Hall of Fame Class of 2013

Bulldogs welcome ten new members to its Athletics Hall of Fame
Celebration to take place during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend Oct. 11

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University Department of Athletics is pleased to announce the addition of ten new members into the prestigious Athletics Hall of Fame for 2013.

The ten-member Class of 2013 includes Nick Allegretti '04 (lacrosse), Maureen Burns '06 (field hockey/lacrosse), Bill Conaty '67(baseball), Casey Grange '07 (soccer), Michelle Lewis (field hockey/lacrosse), Mary McConnell '04(basketball), Michelle Muniz '06(volleyball), Lorenzo Perry '07(football), Charlie Granatell '08 (football) and Sacha Solomon '07(women's tennis). Each will be officially inducted at the Hall of Fame dinner on Friday, October 11 at the Bello Center on the Bryant campus. 

 


 

One of Bryant’s all-time greats, women’s basketball standout Mary McConnell played 116 games for coach Mary Burke and the Bulldogs from 2000-04 and was a driving force behind one of the most successful teams of the Burke era. As a senior in 2003-04, McConnell averaged 10.7 points per game and led the Black and Gold to a 22-9 overall record, including a run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II tournament. To get there, McConnell starred in a first-round upset over rival Bentley College, scoring 17 points and connecting on a season-high five 3-point field goals. She followed the outing with an impressive 11-rebound performance in a regional semifinal victory over Stonehill College. With 1,182 career points, McConnell currently ranks 11th all-time in the program’s history and owns the second-best single-game free throw percentage with a .909 mark set in 2002 and tied in 2003. She concluded her career shooting .709 (249-351) from the free throw line and earned Third Team All-Northeast-10 Conference honors as a senior. McConnell currently serves as an assistant coach on the Bryant women's basketball coaching staff.




A two-sport standout in both field hockey and women’s lacrosse from 2002-06, Maureen “Mo” Burns earned All-America honors in both sports during her career at Bryant. In field hockey, Burns was one of the most dominant scorers not only within the Northeast-10 Conference, but in the nation as well. Her 28-career goals rank fourth all-time in school history while her 84-career points are third best in the record books. The 2002 NE-10 Freshman of the Year and all-conference second team honoree, Burns would go on to earn two NE-10 First Team accolades (2004, 2005) and garner two Second Team NFHCA All-America awards, also in 2004 and 2005. The 2005 NE-10 Woman of the Year, Burns also collected ECAC and NFHCA Senior All-Star honors and was selected to the NCAA Field Hockey Championship All-Tournament Team as a freshman. In lacrosse, Burns was a first-team all-conference performer for the Bulldogs, appearing and starting in a program-best 69 games while finishing her career as the school’s all-time leader in ground balls with 220. She ranks second in the program record books with 144 career draw controls and is also second with 102 career caused turnovers.




He may have only played two seasons at Bryant, but the impact that Lorenzo Perry had on the Bulldog football program is undeniable, helping to elevate his team into a championship program. A member of the Black and Gold during the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Perry was a two-time All-NE-10 First Team and All-New England pick, earning Associated press All-America honors as a senior in 2006. That same year, he was recognized as the NE-10's Most Valuable Player, later becoming Bryant’s first Harlon Hill Award finalist — and honor given to the top Division II football player in the country. During his career, Perry set school records for rushing yards in a game (313 vs. Stonehill) and rushing yards in a season (1,924), also setting school marks in all-purpose yards in a game (340 vs. Stonehill, 2005) and season (2066 in 2006), touchdowns in a game and season (21 in 2006), and points scored in a season (126 in 2006). Perry ranks  second in career yards with 3,259 and career rushing attempts with 506, and would finish his career with 36 rushing touchdowns. Perry ran for more than 100 yards 10 times in his career and went over the 200-yard mark on six occasions – including four times during the 2006 season. The 2006 Words Unlimited honoree helped lead his team to an 8-3 record and an NCAA playoff berth in 2006.


 

One of the all-time greats in Bryant football history, Charlie Granatell set nearly every program passing record during his career from 2004-07. The starting quarterback from the moment he stepped on campus, Granatell was a two-time team captain, earning a pair of Second Team All-Northeast-10 Conference selections, also being named the 2007 NE-10 Offensive Player of the Year. The school’s all-time career passing leader with 6,984 yards, Granatell also holds school records for passing yards in a season (1,975), career pass attempts (961), career completions (546), completions in a game (29) and in a season (165), and passing touchdowns in a game (4), season (21) and career (56). During his career, Granatell led the Bulldogs to 27 victories and a pair of NCAA playoff appearances.




A four-time USILA All-America selection from 2001-04, Nick Allegretti becomes the third men’s lacrosse player inducted into the Bryant Athletics hall of Fame, joining former teammates Kevin Barletta and Jon Yuengling. After transferring from Johns Hopkins University, Allegretti proved to be one of the best defensive players not only in the league, but in the country, earning three First Team All-America honors and one Second Team selection. Allegretti started all 16 games as a freshman in 2001 and anchored a defensive unit that was ranked in the top-5 nationally for goals allowed. An All-New England selection and New England Rookie of the Year, Allegretti played in 65-career games at Bryant, the third-most in program history.




A standout in both field hockey and women’s lacrosse from 2001-05, Michelle Lewis was not only successful in athletics, but in the classroom as well. A Presidential Scholar recipient and CoSIDA Academic All-American, Lewis was selected to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic All-America squad as a senior in 2004. In field hockey, Lewis received NFHCA All-America honors as a standout defender, leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA Final Four in 2003. In the spring, she helped anchor a standout defensive unit and was recognized with First Team All-Northeast-10 accolades as well as a second team all-region distinction.




Considered the top women’s soccer player to ever play for the Bulldogs, Casey Grange enters the Bryant Athletics Hall of Fame as the greatest offensive player of head coach Christ Flint’s tenure. A 2006 National Soccer Coaches Association All-America selection, Grange played in 85 games (third all-time) from 2003-06 and concluded her career as the program’s all-time leader in goals (40), assists (21) and points (101). In addition, she holds the records for career shots (207), career shots on goal (99), goals in a season (19), points in a season (46), game-winning goals in a season (6), shots in a season (94) and shots on goal in season (56). Her 11-career game-winning goals rank second in program history. A three-time Northeast-10 All-Conference selection, Grange was twice named a National Soccer Coaches Association and New England Intercollegiate Soccer Association All-Region selection.




The Bulldog women’s tennis team became a true contender, both in the Northeast-10 and regionally, from the very moment Sacha Solomon stepped onto the Bryant University campus. From 2003-07, Solomon helped establish the Bulldogs as one of the most dominant women’s tennis programs in the region, winning her way to four-consecutive NCAA appearances and an ITA Individual Regional Championship. During her career, Solomon posted a remarkable 61-16 overall record and was 41-3 in four years of Northeast-10 Conference play – all at No. 1 singles. A four-time Northeast-10 All-Conference selection, Solomon was recognized as the 2004 NE-10 Rookie and Player of the Year and was twice named the Bryant University Athlete of the Year.




In the long, storied history of Bryant volleyball, Michelle Muniz becomes the ninth volleyball player to enter the Athletics Hall of Fame. A four-time Northeast-10 All-Conference selection, Muniz earned the distinction of NE-10 Player of the Year three times and was voted the conference freshman of the year in 2002. A part of 128-career victories from 2002-06, Muniz was a four-time AVCA All-Region selection and two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention recipient, leading the Bulldogs to four-consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and three trips to the NCAA Sweet 16. She graduated as the program’s all-time career leader in kills (2,320), kills per set (4.67), attempts (5,437) and points (2,796.5). She currently sits third all-time with 315-career service aces and is second with 1,982-career digs and 3.99 digs per set.




Considered one of the best defensive players on the 1967 baseball team, Bill Conaty hit over .300 at the plate during three of his four years at Bryant. Late Hall of Fame coach Wally Camper considered Conaty one of his best leaders, a trait that would follow Conaty into the business world where he served as a long-time employee of General Electric, escalating as high as Senior Vice President under Jack Welch. In 1999, Conaty was awarded with the prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award, and in 2012, thanks to his generous support, Bryant baseball and softball opened beautiful newly renovated facilities at Conaty Park, named in his honor.




Members of the Bryant Athletics Hall of Fame are elected every two years into three different categories: student-athletes, coaches and administrators, and teams. The Class of 2013 brings hall of fame membership to 114 since its inception in 1987. For more information about this year's class and the Bryant Athletics hall of Fame, please visit bryantbulldogs.com.