Fordham Holds Inaugural Athletics Gala

New York, N.Y. – It's not often that Irenaeus of Lyon is brought up at an athletics event. But it was perfectly appropriate for the second century Christian theologian to be mentioned at the inaugural Fordham Athletics Gala and Hall of Fame Ceremony on Saturday, April 22, at 583 Park.
 
University President, Fr. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., introduced the name to those in attendance as he noted that the dinner was taking place in a Christian Science church but more importantly, McShane proclaimed, that Irenaeus is well known for his quote: "The glory of God is a human being fully alive."
 
On Saturday night, 550 human beings were fully alive at the venue, participating in the first Fordham Athletics Gala where the newest class of Athletic Hall of Famers were introduced, Wellington and Ann Mara were named recipients of the inaugural Victory Bell Award, and a host of former team captains were recognized and honored.
 
The night was emceed by Meghan Hanley, FCRH '03, a former track student-athlete who is currently a comedian, and Michael Yam, FCRH '03, a former member of WFUV who now serves as a Pac-12 Network host.
 
Michelle Kennedy, FCRH '03, and Michael Marchiano, FCRH '97, Co-Chairs of the Fordham Athletics Gala and Hall of Fame Committee and both Fordham Athletic Hall of Famers, were brought up to the dais to explain the genesis of the Athletics Gala and why some people were wearing a special medallion.
 
"Now, if you have noticed the medallions around the necks of several of our attendees…let us explain. They are our captains," said Marchiano. "And in New York, there may only be one captain – Derek Jeter – but at Fordham there are hundreds. And they have helped shape the history of Fordham Athletics."
 
"These captains share so much in common. They inspire, they motivate, they empathize and they listen," continued Kennedy. "Ultimately, they love people and all things Fordham. Look around – you are part of a family. A very special family."
 
The awards ceremony started with the presentation of the inaugural Victory Bell Award, which is presented to individuals who have brought distinction and honor to Fordham University Athletics through achievements not related to competition, coaching and/or administration. Honorees selected by the Hall of Fame Committee will embody a sense of leadership and passion for Fordham Athletics and serve as inspiration to the Fordham Athletics Family.
 
The inaugural recipients of the Victory Bell Award are the late Wellington, FCRH '37, and Ann Mara. The award was accepted on their behalf by their son, John Mara, LAW '79, president, CEO, and co-owner of the New York Giants, who reminisced about his mother and father having dates at Fordham University basketball games and how he, as a young boy, would attend Fordham games with his family.
 
 
After dinner it was time to introduce the newest Fordham Athletic Hall of Famers. And it was fitting that on national Record Store Day the Rams honored those who broke numerous records and brought recognition to Fordham with their exploits on the playing fields.
 
Here are the newest Fordham Athletic Hall of Famers:
 
ED BONA, FCRH '83 (Men's Basketball)
A four-year letterman from 1979-1983, Bona served as a team captain as a senior in 1982-1983, leading the Rams to the MAAC title.
 

As a junior in 1981-1982, Bona set a school single season field goal percentage record, converting 90 of 147 of his shots (.612), ranking him 21st in the nation that season. The mark is now third all-time at Fordham. He was named First Team All-MAAC as a junior that season.
 
Overall, Bona led the Rams to three straight NIT appearances from 1980-1983.
 
Despite missing part of his senior season due to injury, Bona graduated second on the Fordham career blocked shots list with 108, which currently ranks seventh. He also scored 908 career points and grabbed 564 rebounds, which ranks 21st on the Fordham career rebounding list. Bona made good on 314 of his 576 field goal attempts (.545) to record the third best career field goal percentage mark in school history.
 
 
 
KERRI GALLAGHER, FCRH '11 (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
Gallagher, who advanced to the semifinals of the 1500m at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Oregon last summer, also raced internationally for the U.S. National Team at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, where she placed eighth in the semifinals of the 1500m.
 
As a senior at Fordham, Gallagher won two events and set two Atlantic 10 indoor meet records in 2010-2011. She won the 1000m and mile to earn First Team All-Conference honors in each and set meet records in both. Her winning time in the mile run of 4:48.60 broke the old conference mark of 4:49.71 set by La Salle's Toniann Razzi in 2000 while her time in the 1000m of 2:51.43 snapped the 2006 A-10 record of 2:52.79, held by La Salle's Elizabeth Geiger. Gallagher also won the 800m at the 2011 Metropolitan Championship, breaking her own school record and qualified for the ECAC Championship in the 800m, 1000m and mile.
 

In the spring of 2011, Gallagher won the 1500m at the Raleigh Relays with one of the top women's 1500m times in the country that year (4:26.34), the second fastest women's 1500m time Fordham history. She also won the 800m and the 1500m at the 2011 Metropolitan Championships and placed second in the 1500m at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships.
 
Gallagher won the 2011 Claire and Jack Hobbs Award at the Block F Dinner as the most outstanding female athlete at Fordham.
 
As a junior in 2009-2010, Gallagher placed second in the 1000m at the 2010 ECAC Indoor Track Championships to earn All-East honors. Her time of 2:47.86 was the second fastest indoor 1000m time for a Ram, second only to fellow Fordham Athletic Hall of Famer Lauren Gubicza's "untouchable" record of 2:45.8 set in 1992. The time was also among the top 40 1000m times in the NCAA that season.
 
Gallagher also won the 2010 Atlantic 10 1000m title at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Championships to earn First Team All-Atlantic 10 honors and took second in the mile to earn Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors.
 
Gallagher was also named to the Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team in 2010 and 2011.
 
 

KRYSTLE HENRY, FCRH '07 (Softball)
Henry, a four-year starter, played both the infield and the outfield for the Rams from 2004-2007. She helped Fordham to a 149-83 mark over that period, which included four Atlantic 10 Tournament appearances, two A-10 Championship game appearances, four seasons of 35+ wins, and the 2005 Atlantic 10 Regular Season title, the first for a women's sport at Fordham.
 

Henry was named First Team All-Atlantic 10 as a junior in 2006 and Second Team All-Atlantic 10 the following season as a senior. She hit a career-high .381 as a junior, which was tied for the third-best single-season batting average at Fordham, and set the single game stolen base mark with three against Binghamton in 2007.
 
At one point, Henry held single season school marks for hits (74 - 2006), at bats (194 - 2006), runs scored (2006 - 54), and stolen bases (2004 - 20).
 
Over her career, Henry compiled a .328 batting average in 221 games with 172 runs, 218 hits, 30 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 67 RBI and was successful on 73 of her 83 stolen base attempts. She was the first Fordham softball player to amass 200 career hits and graduated with school records in hits (218), runs scored (172), walks (111), and stolen bases (73). She also left Rose Hill ranked in the top seven in career batting average (.328 - seventh), at bats (664 - second), doubles (30 – tied for fifth), total bases (273 - third), games played (221 - second) and sacrifices (38 - second).
 
Henry stills holds the school mark for career stolen bases with 73 while also currently ranking tenth in career batting average, fourth in hits, second in runs scored and second in walks.
 
 
 
SUZANNE MAGUIRE, FCRH '97 (Women's Basketball)
Maguire opened her Fordham career by being named to the 1994 Patriot League All-Rookie Team and the Patriot League championship team as she led the Rams to the conference title. She then earned First Team All-Patriot League accolades as a sophomore in 1994-95.
 

A change of conferences didn't slow Maguire down as the Dublin, Ireland, native was named Third Team All-Atlantic 10 as a junior in 1995-96 and then Second Team All-Atlantic 10 as a senior in 1996-97. She led the team in scoring and rebounding both seasons.
 
A four-year starter, Maguire currently sits in fourth place on Fordham's all-time scoring list with 1,475 career points while her 13.3 ppg scoring average is fifth best in school history. She is also fifth on Fordham's all-time rebounding list with 737 and third on Fordham's all-time three-point field goals made list with 200 and on the Rams' three-point percentage list (35.5%). Additionally Maguire ranks second on Fordham's career free throw percentage list (80.1%) and fifth on Fordham's all-time steals list with 171.
 
 
 
JAVIER MARTINEZ, FCRH '07 (Baseball)

Martinez, who led the Rams to the Atlantic 10 baseball championship title game in 2007, went 9-4 as a senior that year with a 4.40 ERA to go with 63 strikeouts in 94.0 innings, setting personal bests in wins and innings pitched.
 
In four seasons at Fordham, Martinez struck out a school-record 264 batters in 296.1 innings while posting a 23-20 record and two saves. He graduated tied for second in career wins and was seventh in career appearance (68). He currently ranks second in innings pitched, third in wins and eighth in appearances on the Fordham career list. His 14 starts as a senior is tied for second most in a season for the Rams while his 94 innings pitched in 2006 is seventh best and his 84 strike outs in 2006 is the tenth best single season mark in school history.
 
Following his senior season, Martinez was drafted in the 29^th round by the Seattle Mariners. He played professional baseball for two seasons before his career was cut short by injury.


 
 
JOE MOORHEAD, FCRH '96 (Football)
Moorhead started his Fordham career as a quarterback with the Rams from 1992-1995 where he was a three-year starter and served as a team captain as a senior. He earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors as a senior, finishing 13th nationally in total offense, and graduated with school single-season and career records for completions and passing yards.
 

Following his collegiate career, Moorhead spent time in the training camp of the Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football League after playing the 1996 season for the Munich Cowboys of the E.F.A.F.
 
Moorhead returned to Fordham in 2012 when he assumed the role of head football coach and led the Rams to unparalleled success as Fordham won the 2013 Patriot League title and advanced to the NCAA FCS Championships three straight years, winning first round games in 2013 and 2014.
 
Fordham compiled a 32-8 record the last three years under Moorhead's tutelage, fourth best among all NCAA FCS programs, and defeated two NCAA FBS teams over that time frame (Temple in 2013 and Army in 2015). The Rams saw 16 players earn All-American status over Moorhead's last three years and had 48 All-Patriot League sections, including the Offensive Player of the Year in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and the Rookie of the Year in 2014. Additionally, Fordham spent 42 consecutive weeks ranked in the NCAA FCS Top 25.
 
Over the his four seasons as head coach, Moorhead made Jack Coffey Field a challenging place for opponents to win as the Rams were an impressive 23-2 on their home turf, the third best NCAA FCS home winning percentage over that time.
 
 
 
JOHN SKELTON, GABELLI '10 (FOOTBALL)
A four-year starter, Skelton wrapped up a record-shattering career for the Rams as a senior in 2009, closing out the year completing 284 of 441 passes (64.4%) for 3,708 yards and 26 touchdowns, setting new school marks for completions, passing yards and completion percentage. He earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors that season.
 

Skelton led the NCAA FCS in passing yards/game (337.09) in 2009 and was ranked second in total offense (348.18 yards/game), fourth in completions per game (25.82) and total passing yards and tenth in passing efficiency (149.95). He threw for over 300 yards eight times in eleven games that fall, including four 400-yard games. Skelton completed 20 of 27 passes for 420 yards and five touchdowns against Cornell, breaking the school record for passing yards in a game, and then reset his own record two weeks later, completing 43 of 67 passes for 427 yards, all school records, against Holy Cross (he finished one passing attempt shy of the NCAA FCS record for most pass attempts in a game without an interception).
 
Twice named a Preseason All-American by Consensus Draft Services, Skelton graduated with school career records for most completions (802), passing yards (9,923) and touchdown passes (69) as well as single season records for completions (284), completion percentage (.644) and passing yards (3,708).
 
Following his senior year, Skelton was selected to play in the prestigious East-West Shrine game and he received an invitation to the NFL Combine. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals becoming the 18th Ram to be drafted by an NFL team, the first since Kenny Parker in 1968.
 
 
 
BART WOYTOWICZ, GABELLI '73 (Men's Basketball)

A starter with the freshman team in 1969-1970 (freshman were not eligible to play varsity), Woytowicz moved up to varsity as a sophomore, becoming a starter on the 1970-1971 men's basketball squad, the most successful team in school history. He averaged 10.2 ppg and 6.9 rpg (second on the team) as a sophomore as the Rams went 26-3, earned a bid to the NCAA Championships and finished the season ranked among the top ten teams in the country. 
 
As a junior in 1971-1972, Woytowicz averaged 15.4 ppg (second on team) and led the Rams with 8.5 rpg.
 
In two seasons with the varsity, Woytowicz scored 713 points and grabbed 430 rebounds in 56 games.
 
Following his playing days at Rose Hill, Woytowicz played professionally in Europe (France, Italy and Switzerland) and in 1998 he went to work at Google as the company's first advertising hire, serving as Google's Director of Sales and Advertising until 2005.
 
Woytowicz becomes the seventh player from the 1970-1971 men's basketball team in the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame, joining Charlie Yelverton, Kenny Charles, Bill Mainor, John Burik, George Zambetti and Tom Sullivan.
 
 
 
BILL BURKE, FCRH '65, LAW '68; DAVID LANGDON, FCRH '65 & DONALD ROSS, FCRH '65 (Football)
The year was 1964 and a group of Fordham students were looking to return football to campus. The school had discontinued the program following the 1954 season due to financial concerns but the students were looking for something to bring life to the campus on fall Saturdays.
 
Ross, who was running for student body president, along with his running mate John Connolly, FCRH '65, ran on the Spirit Party line with the return of football as its main goal. Ross and Connolly won the election and used money raised from on-campus concerts (featuring some of the day's top acts such as Ray Charles, Peter Paul and Mary and the Kingston Trio) to help fund the return of football.
 
But it wasn't easy as administrators were hesitant to bring football back. However new University president Vincent O'Keefe, SJ, was agreeable to move forward with a club team and the announcement was made in the September 18, 1964 edition of The Ram with a one-word headline: "FOOTBALL!"
 

Langdon, the rugby team captain, was enlisted to serve as the team's volunteer head coach and Burke, the student government treasurer, served as the sports information director and was charged with promoting the return of football.
 
Langdon managed to set up a game with the NYU club team on November 18 at Fordham and the wheels started to turn. An ad for tryouts drew 140 students and the group was pared down to a 43-man roster. Langdon, Ross and Connolly then began the task of fundraising the $18,000 they believed would be needed to stage the game with each loaning $1,000 to the cause.
 
Lots need to be done to get ready of the game. Tickets and programs needed to be printed and uniforms and equipment would need to be purchased. Even the field itself had to be readied as Jack Coffey Field did not have football bleachers. Luckily they got a good deal on a set of bleachers that the students had to set up and break down themselves. The reason for the good deal was that the bleachers were on their way to Washington, D.C., for the presidential inauguration in January.
 
On the field, Ross needed a tune up for his troops so he took the team up to Maine for a game with Maine Maritime which didn't go well for the Rams, who fell, 42-0.
 
Back at Rose Hill, Burke, with the assistance of New York Giants owner Wellington Mara, FCRH '37, was busy getting the word out. He managed to get all seven daily New York newspapers to cover the game, including the great Dick Young from the Daily News.
 
The game was a hard-fought affair with the Rams clinching a 20-14 win when Roger Dexter, GABELLI '65, intercepted a Violet pass in the fourth quarter. The team carried Langdon off the field on their shoulders and did something no Fordham football team had done since 1954. Ring the Victory Bell.
 
Today the Victory Bell gets quite a workout as the team has won 40 games over the past four years. But if not for Burke, Langdon and Ross the bell may have remained quiet all those Saturday afternoons.
 
 
 
Following the induction of the new Hall of Fame Class, Garrick Mayweather, Jr., FCRH '16, a former football captain, spoke on behalf of the young alumni and captains, describing the personal growth he experienced while playing for head coach Joe Moorhead while also acknowledging the great honor and responsibility it is to be named captain. He even shared one of his favorite "Joeisms", quotes that Moorhead would share with the team for inspiration.
 
"With team success comes individual recognition," said Mayweather. "It's one Joeism I will never forget as I find it creeps into other aspects of my life. It's lessons like these that made me who I am."
 
Mayweather summed up his talk, thanking those who came before him at Fordham. "The Fordham athletics program has thrived thanks to the incredible work of women and men like the ones who sit in front of me tonight, upon whose shoulders student-athletes like myself have and will continue to stand. To follow in the footsteps of some of Fordham Athletics' most successful alumni, is a privilege for which I, and all student-athletes hereafter, are immensely thankful."
 
Fr. McShane then addressed the crowd, repeatedly invoking the name of Irenaeus before offering an explanation. "Irenaeus was a Father of the Church who famously said "The Glory of God is a human being fully alive' which is so appropriate for tonight. As athletes you are constantly stretched to your limits and challenged on the playing field, and because of that you are fully alive, from head to toe. We celebrate you because you make Fordham University a better place and we celebrate your compassion and diversity and thank you for all you do for us."