Saint Peter’s University held its Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony on Saturday, February 6 in The Duncan Sky Room of the Mac Mahon Student Center. More than 270 people were in attendance to watch the induction of the 33rd Hall of Fame class at Saint Peter’s, which included Chris DeAbreu ’09, of the men’s soccer team; Conor Mullee ’11, of the baseball team; Liz Stivers ’99 of the women’s soccer and softball teams; Rob Tandy ’95, of the baseball team; Pete Falloon ’65, former student-athlete and current men’s golf head coach; Al Jago ’51, special service honoree; the 1967-68 Saint Peter’s men’s basketball team and the 1971-72 Peacocks’ women’s basketball team.
DeAbreu was a four-year letterwinner on the Peacocks men’s soccer team. A 2009 graduate of Saint Peter’s, he was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) first team in his final three seasons after receiving an All-MAAC second-team selection and All-Rookie nod in his first season. DeAbreu posted two goals and 15 assists for 19 points in his career and ranks seventh in single-season program history with nine assists in 2008. A member only team in school history to earn an at-large bid for the NCAA Championships, DeAbreu helped the Peacocks to back-to-back MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship Games.
Most people know Falloon as the head coach that has led Saint Peter’s to back-to-back MAAC Men’s Golf Championships in 2014 and 2015. He has also been named the MAAC Coach of the Year in three of the last four years (2012, 2014, 2015). Falloon is also a 1965 graduate of Saint Peter’s and a three-year letterwinner on the men’s golf team. As a student-athlete, he helped the Peacocks to a 15-1 record in 1963 that included a win against Metropolitan Intercollegiate Champion St. John’s before the squad went 16-0 in 1964 to win the MEECA Championship. Named the 1965 Saint Peter’s Athletics Department Student-Athlete of the Year, Falloon finished second in the MEECA Championship as an individual in 1964.
Mullee played four years on the Saint Peter’s baseball team. Drafted in the 24th round by the New York Yankees, Mullee advanced to Triple-A in 2015 in the Yankees farm system as a pitcher. The 2011 graduate is the program’s all-time career leader in doubles (55), RBIs (141), total bases (331) and ranks second in program history for career in games played (205), second in games starts (205), second in at-bats (743), second in runs scored (130), second in hits (216), third in home runs (17), sixth in walks (80) and 12th in stolen bases (37) when he finished his playing career in 2010. He also sits in the Top-10 in 10 single-season categories in team history. His parents received the award on his behalf.
Stivers was a two-sport athlete for four seasons at Saint Peter’s. A 1999 graduate of the University, she is regarding as one of the best defenders in school history. Stivers helped the Peacocks to the 1996 MAAC regular season title and posted a goal and six assists for eight points in her career. On the softball diamond she ranks in the Top-10 in six offensive categories, including games played at-bats, hits, triples, total bases and stolen bases.
Just like Stivers, Tandy helped the Peacocks to its lone title on the diamond in program history when Saint Peter’s won the 1994 MAAC Tournament Baseball Championship. A four-year letterwinner and a 1995 graduate of the University, Tandy posted a .296 batting average with 42 hits, 31 runs scored, four doubles, three triples, a homer and 28 RBIs during that championship run. For his career, Tandy posted a .264 batting average with 113 hits, 77 runs scored, 17 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs and 65 RBIs. Tandy earned All-MAAC recognition during his tenure with the Peacocks and also received Order of Cross Keys, National Jesuit Honor Society and Scholastic All-American honors.
Jago is this year’s special service honoree. A 1951 graduate of Saint Peter’s, Jago took an active role with the athletic department as a supporter of the Peacocks teams. As a member of the Board of Trustees, he worked with alumni and the athletic department to transform the Saint Peter’s Basketball Hall of Fame into the Saint Peter’s Athletics Hall of Fame, which is the current form of the Hall of Fame and celebrating its 34th induction class in 2015.
The 1967-68 Saint Peter’s men’s basketball team advanced to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) Semifinals thanks to a 102-93 double-overtime win against Marshall and 100-71 victory against top-ranked Duke I the second round. The “Run, Baby, Run” Peacocks were coached by legendary Saint Peter’s head coach Don Kennedy, who guided the team its second 20-win season in program history and a team-record 24 wins after finishing the year with a 24-4 mark. The members of the squad are Sam DePlano, Mark Drew, Pat Finnegan, Ken Grant, Harry Laurie, Bob Leckie, Tom Mac Mahon, Gene O’Connell, Pete O’Dea, Tom Schwester, Bill Twyman, Elnardo Webster and Walter Wilk.
The 1971-72 women’s basketball team can be considered a pioneer for the future women’s basketball teams on the hardwood. The squad finished the year 11-4 to become the first team to reach double digits after finishing the year on a six-game winning streak that including wins against White Plains, Caldwell and Dominican to win the Dominican Tournament. The team members included Priscilla Burke, Jane Pukstas Chandler, Clare Corbett Goscienski, Barbara Engman Keshishian, Valerie Goger Malo, Kathleen McHugh, Elizabeth Rooney Murphy, Sharon Pastore, Loretta Pesciotta, Noreen McDonough and Pamela Rhodes Segel.
Saint Peter’s University Athletics Hall of Fame was formed on February 25, 1981. Its purpose is the annual selection of Saint Peter’s University alumni, and non-graduates who have, in some way, been associated with the University to an “Athletics Hall of Fame,” wherin achievements may be set forth for honor and recognition.
The Hall of Fame’s inaugural dinner was held on October 17, 1981. There were 19 charter members inducted into the Hall of Fame. With this class, the Saint Peter’s Athletics Hall of Fame will include 276 members and 11 teams.
To view more photos from the evening, please click here.