SUNY Brockport Hall Of Fame Class Of 2006

SUNY Brockport Hall Of Fame

Year Inducted:   2006 |  2005 |  2004 |  2003 |  2002 |  2001 |  2000 |  1999 |  Year-By-Year

Carrie K. Gorton Ciripompa School Counselor Hopatcong School District Roscoe, New York SUNY College at Brockport Undergraduate Major: Psychology '93 Master's Degree: School Counseling '96 Four-year member of the College's track and field team (1990-93); earned multiple honors in the javelin and other throwing events; in the javelin, won the NCAA Division III National Championship as a sophomore in 1991; first female student-athlete in SUNY Brockport history to capture an individual national title; earned NCAA Division III All-American status all four years; four-time champion at both the SUNYAC and NYSWCAA meets; set stadium records in her specialty at Rutgers, Rochester, Ithaca, Albany and SUNY Brockport; named the College's Female Athlete of the Year in 1992 and the team's Athlete of the Year in 1992 and 1993; multiple “Athlete of the Week” awards; also played basketball (1992-93) and women's soccer (1989-90) at the College. Qualified for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials in the javelin; competed at the U.S. Track and Field Nationals in 1997 and qualified from 1997 to 2003; holds the Empire State Games Open Women's Record in the javelin (set in 1996) and was the ESG Champion 13 times (1991 and 1993-2003 and 2006), including the record for most consecutive years with a championship. Currently employed as a School Counselor; has worked in multiple school districts at all levels (K-12) since graduating magna cum laude from Brockport. Back to the top Jennifer M. Feneli-Sullivan Physical Education Teacher Webster Central School District Rochester, New York SUNY College at Brockport Undergraduate Major: Physical Ed. '00 Master's: Liberal Studies '06 The most honored women's basketball player in the College's history; four-year starter (all 106 games the team played) who was a two-time finalist for the Jostens Award as the nation's top Division III women's basketball player; two-time All-American selection (1999 and 2000) by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and D3hoops.com; two-time SUNYAC and ECAC Upstate New York Player of the Year (1999 and 2000); four-time All-SUNYAC and three-time ECAC Upstate New York and Rochester Area College Athletics (RACA) All-Star selection; named National Player of the Week twice in Feb. 2000 by Columbus Multimedia; 2000 SUNYAC Tournament MVP; SUNYAC Player of the Week seven times in career; set or tied 24 school records in her career, including points, rebounds, games played and blocked shots in a season and career; is the all-time leading scorer at Brockport among all male and female basketball players (1,938 points); all-time leading scorer in SUNYAC games (1,291 points); third in NCAA history in blocked shots (340). Has coached varsity and junior varsity basketball and modified soccer at Webster Thomas High School. Head coordinator for Webster's 5th Grade Cooperative Games since 2003; also has coordinated Red Ribbon Week activities at her school, as well as numerous other charitable efforts. Back to the top Melissa DeCoursey Gehringer Special Education Teacher West Canada Valley Schools Chadwicks, New York SUNY College at Brockport '98 Major: Psychology College of Saint Rose '02 Master's Degree: Special Education Three-year standout on the women's softball team and two-year outstanding performer on the tennis team; helped lead Brockport, along with twin sister and Hall of Fame inductee Michelle, to the school's best softball season in 1997 with a 25-8 record and a third-place finish at the NCAA East Regionals; team also won the SUNYAC title in 1997 and reached the state semifinals in 1998 and SUNYAC semifinals in 1999; named All-SUNYAC as a sophomore and senior; named to the NCAA All-Region team in both 1997 and 1998; posted outstanding career statistics with a batting average of .389 and 33 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, in her three-year career; also knocked in 57 runs; still holds the school records for runs in a season with 41 (set in 1997) and defensive assists in a game (eight against Cortland in 1999); the tennis team was 17-4 in her two seasons and finished third and second at the SUNYAC Championships. Transferred to Brockport from Herkimer Community College where she was a standout performer in both sports as well. Currently employed as a Special Education Teacher in the West Canada Valley Central School District; also taught at Herkimer County BOCES and was a Human Service Professional at the Arc of Oneida-Lewis County. Back to the top John F. Parisella School Psychologist and Chairperson Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central Schools Burnt Hills, New York SUNY College at Brockport '81 Major: Recreation and Leisure Studies SUNY Albany '86, '87 Master's: Special Ed./Educational Psychology and Statistics Four-year wrestler with the Golden Eagles; two-time NCAA Division III All-American (1979 and 1980); NCAA Division III National runner-up as a senior (1980); helped lead team to 1980 NCAA Division III national team championship; also was a member of 1977 NCAA Division III national championship team and was part of squad that finished seventh in his sophomore year (1978) and second when he was a junior (1979) before winning again in 1980; two-time New York State Champion (1979 and 1980); SUNYAC Champion in 1980; team was 36-10 in dual meets in his four years and won three SUNYAC titles and finished second in other year. In addition to wrestling at Brockport, won the U.S. National Junior World Team tryouts in Greco-Roman; earned a spot on the U.S. Junior World Greco-Roman Team; Empire State Games Freestyle Champion (1980); Empire State Games Greco-Roman Champion (1979, 1980, 1981). Has been a School Psychologist since 1987 and is currently Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Special Education at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake; holds three degrees from SUNY Albany, including his Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology. Back to the top Betty L. Rich Physical Education Teacher Rochester City School District Rochester, New York SUNY College at Brockport '72 Major: Physical Education Monroe Community College '70 Associate's: Liberal Arts Two-year standout in both basketball and field hockey at Brockport in the early 1970s; had very strong stick skills and was one of the field hockey team's top scorers in her two seasons; top scorer and rebounder on the basketball team; excellent ball handling, game sense and vertical jump made her one of the top players in the area. Basketball coach at East High School for 33 years and track and field coach for 32; high school and college field hockey official for 27 years; two-time Section V track and field chairperson; acting coordinator of instruction for Physical Education, Health and Athletics on three different occasions; All-Greater Rochester Coach of the Year in 1986; received the Black Educators of Rochester Award for Significant Contributions to Education in 1987; coached four high school track and field All-Americans and dozens of State and Sectional champions; high school coach for former 400-meter world record holder Kim Batten; inducted into the Frontier Field Walk of Fame in 1998 with fellow Brockport Hall of Famer Mauro Panaggio and wrestling coaching legend Don Murray; received the Jean Giambrone Service Award for outstanding contributions to female sports in 1999. Has volunteered for numerous organizations, including YL Teen Mentor, New Life Fellowship and Girls Scouts of America. Back to the top Michelle L. DeCoursey Rothe Personal Trainer/Graduate Student Albany, New York SUNY College at Brockport '99 Major: Physical Education Russell Sage College : '07 Doctorate: Physical Therapy Three-year standout on the women's softball team and two-year outstanding performer on the tennis team at the College; helped lead Brockport, along with twin sister and Hall of Fame inductee Melissa, to the school's best softball season in 1997 with a 25-8 record and a third-place finish at the NCAA East Regionals; team also won the SUNYAC title in 1997 and reached the state semifinals in 1998 and SUNYAC semifinals in 1999; named All-SUNYAC and All-Region in 1997 and 1998 and All-State and All-ECAC in 1997 (injured for a significant part of her senior year); also named ECAC Player of the Year in 1997 and to the NCAA All-Tournament team that spring; set an NCAA record for consecutive hits (13) early in her sophomore year; in the final NCAA statistics that season, finished 11th in hitting (.535), 10th in home runs (8), third in RBI (53), 7th in doubles (16) and 8th in slugging percentage (.980); still holds three career, four season and six single-game school records, including career (.428) and season (.535) batting average and home runs in a game (three against RIT in 1997; played first singles in tennis and led team to 17-4 record and third and second place finishes at the SUNYAC Championships. Transferred to Brockport from Herkimer Community College. Currently completing her doctorate in physical therapy at Russell Sage College; coach and fitness coordinator at SUNYIT (2000-04). Back to the top Josh Warner Sales Associate Nielsen Enterprises Vernon Hills , Illinois SUNY College at Brockport '01 Major: Criminal Justice First player in the history of the Golden Eagle football program to play in the National Football League (NFL); four-year offensive lineman for Brockport who started the final three games of his freshman year and every game after that (31 in a row); played in the Aztec Bowl (Division III All-Star game) and was named to numerous All-America teams after his senior season in which he led Brockport to its first NCAA Division III playoff berth; was a first-team All-American selection by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), D3football.com, USAFootball.com, and the Football Gazette; second-team choice on the Hewlett-Packard All-American team; named All-East by the Football Gazette and to the ECAC Upstate New York All-Star team; chosen as the Rochester Area Male Athlete of the Year after his senior season; led team to 8-0 regular season record in 2000; also was named All-ECAC and All-East after his sophomore and junior years. Signed by the New York Giants in the spring of 2001; signed by the Chicago Bears and allocated to play in NFL Europe in 2002; played in 2002, 2003 and part of 2004 with the Bears before signing with the Washington Redskins in 2005. Currently works in the power sports industry in the Chicago area for Nielsen Enterprises. Back to the top T.J. Williams Chair of Phys. Ed./Athletic Director Newton North High School Newtonville , Massachusetts SUNY College at Brockport '69 Major: Health and Physical Education North Carolina , Chapel Hill '70 Master's: Physical Education Standout soccer player for the Golden Eagles in the late 1960s; as a senior, led team to the last of seven undefeated seasons in school history; Golden Eagles went 11-0-1 with only blemish a 3-3 tie in the NCAA Tournament against Army (Cadets advanced on corner kicks); was team captain that year; also was an All-American that season and was named All-New York State for the second consecutive year and All-SUNYAC for the second time (also in 1966). After completing his career at Brockport, was selected in the North American Soccer league (NASL) draft by the Rochester Lancers in 1969. Started his coaching career in 1970 as the men's varsity assistant and head freshman coach at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; also was head coach at Dean College in Franklin, MA, and was soccer coordinator at Louisiana State; most of his coaching and administrative duties have been at Newton High School (since 1976), where he coached 19 All-Americans, was a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Coach of the Year Finalist, had two top-ranked teams (1989 and 1992) and has been athletic director and chair of physical education to name just a few of his numerous honors and accomplishments; posted a 211-14-14 girls high school coaching record. Back to the top