Hall of Fame Class Announced
Seven new members to be inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend Nov. 11-12, 2011
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University Department of Athletics is pleased to announce the addition of seven new members into the prestigious Athletics Hall of Fame for 2011. The five-member Class of 2011, 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).
In addition, Bryant will welcome two new Legacy members, Andy Sundberg (tennis ’67) and Phyllis Cicchelli (women’s basketball ’51) in the Hall of Fame for outstanding achievement and dedication. All seven will be honored during Hall of Fame Weekend festivities on Nov. 11-12, 2011.
These five individuals will join the three-member Hall of Fame Class of 2010, Mike Florest (baseball ’04), Allison Kelly (women’s soccer ’04), and Britta Beckman (volleyball ’04) for induction into the Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of Hall of Fame members to 102.
Arguably the best big man to play basketball at Bryant, Williams enjoyed a stellar career at Bryant from 2000 to 2005, playing a key role in the team’s run to the NCAA National Championship game as a senior in 2005.
Williams led Bryant to its first-ever Northeast Regional Championship with a win over rival Bentley in the final game to earn a spot in the NCAA Elite Eight. The 6-foot-11 center recorded an amazing 35 rebounds and 19 blocks in the three regional games. The 2005 NCAA Division II Sportsmanship Award recipient currently holds all of Bryant’s single-game, single-season, and career blocking records and ranks third all-time with 987 career rebounds and second in school history with a 7.7 career rebounding average.
One of the most successful field hockey players in school history, Chirigotis becomes the first field hockey player to be elected into the Bryant Athletics Hall of Fame. A 2004 graduate, Chirigotis finished her career as the all-time leader in points, points per game, goals, goals per game, game-winning goals, shots attempted, and shots per game in both a season and a career.
She helped lead Bryant to the NE-10 Conference Tournament all four years, including a berth into the conference championship game in 2002 and a conference title in 2003. She was a member of Bryant’s NCAA Division II Final Four teams in 2002 and 2003 earning All-America honors by the NFHCA as a senior in 2003, as well as NE-10 Conference Player of the Year and NCAA All-Tournament Team honors.
Yuengling becomes the second former men’s lacrosse standout to earn induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame. A two-time USILA All-American and three-time All-Northeast-10 Conference selection, including the title of 2004 NE-10 Player of Year, Yuengling currently ranks first all-time in school history with 215 career goals scored – the second-most in NCAA Division II history. His 284 career points are only two behind teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Kevin Barletta ’03 and ranks seventh all-time in NCAA DII history.
A standout men’s soccer player during the mid-1980s, Verille becomes the fourth men’s soccer player to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Bryant’s first men’s soccer player to be named a Division II All-American, Verille was a four-time All-Northeast-10 Conference selection and was named the conference player of the year as a senior while earning a pair of All-New England honors during his junior and senior seasons.
Bryant’s all-time career assist leader with 20, Verille ranks third all-time for single-season assists with eight in 1985.
During his seven-year career coaching the Bryant men’s basketball team, Good posted 133 career wins, turning a cellar-dwelling program into a regional and later a national power. While at Bryant, Good led the Bulldogs to five NCAA tournament appearances, reaching the Sweet 16 all five times, including a memorable run to the NCAA Championship Game in 2005 in North Dakota where Bryant would come up just six points shy of a national title.
Inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004, Good was also named the Rhode Island Coach of the Year by the state’s sportswriters and broadcasters that same year. Good is currently the head coach at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, Calif.
Members of the Bryant Athletics Hall of Fame are elected every two years into three different categories: student-athletes, coaches & administrators, and teams.