Athletics Hall of Fame
Membership into the Elms College Athletic Hall of Fame can include any former student athlete (five years after their graduation class), coach, administrator, or other individual who has made an impact on the athletic and college community, who has brought distinction to the athletic program, who has significantly benefited the college, and who is an outstanding example of character, leadership, commitment, sportsmanship, and integrity. An Elms College Blazers 'team,' which has distinguished itself through high achievement or singular accomplishment, may be nominated.
All nominations should include a written statement detailing why the nominee is a good candidate for the Athletic Hall of Fame. All achievements, honors, or awards that apply to the nominee should be listed on the nomination form. Further, if there are any other references we should contact for additional information, please include their name and contact information.
Each year, we encourage nominations. The deadline for all nominations is February 26. The Athletic Hall of Fame Committee will review all nominations and vote on the nominees for induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Induction requires an 80-percent overall vote. The induction ceremony will take place in the fall.
Click here for nomination form
Past Inductees
Class of 2018
2018 Hall of Fame Photo Gallery
Erika Murphy ‘13
Erika Murphy was a member of the Elms College women’s basketball team from 2010-12. She was a two-time first-team All-New England Collegiate Conference selection, earning the recognition in 2011 and 2012.
At the time of induction, Murphy ranks in the program’s all-time top-10 in several categories. She ranks third in career free throw percentage (77.3), fifth in scoring average (14.6), sixth in field goal percentage, ninth in rebounds (547), 10th in steals (114) and tied for 10th in blocks (24). Her 63 steals in 2011-12 stand as a single-season program record.
Murphy was selected to the 2012 NECC All-Tournament team after helping the Blazers win the conference championship and advance to the 2012 NCAA Division III Tournament. She went on to participate in the NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic. She was a four-time NECC Rookie of the Week in 2010-11 and also earned NECC Player of the Week honors once during her career.
Murphy also competed in volleyball and lacrosse for the Blazers. She was the primary setter and led the volleyball team with 283 assists in 2012 and was one of the best defensive players on the lacrosse team in 2013, ranking in the top three on the team in ground balls (37) and caused turnovers (30).
Alexandra Bonavita ‘13
Alexandra Bonavita was a highly decorated member of the Elms College field hockey team from 2009-12.
At the time of induction, Bonavita holds the Elms single-season and career saves records. Her 253 saves in 2009 stand as the most in a season in program history, as does her 784 career saves after she broke the previous record that stood for 15 years.
Bonavita twice earned New England Collegiate Conference Goalkeeper of the Year recognition, doing so in 2011 and 2012. She was a three-time first-team All-NECC honoree and earned second-team NFHCA Division III All-New England West Region recognition once. She earned five NECC Player of the Week honors throughout her career, including two in 2010, one in 2011, and two in 2012. She also picked up two NECC Rookie of the Week citations during her freshman campaign in 2009.
Bonavita was also a four-year member of the Elms College softball team, playing in 101 games with 65 career hits and 40 RBIs.
Upon graduation, Bonavita was honored as the Athletic Department’s 2013 Joachim Froelich Award recipient. The Froelich Award honors one male and one female student-athlete each year who demonstrates excellence throughout their career while achieving academic success and being an inspiration to their teammates.
Class of 2017
Brendan Cordeiro '11
Brendan Cordeiro was a member of the Elms College baseball team from 2008-2011. Cordeiro was a two-time All-New England Collegiate Conference selection, earning First Team honors in 2009 and an Honorable Mention in 2010. Off the field, Cordeiro was a two-time NECC Academic All-Conference selection.
At the time of induction, Cordeiro ranks in the top 5 all-time in 13 offensive categories, including the all-time career leader in batting average (.341), slugging percentage (.462), on-base percentage (.424), runs scored (117), hits (155), doubles (37) and total bases (210).
Cordeiro appeared in 130 career games, fifth-most in program history, with 155 hits, including 37 doubles and four home runs, 69 runs batted in and recorded the fourth-most steals in program history with 38. Cordeiro earned North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Rookie of the Week honors during the 2008 season, collected a pair of NECC Player of the Week awards and was selected to the inaugural NECC All-Tournament team in his sophomore season.
Upon graduation, Cordeiro was honored as the Athletic Department’s 2011 Joachim Froehlich Award recipient which honors student athletes who demonstrate athletic excellence throughout their career while achieving academic success and being an inspiration to their teammates.
Jennifer Killion ‘12
Jennifer Killion was a member of the Elms College women’s soccer team from 2008-2011 and a member of the Elms College softball team from 2009-2012. Off the field, Killion was a two-time NECC Academic All-Conference selection.
At the time of induction, Killion ranks second all-time in women’s soccer program history in career points (94) and career goals (41). On the pitch, Killion was a two-time All-New England Collegiate Conference First Team selection (2010, 2011), earned NECC All-Tournament team status during the 2008 and 2010 postseason and was recognized by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) as Rookie of the Week (10/26/08). During a breakout junior campaign, Killion registered the second-most points in a season (39) and the second-most goals in a season (17), while collecting NECC Player of the Week honors three times.
On the diamond, Killion appeared in 70 games across four seasons, compiling a career batting average of .348 with 46 hits, 42 runs scored, 23 stolen bases and 16 runs batted in. Killion was selected as All-NECC Second Team in 2012 after batting .390 in conference action with 23 hits, including three doubles, a triple, 25 runs scored, 10 RBIs and a perfect 15-for-15 in stolen base attempts.
Class of 2016
EDWARD P. SILVA
Edward P. Silva was the head coach of the Elms College men’s basketball program from 2001-2012. Ed sits as the program’s all-time winningest coach with a career record of 206-103 (.666) and captured seven straight conference championships across the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) from 2004-2011.
In his fourth season at the helm, Silva claimed the first of four straight North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championships as he guided the Blazers to a 20-9 record, the program’s first 20-win season and the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship tournament. He posted a 42-16 record over the next two seasons as the Blazers pushed their championship run to three straight. In 2007-08, Silva orchestrated the Blazers deepest run in the postseason, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship tournament after registering an overall mark of 23-7.
In his first season in the New England Collegiate Conference, Silva set the program record for wins in a season, guiding the Blazers to a 26-2 record, including a perfect 14-0 run in conference play. Silva and his team claimed the first of three consecutive NECC Championships (2009, 2010, 2011) and their fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship tournament.
JUAN MALDONADO ‘11
Juan Maldonado was a member of the Elms College men’s basketball team from 2006-2010.
At the time of induction, Maldonado is the men’s basketball program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,686 career points. He owns the program records for points, field goals made (581), three-point field goal percentage (44.7) and free throw percentage (81.0). Maldonado ranks second all-time in three-point field goals made (238), free throws made (286) and games played (114). He is third in scoring average (14.8) and steals (201), fourth in assists (312) and seventh in field goal percentage (47.7). He also owns the single season record with 541 points during the 2007-2008 season.
Maldonado was selected as the 2010 NECC Player of the Year after averaging 17.6 points per game en route to the Blazers 2010 NECC and ECAC Championships. He took home NECC First Team selections in 2009 and 2010, along with a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) First Team selection in 2008. Maldonado was a three-time NAC Player of the Week and a two-time NECC Player of the Week.
JUAN ALVERIO ‘11
Juan Alverio was a member of the Elms College men’s basketball team from 2007-2011. Alverio was a 2011 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Second Team selection.
At the time of induction, Alverio is the program’s all-time leader in blocked shots (116) and ranks second all-time in blocked shot average (1.2), third in rebounds (602), fifth in rebounding average (6.2), sixth in steals (136) and eighth in steals average (1.4).
Alverio owns the single season records for rebounds (295), rebounding average (10.5), blocked shots (54) and blocked shot average (1.9). He set a Blazers single-game record with seven blocks against Buffalo State on December 11, 2010 and 20 rebounds at Wheelock College on January 27, 2011. Juan made Elms College history during the 2010-2011 season, becoming the only player in program history to average a double-double for the season with 11.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.
CLASS OF 2015
Louise McCleary
Louise McCleary served as Director of Athletics at Elms College from 2002-2012. McCleary becomes the second Athletics Director to be elected to the Elms College Hall of Fame.
During her tenure, McCleary guided 15 intercollegiate programs, spearheaded the development of the athletics department by adding 11 full-time staff and coaches; oversaw the Berchmans gym renovation and a $1.7 million field-improvement project to construct the Leary and Cheryl R. Condon fields.
McCleary helmed the Blazers transition from the North Atlantic Conference to the New England Collegiate Conference, serving a term as AD chair for both conferences during her tenure. She was instrumental in the addition of the Elms baseball program, as well as fostering a 40% growth in the number of student-athlete participants; increasing the student-athlete retention rate and raising the student-athlete grade point and graduation rates. From 2002-2012, the Blazers participated in 15 NCAA national championships – including the first ever visit for the college in 2003.
McCleary joined the NCAA national office as director of Division III in February of 2012. She works in overseeing the division’s governance committee structure, serving as liaison to several governance committees, developing and implementing the division’s strategic plan and assisting the vice president in managing the division’s operating budget.
Krystyna Gagne '10
Krystyna Gagne was a four-year starter on the Elms College women’s soccer team from 2006-2009 and a member of the women’s lacrosse team in 2010.
Gagne enters the Hall of Fame as one of the Blazers most dominant players on the pitch. At the time of induction, Gagne holds the women’s soccer program records for points (105), goals (44), game-winning goals (11), and assists (17), as well as the single game records for points (10), goals (5) and assists (3).
Gagne was selected to the 2007 All-North Atlantic Conference (NAC) First Team, followed by All-New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) First Team selections in 2008 and 2009. As the NECC Player of the Year for the 2008 season, Gagne led the Blazers with 14 goals and six assists en route to the Elms College first-ever NECC women’s soccer championship. Gagne was named Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Week on Oct. 27, 2009, along with three NECC Player of the Week accolades during her career.
On the lacrosse field, Gagne was a standout goalkeeper, earning New England Women’s Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) Player of the Week honors while compiling 159 saves in a single season.
2003 Softball Team
The 2003 Elms College softball team became the first Elms College athletics team to make the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament. The Blazers notched the most successful season in program history, compiling a 28-7 overall record with a 9-3 record in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) en route to a conference championship.
The members of the championship team are Rachel Bradford, Debra Boissonneault, Janelle Charette, Nicole Chartier, Natalie DaCunha, Renee Desaulniers, Tina Fontaine, Kristi Guzzo, Patricia Hay, Amanda Huston, Amy King, Athena Lane, Andrea Malloch, Cynthia Osko, Jamie Parslow, Lauren Stauch, Kristin Tassey, (manager - Kara Dupre); coached by Cheryl R. Condon and assisted by Kelly O’Connell.
During the 2003 season, Condon claimed the second of five straight NAC Coach of the Year honors, while Guzzo and Tassey were All-NAC selections; and Fontaine was named to the NCAA East Regional All-Tournament Team.
CLASS OF 2014
Jill Bigos '09
Jill Bigos was a four-year member of the cross country program and is the current Elms Course school record holder with a time of 20:50 which was set in 2008 at the Blazers Invitational at Chicopee Memorial State Park. She also holds the school record for any 5-kilometer course which she achieved twice at the Blazers Invitational and the Western New England University Invitational, both in 2008.
As a sophomore in 2006, Bigos finished 15th overall (24:54) at the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship and helped guide the Blazers to a fifth place finish as a team. She followed that performance with a 10th place overall finish at the NAC Championship in 2007 with a time of 23:07 and was named Second Team All-NAC. As a senior, Bigos placed second overall with a time of 21:31 at the first-ever New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship and was named First Team All-NECC after helping Elms place third as a team.
At the time of induction, Bigos, who garnered the league’s first-ever NECC Runner of the Week award, is listed third and seventh on the Elms Course School Record list with times of 22:13 and 22:44 set respectively at the Blazers Invitationals in 2007 and 2006. She is also listed fifth, seventh and tied for eighth on the Elms’ School Record list for any 5-kilometer course. She clocked times of 21:31 at the 2008 NECC Championship; 21:41 at the 2008 James Earley Invitational; and a time of 21:50 at the 2008 UMass-Dartmouth Invitational.
Jeannette Nunez '06
Jeannette Nunez becomes the first-ever women’s volleyball player to be inducted into the Elms Athletics Hall of Fame. A two-year member of the program, Nunez was named the 2007 NAC Player of the Year, First Team All-NAC, and was the NCAA Division III women’s volleyball statistical champion for aces per game. She followed her record-setting junior season by being named the NECC Player of the Year and a First Team All-NECC selection following the league’s inaugural season in 2008.
At the time of induction, Nunez is listed in the program’s records as first all-time in kills per set with 3.69; second all-time in kills with 811; second all-time in service aces with 190; fourth all-time in digs per set with 2.87; and tied for fourth all-time in total blocks with 53.
She also holds individual season records in kills (329); kills per set (3.87); aces (127); aces per set (1.49), and individual match records in kills in three sets (20); kills in four sets (28); kills in five sets (26); aces in three sets (13); aces in four sets (13); aces in five sets (11); digs in four sets (31).
Tina Fontaine '04
Tina Fontaine was a two-sport athlete competing in three seasons of softball and three seasons of basketball for the Blazers.
On the softball diamond, Fontaine was instrumental in helping the program become the first-ever sport in Elms history to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championship in 2003. Elms finished the 2003 campaign with a 28-7 overall record which still stands as the highest win total in program history.
As a junior, Fontaine was named to the NCAA East Regional All-Tournament team after hitting .400 in the Blazers’ games against William Patterson University and Union College in 2003. In 2004, Fontaine was named the NAC Player of the Year and First Team All-NAC after hitting .357 with a team-best 129 at-bats. She tied for the team-high in hits with 46, scored a team-best 34 runs, legged out a team-best 10 doubles, and tied for the team lead in steals with 19 in 20 attempts.
At the time of induction, Fontaine is listed second on the program’s all-time stolen base list (47); tied for third on the program’s all-time doubles list (23); tied for fourth on the program’s all-time triples list (7); and tied for fifth on the program’s all-time home runs and walks list with 5 and 42 respectively.
On the hardwood, Fontaine competed in her sophomore, junior and senior years, and as a senior in 2003-04, was named Honorable Mention All-NAC. In 76 career games played on the basketball court, Fontaine scored 525 points, totaled 485 rebounds, and notched a stellar 33.6 field goal percentage.
At the time of induction, Fontaine is listed in the program’s top 10 for free throws made in a single season (108 in 2003-04), free throws attempted in a single season (152 in 2003-04) and rebounds made in a single season (209 in 2003-04). She is also listed sixth on the program’s all-time list with 485 rebounds and fourth on the program’s all-time list for rebounds per game (6.4).
Aswad Thomas '09
Aswad Thomas was a two-year member of the Blazers’ men’s basketball program in 2007-08 and 2008-09 helping Elms to a two-year record of 49-9, which included a 26-2 record in 2008-09 which still stands as the program’s highest-ever win total.
As a junior, Thomas helped the Blazers capture their fourth consecutive NAC championship title and helped lead the Blazers to the program’s first-ever and school’s first-ever victory in NCAA Division III Championship play (71-53 win over the University of Scranton). For his efforts he was named Honorable Mention All-NAC.
Following a tremendous junior campaign, Thomas completed an equally impressive senior season. He was named First Team All-New England Collegiate Conference (NECC), was the NCAA Division III Statistical Champion in steals per game (4.6), ranked seventh nationally in assists (7.2), and helped the Blazers to their best-ever national ranking (12). During the 2008-09 season, the men’s basketball team was honored as the NCAA Division III Statistical Champion in steals per game and scoring margin.
At the time of induction, Thomas owns the program’s single-season record for steals (130 in 2008-09) as well as the second place mark (109 in 2007-08); and is listed second and third on the program’s single-season assists list with 201 (2008-09) and 168 (2007-08). He is also listed second all-time in both career steals (239) and assists (369).
CLASS OF 2013
Patrick Boyajian '06
Boyajian, a four-year player and member of the inaugural men’s volleyball team, becomes the program’s first hall of fame inductee. Boyajian, who competed from 2003-06, was an impact player as he finished his career with 810 kills, 426 digs and 280 total blocks. Boyajian graduated as the program’s all-time leader in kills and his mark of 810 is currently second in program history. He also graduated as the program’s all-time leader in total blocks (280) which still stands, as well as his program-best 170 solo blocks.
Boyajian also holds single-match records for blocks in a three-set match (8), blocks in a four-set match (12) and his 1.33 blocks per set in 2006 is a program single-season record. Boyajian was named Second Team All-New England Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) New England Division in 2006.
In 2012, Boyajian became an assistant coach of the men’s volleyball program and helped direct the team to a 20-8 overall record (tied for the program high in wins), the team’s second New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) championship, and a spot in the first-ever NCAA Division III Championship for the sport of men’s volleyball.
Caitlin Childs '08
Childs was a four-year player for Elms in both lacrosse (2005-08) and women’s soccer (2004-07) and was a member of the women’s basketball team in 2004-05.
Childs enters the hall of fame as one of the most decorated women’s lacrosse players in program history. The program’s all-time leader in goals scored (144) and points scored (162), Childs led the team in goals scored in three of her four years including marks of 60 goals as a freshman and 37 as a senior.
In 2005, Childs began her career as the co-rookie of the year in the highly competitive New England Women’s Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) and was also a First Team All-NEWLA selection. During her freshman season, the Blazers finished 9-6 – the program’s best season since 1999 – and led Elms to a runner-up finish in the NEWLA Championship tournament. Childs was also named First Team All-NEWLA as a sophomore in 2006 and again as a senior in 2008.
On the soccer pitch, Childs anchored a stellar defensive unit but also provided an offensive presence scoring five goals and four assists (14 points) during her career. Childs also had a brief stint between the pipes and made nine saves, and in 2006, helped the Blazers set the program record for wins in a single season with 14.
Sean Hammond '06
Hammond was a four-year member of the men’s golf program from 2002-06 and becomes the first-ever golfer inducted in to the athletics hall of fame at Elms.
On the golf course, Hammond was a two-time First Team All-North Atlantic Conference (NAC) selection in 2003 and 2004 and was named Second Team All-NAC in 2005. Hammond, who consistently shot in the 70s during his four-year career with the Blazers, helped Elms secure a third place finishes in the 2003 and 2005 NAC Championship tournaments and a fourth place mark in the 2004 NAC Championship tournament. As a sophomore, he carded a round of 76 and earned individual medalist honors at the second Blazers fall invitational.
As a senior, Hammond carded four rounds in the 70s in the fall of 2005 including a low round of 70 at Nichols College. Later that year, Hammond placed 43rd overall at the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association (NEIGA) Championship and contributed the first-ever hole-in-one in the tournament’s 70-year history at the time.
He was also a member of the men’s volleyball team in 2006 and recorded 39 kills, 13 service aces, 65 digs and 13 total blocks.
CLASS OF 2012
Cheryl R. Condon
At the time of induction, Cheryl R. Condon, the current head coach of the Blazers' softball team, is the all-time winningest coach at Elms (366 wins over 26 seasons).
In 2003, she directed the team to a program best 28-7 mark and the first NCAA Division III Championship appearance for any sport at Elms. Overall since 2003, Coach Condon' s Blazers have made three NCAA postseason appearances (2003, 2006 and 2007) and also competed in a pair of Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championships in 2005 and 2011. Coach Condon has been recognized for her coaching efforts by being named North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Coach of the Year five times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) and a two-time New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010.
In 2008, the college's newly renovated softball field was dedicated in her honor as Cheryl R. Condon Field.
Kristin Tassey '03Kristin Tassey was a two-sport athlete at Elms from 1999-2003, competing in four seasons of both field hockey and softball.
Tassey was a First Team All-North Atlantic Conference (NAC) honoree during her senior season in 2002 and totaled 11 goals and two assists (24 total points) during her four-year field hockey career.
As a member of the softball team, Tassey is ranked as the program's all-time leader in walks with 51, is listed third all-time in stolen bases with 44 and third in runs scored with 94. During her senior campaign in 2003, Tassey helped the softball team become the first program in Elms athletics history to earn a NCAA Division III Championship appearance. In four years on the diamond, Tassey helped the Blazers post 65 wins, including two NAC championships, which culminated with a 28-7 record in 2003 which stands as the program's record for most wins in a single season. In 113 games played, Tassey connected for 92 hits, 94 runs scored, 26 RBI, 44 stolen bases, 51 walks and a .295 batting average. For her efforts, Tassey was named an All-NAC catcher twice (2002 and 2003).
After graduation, Tassey served as an assistant softball coach at Elms for two years before taking over the helm of the Hiram College softball program. At the time of induction, Tassey holds a 135-98 overall coaching record with the Terriers and garnered North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Coach of the Year honors during her first season as a collegiate head coach in 2007.
Jennifer LeDoux '07Jennifer LeDoux was a two-sport athlete at Elms from 2004-07, competing in three years of soccer and four years of softball.
On the soccer pitch, LeDoux is ranked fourth all-time in goals scored with 32 and fourth all-time in points registered with 77. During her sophomore year in 2004, LeDoux was named Second Team All-North Atlantic Conference (NAC). In 2006, LeDoux led the Blazers in scoring with 15 goals, helping Elms set the program record for wins (14) and was subsequently named First Team All-NAC for her efforts. During her three campaigns on the soccer field, LeDoux helped pace the Blazers to three winning seasons as the program totaled 31 victories during that span.
On the softball diamond, LeDoux was a stellar contributor during all four seasons she played. The program's fourth all-time leader in stolen bases (37), LeDoux was a Second Team All-NAC selection in 2004 and 2005 and an Honorable Mention All-NAC selection in 2007. She served as a co-captain during her senior year in 2007 and played a key role on the 2006 and 2007 squads that made NCAA Division III Championship appearances. LeDoux finished her softball career at Elms with a .328 batting average, totaling 103 hits in 114 games played, drove in 65 runs, scored 79 runs and accumulated 32 walks. The Blazers totaled an impressive 98 wins during her four-year career.
CLASS OF 2011
Kimberly Fontaine '03
Kimberly Fontaine was a three-sport athlete competing in women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse for all four seasons, and was a member of the women’s soccer team for two years. On the basketball court, Fontaine averaged 13.5 points per game and is currently the program’s third all-time leading scorer with 1,326 points; and is one of just six players in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. During the 2000-01 season, Fontaine helped the Blazers to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) tournament title and was a First Team All-NAC selection that season. She was also the 1999-00 NAC Player of the Year and a First Team All-NAC honoree before being named captain in her senior season. During her four years with the team, the Blazers recorded a 43-59 overall record.
On the lacrosse field, Fontaine scored 51 career goals, dished out three assists and amassed 54 points. She was named First Team All-New England Women’s Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) in her senior season in 2003 despite playing with a broken hand. She is tied for 13th all-time in goals scored and 18th all-time in points.
Fontaine played two seasons of soccer, primarily as a midfielder, and scored seven goals, notched three assists and totaled 17 points as Elms posted 14 wins during her two seasons on the pitch.
Kristi Guzzo '06
As a freshman in 2003 Kristi Guzzo helped softball become the first program in school history to earn a NCAA Division III Championship berth in any sport. A four-year member of the program and a two-time team captain, Guzzo helped the Blazers return to the NCAA Division III Championship in her senior season in 2006, and during that year was named the NAC Player of the Year. Guzzo was a four-time First Team All-NAC member and finished her career with a 1.67 earned run average (ERA) in 117 games (722 innings). She amassed an astonishing 83-26 record in the circle which included 612 strikeouts and 38 shutout victories. At the plate, Guzzo recorded 83 hits, scored 80 runs, drove in 41 runners and swiped 18 bases in 99 games. Elms tallied an impressive 108-38 record during her four-year career and in 2006, she was named the athletic department’s Froehlich Award winner.
Kelly O'Connell '95
Kelly O’Connell was a four-year member of both the women’s basketball and softball teams and played two years of field hockey during her time at Elms. On the court, O’Connell is ranked as the program’s fifth all-time leading scorer with 1,057 points and is one of six players to reach the 1,000-point mark. She is second all-time in free throws made (362) including 120 during the 1992-93 season which is third all-time for a single-season at Elms. In 86 games played, O’Connell, a two-time team captain, averaged 12.2 points per game and helped the Blazers post a 48-55 record.
On the softball diamond, she is tied for fourth all-time in triples with five, is ranked fourth all-time in walks (43) and is fifth all-time in stolen bases with 34. A team captain, O’Connell registered a .390 batting average in 78 games and recorded 86 hits, scored 70 runs, notched 44 RBI and cranked two homers, helping the squad secure a 44-47 record during her career.
During the 1994 field hockey season, O’Connell scored a goal and collected a pair of assists (four points) helping the Blazers to a 8-11-1 record.
Lauren Stauch '06
Lauren Stauch was a four-year member of both the women’s soccer and softball teams from 2002-06. A four-year starting goalkeeper on the soccer field, Stauch was a captain during her senior year in 2005 and was also a Second Team All-NAC selection in her final campaign in addition to ranking second in the league in goals against average, saves and shutouts. She concluded her career with 328 saves which is third all-time at Elms.
In softball, Stauch helped softball become the first program in school history to earn a NCAA Division III Championship berth in any sport and as a captain in her senior season, helped the Blazers return to the NCAA Division III Championship in 2006. As a freshman in 2003, Stauch garnered NAC Rookie of the Year honors and was a four-time First Team All-NAC selection. She is still the program’s all-time leader in five categories: at-bats (447), runs scored (121), hits (178), singles (149), steals (50) and is tied for first all-time in triples with nine. Stauch is also tied for third all-time in RBI with 76 and tied for fifth all-time in doubles with 20. Stauch was the athletic department’s Leary Award winner in 2006 and finished her career with an overall batting average of .398 helping the team to a stellar 108-38 record during her four-year stint.
CLASS OF 2010
Kelly Maloney-Staples '92
Kelly Maloney-Staples was a two-sport athlete, competing in both field hockey (four seasons) and softball (three seasons).
As a field hockey player, Maloney-Staples helped the 1989 team claim the first Massachusetts Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (MAIAW) championship in any sport in Elms College’s athletic department history. She is the program’s all-time leader in assists (21), is third all-time in points (67), is fifth all-time on the Blazers’ career goals list with 23 and was a team captain her junior and senior years.
On the softball diamond, Maloney-Staples is the program’s all-time leader in home runs (14) and remains the only player in team history to hit more than 10 home runs. She also ranks fourth on the program’s all-time batting average list with a .436 clip (52 for 119) and is tied for sixth all-time in triples with five.
Christopher Papsin '05
Christopher Papsin was also a two-sport athlete during his time at Elms, competing all four seasons in both swimming and cross country.
In the pool, Papsin earned two of the program’s three New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) titles, claiming top honors in the 1650-yard freestyle in 2003 and the 1000-yard freestyle in 2005. He owns four school records in yards: 200-yard freestyle, 400/500-yard freestyle, and 800/1000-yard freestyle each set in 2005; and the 1500/165 0-yard freestyle set in 2004. He also holds three school records in short-course meters: 400-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley each established in 2005; and the 800-meter freestyle set in 2004.
On the cross country trails, he finished fourth overall at the 2002 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship meet, placed seventh overall at the Blazers Classic in 2003, and came in sixth overall at the Blazers Invitational in 2004. Papsin was also the athletic department’s Leary Award winner his senior year in 2005.
Kyle Seyboth '05
Kyle Seyboth, the men’s basketball program’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,175 career points, helped the team to its first-ever Division III NCAA Tournament appearance and first-ever North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship during the 2004-05 season.
Seyboth, who played all four seasons with the Blazers, is listed 20th in the NCAA Division III Top 25 in three-point field goals made in a season (125 in 29 games in 2005) and currently ranks first on Elms’ career three-point field goals made list (305), fourth on the Blazers’ career field goals made list (393), and fifth on the program’s all-time games played list (109).
Seyboth was a First Team All-NAC selection in 2004-05 and was an Honorable Mention All-NAC selection in 2003-04. Seyboth was the athletic department’s Froehlich Award winner his senior year in 2005.
CLASS OF 2009
Andrea Hickson ’89
Andrea Hickson was a three-sport athlete. She was a two-year member of the inaugural women’s soccer program, 1986-1987, a three-year member of the women’s basketball team, 1986-1989, and a four-year member of the softball program, 1986-1989.
As a member of the softball team, she was a team captain for three of her four year career, and she pitched and played first base. She pitched 302 innings and recorded 159 strike-outs. In 36 games, she had 182 at-bats, 108 runs, 79 hits, 64 RBI, and six homeruns, and helped the Blazers to a 36-24 team overall record – a .600 winning percentage.
In 2009, she still ranks in the top five in several softball categories, including second all-time in runs scored (108), third all-time in homeruns (6), and fifth all-time in batting average (.434).
On the basketball team, she was a prolific rebounder. In her sophomore season, she tallied 22 rebounds in one game, which ranks her third in individual single game total rebounds. In her junior season, she was in the NCAA Top 10 for rebounding while helping the basketball team to an impressive 14-7 overall record. She was a team captain her last two seasons, and in 72 games, she had 596 points averaging 8.2 points per game.
As a two-year member on the inaugural women’s soccer team, she was a captain her first season in 1986 and was a starting midfielder.
Ellen Faszewski ’91
Ellen Faszewski was a four-year member and two-year captain of the women’s lacrosse team from 1988-1991.
As of 2009, she remains the program’s all-time leading scorer – 18 seasons after her graduation – with 121 goals, 22 assists, and a total of 143 points.
In her junior season – her most productive – she had 43 goals and 11 assists, helping the Blazers to a 10-3 overall record.
During her four-year career, the women’s lacrosse team had the most successful four-year record in program history, with an overall record of 28-22 - a .561 winning percentage.
Adriano Dos Santos ’04
Adriano Dos Santos is the first male soccer player to be inducted into the Elms College Athletic Hall of Fame.
A four-year member and three-year captain of the men’s soccer program from 2000-2003, Dos Santos finished his career as the program’s second all-time leader in goals (32) and third all-time in assists (19), accumulating 83 total career points.
He helped lead the men’s soccer team to its most successful four-year record in program history – 42-20-2 – a .671 winning percentage including the school’s first-ever conference championship in 2001.
During his career, he was a first-team all-conference selection for four consecutive years as well as the conference rookie of the year in 2000 and player of the year in 2001. As of 2009, he still holds the record for most goals in a game (5) and points in a game (10).
Upon graduation, he was honored with the Athletic Department’s 2004 Monsignor Timothy J. Leary Award, which honors student athletes who demonstrate dedication, leadership, and a love of athletics.
CLASS OF 2008
Damien Bradley ‘02
Damien Bradley became the first-ever, male inductee into the Elms College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
A four-year member of the men's basketball program from 1998-2002, Bradley finished with 1,158 career points and is one of just four players to have reached the 1,000-point milestone at the time of his induction.
Bradley, who was a starting guard in the program's first season in 1998-99, still ranks among its top five all-time career leaders in assists (182) and steals (149) and points in a season (460).
As a senior in 2001-2002, Bradley scored 460 points - a record which has only been surpassed two other times in the program's first 10 seasons.
In 79 career games, Bradley averaged 14.6 points, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
Tenielle Hill Langevin ‘03
Tenielle Hill Langevin is inducted into the Elms College Athletic Hall of Fame as the women's basketball program's all-time leading scorer.
Hill Langevin, a four-year player from 1999-2003, finished with 1,612 points and is just one of just six players to surpass the 1,000-point milestone at the time of her induction in 2008.
Hill Langevin, who helped lead the Blazers to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship in 2001-2002, was named NAC Rookie of the Year in 1999-2000 and NAC Player of the Year as a junior in 2001-2002.
Hill Langevin set the program's all-time, single-game scoring record with a 39-point performance against Johnson State on January 18, 2003.
Tanya St. Germain Leja ‘92
Tanya St. Germain Leja was a member of both the field hockey and softball programs during her career at Elms College from 1988-1991.
A four-year player on the field hockey team, St. Germain Leja finished as one of the program's most prolific all-time scorers with 36 goals, 16 assists and 88 points.
During her sophomore season in 1989, St. Germain Leja helped lead the Blazers to a program-record 15-4-1 mark that included the school's first-ever Massachusetts Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (MAIAW) state championship.
During St. Germain's four years from 1988-1991, the field hockey team went a combined 50-21-6 (.688 winning percentage) - the most successful four-year period in program-history.
Also a three-year member of the softball team, St. Germain Leja batted .370 with 30 RBI and 41 runs scored. At the time of her induction, St. Germain Leja's .370 batting average still ranked among the top 15 all-time in team-history.
CLASS OF 2007
Emily Halkett Bourgeois ‘90
Emily Halkett Bourgeois was a four-year member of the field hockey program from 1986-1989.
Halkett Bourgeois, who served as team captain in both her junior and senior years, is inducted as the program's all-time leading scorer with 51 goals and 120 points.
She is also the only player in team-history to score 50 or more goals and register 100 career points.
During her senior season in 1989, Halkett Bourgeois led the Blazers to a program-record 15-4-1 mark that included the school's first-ever Massachusetts Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (MAIAW) state championship.
Angel Esposito Chaffee ‘95
Angel Esposito Chaffee was a two-sport athlete during her years at Elms College from 1991-1995.
Esposito Chaffee was a four-year member of the women's basketball program and three-year player for the women's soccer team.
In 89 career basketball games, Esposito Chaffee recorded 1,516 points and is inducted as one of just six players to score 1,000 or more points in program-history.
In her junior year, Esposito Chaffee set a single-season program record with 472 points. Against Fitchburg State on January 20, 1994, she scored a single-game record 39 points, and against Mount St. Mary's, hauled in a school-record 27 rebounds.
During her soccer playing career, Esposito Chaffee split time as both a field player and goalkeeper to help lead the Blazers to 22 wins from 1991-1993.
Esposito Chaffee was a two-year captain of the women's basketball team in both her junior and senior years. As a senior, she was named to the 1994-1995 MAIAW All-Star Team.
CLASS OF 2006
Nancy Gleason '89
Nancy Gleason was a four-year member of both the basketball and softball teams during her career at Elms College from 1985-1989. She helped lead the basketball team to its first-ever MAIAW Tournament berth in 1988 and finished as the program's fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,268 points.
As a four-year starting infielder with the softball program, Gleason was a two-time team-leader in batting with a .510 average in 1987 and a .500 average in 1988. She currently ranks second all-time with a career .471 batting average and is among the top 10 all-time in triples.
Kristin Hughes '91
Kristin Hughes was a four-year member of both the basketball and lacrosse programs from 1987-1991 and served as captain of both teams during her junior and senior year. She was the recipient of the Monsignor Timothy J. Leary Award as a senior in 1991.
During her four years, Hughes helped lead the basketball program to a 58-31 record, including a program-record 16-8 mark during her senior year in 1990-1991.
As a defense wing in lacrosse, Hughes led the program to a 29-21 record from 1988-1991.
After graduating from Elms College in 1991, Hughes went on to work as a two-year assistant coach of both the Smith College women's lacrosse and Amherst College women's basketball teams before embarking on an 11-year career as head women's basketball coach at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio.
During her 11 years at Case Western, she became the winningest coach in program history with 120 victories, guiding the Spartans to a 20-7 record and its first bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2001-02. In 1995-1996, Hughes became the first Case Western women's basketball coach to be named North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Coach of the Year after leading the Spartans to their first winning season in 12 years.
Hughes left Case Western to become head women's basketball coach at Division I Colgate University in 2004 and led the Red Raiders to a runner-up finish in the Patriot League Tournament in her first season at the helm.
Linda Kieras Kenny '96
Linda Kieras Kenny was a three-year member of the soccer, basketball and softball teams from 1992-1996.
During her freshman season on the soccer field, Kieras Kenny registered 24 points, which still ranks among the top 20 all-time in the program's 20-year history.
In softball, Kieras Kenny won the 1994 NCAA Division III batting title in 1994 with a .576 average that included two home runs, six doubles, four triples, 27 RBI and 15 stolen bases.
She still ranks among the top five all-time in program-history in both home runs and triples and is the program's all-time leader with a career .498 batting average.
Bishop Emeritus Joseph Maguire
Bishop Emeritus Joseph Maguire has been a fixture at countless Elms College athletics events for more than two decades and was voted in unanimously by the Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee.
Elms College's main athletics facility, the Maguire Center, was named after Bishop Emeritus Maguire upon its completion in 1994 as a testament to his support of the College's athletics programs and its student athletes.
Bishop Emeritus Maguire was a three-sport athlete at the former St. Columkille High School and excelled as both an ice hockey defenseman and baseball shortstop for Division I Boston College during the late 1930's-early 1940's.
Bishop Emeritus Maguire led Boston College's hockey team to a 34-13-1 record in three seasons and was inducted into the Boston College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984.
CLASS OF 2002
1989 Field Hockey Team
The 1989 Elms College Field Hockey Team brought home the 1989 state title by winning the Massachusetts Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (MAIAW) Tournament. It was the eighth year that varsity field hockey had been in existence at Elms College.
In the championship game, Elms played Nichols College, and the game was close. Senior Emily Halkett, who finished her career at Elms as the all-time leading scorer with 51 career goals and 28 assists for a total of 131 points, scored off a penalty stroke to help the Blazers win 2-1.
Head coach Karen Fitzgerald and assistant coaches Lynn Wilke and Ellie Moreau led Elms to victory. The members of the championship team are Maria Renault, Laura Shepard, Kate Pichie, Christi Collins, Karyn Richter, Kelly Maloney, Jo-Ann Allaire, Chris Sadowski, Kathy Boehle, Erin Walsh, Julie Podbelski, Tricia Kelly, Cheryl Staruski, Tanya St, Germaine, Maureen McEvady, Tracy Imbruno, Amy Rezendes, Deana Nadeau, Emily Halkett, Valda Pyles, Bonnie Dowd, Katie Gustasfson, Charlene Bibinski, Collen Anuszewski, Jen Brown, and Ellen Miller (manager).
CLASS OF 2001
Guerdline K. Curran '57
Guerdline K. Curran received her B.S. from Elms College in 1957. She taught physical education at Elms from 1950 to 1960. Her instruction included archery, ping-pong, bowling, and basketball.
Her classes also incorporated recess games to aid those going into the education field. In 1983, she was a founding member of the Alumni Athletic Association. Through her efforts, and those of the Alumni Athletic Association, Elms College has expanded their athletic program including enlarging fields and purchasing practice gear and equipment.
Ms. Curran taught in a time when women's athletics were not encouraged and opportunities for women to participate were minimal. Her students, however, thrived under her leadership and overwhelming enthusiasm for physical well-being.
Dr. Susan E. Langlois
Dr. Susan E. Langlois served as the first Director of Athletics at Elms College and was the impetus for the rapid growth of athletics at Elms College. In 1980, she established a physical education core curriculum and instituted the women's basketball program, adding field hockey the following year and equestrian, soccer, and softball in 1986.
Sensing the strong affinity Elms College student-athletes had for their teams, Dr. Langlois began the Alumni Athletic Association in 1983, which has reached over 1400 members today.
In 1990 behind the efforts of Dr. Langlois the college implemented a coaching minor, and by 1993, athletics and physical education at Elms College had become such an integral part of the students' college experience that the Maguire Center was conceived with Dr. Langlois serving as chairperson of the Building Committee.
In 1994, Dr. Langlois developed the Elms College Summer Sports Camps which hosts approximately 250 children each year and continues to serve as a vital outreach program to the surrounding community.
Patricia M. McGrath '74
Patricia M. McGrath graduated cum laude from Elms College with a B.A. in sociology with a minor in Spanish and elementary education. From 1977 to the present, she has been an Affiliated Board Official (ABO) for women's basketball for Hampshire and Franklin counties and an International Association Approved Board Official (IAABO) for Hampshire Franklin District Boys' Board #28.
From 1991 to 1993, she served as vice president of the ABO and as president from 1993 to 1996. In 2001, she was honored by Smith College for National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
She has served on the Elms College Alumni Association Board of Directors since 1982.
Ms. McGrath strives to be a positive role model to young adults by showing a mutual respect to players and coaches for their dedication and hard work toward the game, both on and off the basketball court.