference players of the year, ten all-New England honors, three who led their respective teams to the NCAA Final Four and one who was the recipient of the prestigious NCAA Sportsmanship of the Year award for all Divisions.
Friday’s event will honor a seven-member Class of 2011 plus three individuals who were selected into the Hall of Fame in 2010. The class of 2011 includes: Mike Williams (men’s basketball ’04), Heidi Chirigotis (field hockey ’04), Jon Yuengling (men’s lacrosse ’04), Mark Verille (men’s soccer ’87) and Max Good (men’s basketball coach, 2001-08). They will be joined by the Class of 2010: Mike Florest (baseball ’04), Allison Kelly (women’s soccer ’04), and Britta Beckman (volleyball ’04).
In addition, two individuals will be honored with the inaugural Legacy category of the Athletics Hall of Fame. The Legacy category was created to help bridge the gap between past generations of outstanding former student-athletes who did not have the opportunity to compete for NCAA championships, competing back before records were kept, but were integral in building the foundation for Bryant Athletics today and were outstanding athletes in their own right.
Bryant University Athletics Hall of Fame
Britta (Beckman) Durow '04 - Women’s Volleyball -
Omaha, Nebraska
Part of 125 career victories from 2000-2003
- Three-time Northeast-10 Conference Setter of the Year
- Three-time First Team All-Conference
- Four-time AVCA All-Northeast Region selection
- AVCA Honorable Mention All-American in 2003
- Daktronics First and Second Team All-Region
- Ranks second all-time in NE-10 history with 6,274 career assists
Mike Florest '04 - Baseball - Franklin, Mass.
- No. 1 starter on Bryant’s 2004 World Series Team
- Holds Bryant’s all-time career record for wins with 26
- All-time leader in strikeouts (244) and complete games (14)
- Currently second all-time with 324.2 innings pitched
- 2004 Northeast-10 Conference First Team and Second Team All-Conference in 2003
- ABCA All-Northeast Region First Team
- All-New England in 2004
Allison (Kelly) Dusiewicz '04 - Women’s Soccer - Trumbull, Conn.
- First Team All-Northeast-10 in 2003
- Second Team All-Northeast-10 in 2001 and 2002
- NSCAA First Team All-Region in 2003 and Second Team All-Region in 2001 and 2002
- All-New England First Team in 2001 and 2003
- All-New England Second team in 2002
- Ranks Second All-Time in school history for career goals and career points
- Two-time Team Captain
Mark Verille '87 - Men's Soccer - Boston, Mass.
- First-ever men’s soccer player to be named First Team Division II All-American
- Four-time All-Northeast-8 (now Northeast-10) Conference selection
- NE-8 Player of the Year as a senior
- Two-Time All-New England
- Bryant’s All-Time Assist Leader with 20 from 1984-86.
Heidi Chirigotis '04 - Field Hockey - Westport, Mass.
- Second Team All-American
- First Team All-Northeast-10 Conference in both 2002 and 2003
- NFHCA Senior All-Star
- Bryant’s All-Time leader in points, goals, game-winning goals, shots, and goals per game
- Led Bryant to NE-10 Conference tournament all four years
- Led Bryant to pair of NCAA Final Four Appearances
- Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year
- Led nation with 27 goals in 2003, the 10th most in Division II history
- Her 56 points in 2003 ranks as the 16th most in Division II history
- Ranks first all-time with 105 career points
Jon Yuengling '04 - Men's Lacrosse - Merrick, N.Y.
- Two-Time Division II All-American
- Three-time Northeast-10 Conference selection
- 2004 Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year
- Three-time All-New England pick
- Bryant’s all-time career leader in goals scores and second all-time in points
- Ranks Seventh All-Time in NCAA Division II history for career points and is second all-time in career goals scored in NCAA history
Max Good - Men's Basketball Coach
- Men’s basketball coach from 2001-08
- Currently head coach at Loyola Marymount University
- Posted 133 career wins in seven seasons
- Led Bryant to five NCAA Appearances, all Sweet-16 Appearances
- New England Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2004
- Rhode Island Coach of the Year by Sportswriters and Newscasters
Mike Williams '04 - Men’s Basketball – Ellington, Conn.
- Member of men’s basketball from 2000-2005
- Key role in leading Bryant to 2005 Regional Championship and berth in NCAA Championship
- 2005 Recipient of NCAA Sportsmanship Award
- 2005 Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year
- Recorded 35 rebounds and 19 blocked shots in just THREE regional games
- Owns school record with 301 career blocks and is 16th with 1,277 career points
- 3.5 GPA and received MBA in just one year
LEGACY
Andy Sundberg '68 Men's Tennis
- One of first members of varsity tennis program
- Represents Bryant with honor and dignity
- Sportsmanship, Integrity, friendship
Phyllis Cicchelli '51 Women's Basketball
- A pioneer of women’s basketball
- Member of original
women’s basketball team
Outstanding supporter of Bryant and it’s athletics program
