Fordham University Student-Athletes Honored at 15th Annual Breakfast for Champions

Bronx, N.Y. – On the same day that the 2018 Winter Olympic Games wrap up, Fordham University recognized over 400 student-athletes as champions. The Rams in attendance were honored for compiling a 3.00 cumulative GPA or higher at the 15th Annual Breakfast for Champions in the McGinley Center. The event was sponsored by the Fordham Athletic Department with assistance from the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and the Office of Academic Advising.
 
The 413 in attendance represented 79.9% of the student-athletes at Fordham.
 
After a special mass for those being honored in the University Chapel officiated by Father Jose-Luis Salazar, S.J., executive director of the University Mission and Ministry Office, the student-athletes ventured to the McGinley Center for breakfast.
 
Following breakfast, Dave Roach, Director of Athletics, welcomed the crowd and acknowledged the athletic academic support staff, coaches and athletic administrators. He also spoke of how the academic success of the student-athletes in attendance noting that every team had a 3.00 GPA or better this past fall for the first time in 20 years and that the overall student-athlete GPA was high than the general student population.
 
"We fully recognize how difficult it is to balance division one athletics and a rigorous academic program," said Roach. "But you all do it very well on the field, court, pool and track. Given the time demands of intercollegiate athletics that's a tremendous accomplishment"
 
After Deputy Athletic Director Charlie Elwood recognized the top team performer for each varsity program, Harris Durkovic, GABELLI '18, president of the Fordham Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) introduced the keynote speaker, Mr. Stephen J. McGuinness, GABELLI '82, a member of the Fordham University Board of Trustees.
 

McGuinness, a 2017 Fordham University Founders honoree, is a business executive and active supporter of young people's education and career development, at Fordham and elsewhere. A son of the Bronx who grew up near the Rose Hill campus, he earned his bachelor's degree and M.B.A. at Fordham and served as a vice president at Citicorp and as a partner at Goldman Sachs, where he held senior roles including co-chief operating officer of the investment management division. More recently, he served as senior managing director with Strategic Value Partners, an investment management firm in Greenwich, Connecticut.
 
Noted for his generosity, McGuinness focused his talk on giving back, and the importance of listening to others.
 
"The single most important thing you can do is listen to all of the people around you," said McGuinness. "Whether that is sitting down with someone face-to-face or returning a phone call. Ninety-nine point five percent of the time you probably can't resolve the issue but just by listening you will help them tremendously."
 
McGuinness also mentioned the significance of going through life with open ears as well as open eyes. "What people like to do most is talk about themselves. And just giving them that solace and that time, you have no idea what another person is going through. So when you take that moment to spend with them it can have a benefit that you can never understand."
 
Following his address, Durkovic, along with Kristen Ryan, GABELLI '19, vice president of SAAC, presented a check for $4,500 for the Fiver Children's Foundation on behalf of Fordham SAAC to Emma Williams, Director of Development of the foundation, and Gabriela Berroa, Development Chair. The donation included monies raised by SAAC through various fundraisers, including school-wide dodgeball tournaments and bake sales.
 
The Fiver Children's Foundation is a comprehensive youth development organization that makes a 10-year commitment to children from underserved communities throughout New York City and central New York. Through character-building summer and year-round out-of-school time programs, Fiver empowers children to make ethical and healthy decisions, to become engaged citizens, and to succeed in school, careers, and life.
 
Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University, wrapped up the ceremony by congratulating the student-athletes for their exploits, both on the playing fields and in the classroom.
 
McShane mentioned that he was in Naples, Florida, last week where he met up with Fordham Athletic Hall of Famer Tom Courtney, a two-time Olympic gold medalist. McShane took the opportunity to ask Courtney what was important about athletics.
 
"Tom Courtney told me that there are a number of things that sports can do," said McShane. "He said that if you've been watching the Olympics that sport does something that no one or nothing else can do. It can bring out the best in people and unite people and that's something we can forget."
 
The second thing that Courtney mentioned to Fr. McShane was of importance to the student-athletes in the audience. "He said that a great thing about being a member of a team at place like Fordham is that you are challenged to spend yourself seeking excellence for the team. I know that's what you do."
 
Members of the football squad closed out the brunch with a rendition of the Fordham Fight Song.
 
Included in the 413 were 48 student-athletes who were recognized as four-year Breakfast for Champions attendees.
Kevin Anderson (Football)
Carolina Barbosa Sa (Women's Tennis)
Chris Bazzini (Men's Soccer)
Jacob Bernardo (Baseball)
Michael Campbell (Men's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Rachel Collage (Women's Soccer)
Jonathan Dimon (Football)
Harris Durkovic (Men's Tennis)
Chase Edmonds (Football)
Jessica Farrell (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Kylie Farrell (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Asnate Fomina (Women's Basketball)
Emily Fronk (Volleyball)
Ben Greenberg (Baseball)
Brynna Harum (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Fritz Heinrich (Men's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Joseph Kavaloski (Men's Tennis)
Hana Kurihara (Rowing)
Matthew Lewis (Men's Soccer)
Jannik Loebe (Men's Rowing)
John Lennon (Squash)
Stephanie Leo (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Kyle Losi (Men's Soccer)
Erin McBride (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Deirdre McGrath (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Ariene Merkle (Rowing)
Zachary Miklos (Men's Swimming & Diving)
James Mongey (Golf)
Grace Muller (Volleyball)
Catherine Napoli (Rowing)
Nik O'Brein (Men's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Eric Ohlendorf (Men's Soccer)
Ryan Riviere (Men's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Vincent Sansone (Football)
Louis Santelli (Men's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Matthew Schiller (Football)
Liam Semple (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Kristen Shuman (Rowing)
Thomas Slattery (Men's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Joseph Trim (Golf)
Alex Tunaru (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Cristina Ulto (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Clayton Welsh (Football)
Estelle Wong (Women's Tennis)
Merissa Wright (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
Peter Yuen (Squash)
Nemanja Zarkovic (Men's Basketball)
Vincent Zuccala (Men's Soccer)
 
Also recognized were the following that have the highest grade point average for their team:
Baseball – Billy Godrick
Men's Basketball – Prokop Slanina
Women's Basketball – Zara Jillings
Cheerleading – Stephanie Plaza
Football – Clayton Welsh
Golf – Kyle Morris
Rowing – Catherine Napoli
Men's Soccer – Liam Dougherty-Howard
Women's Soccer – Clara Gastaldi
Softball – Lauren Quense
Squash – Justin Esposito
Men's Swimming & Diving – Christopher Sleutjes & Scott Stern
Women's Swimming & Diving – Nele Albers
Men's Tennis – Lutwin de Macar
Women's Tennis – Carolina Barbosa Sa
Men's Cross Country/Track – Matthew Berdon
Women's Cross Country/Track – Cristina Ulto
Volleyball – Emily Fronk
Water Polo – Massimiliano Marachi