Photo Gallery
Jan. 23, 2010
Bronx, N.Y. - The ranks of Fordham University Athletic Hall of Famers grew by six on Saturday, January 23rd, as the Rams inducted the newest class at the annual Hall of Fame Awards Brunch in the McGinley Center.
Joining the likes of such Fordham notables as Frankie Frisch, Vince Lombardi, Vin Scully, Wellington Mara and Peter Harnisch were Ioana Dragan CBA '02 (Women's Tennis) , Javarus Dudley CBA `04 (Football), Kevin Eakin FCRH `04 (Football), Akira Kosugi CBA '96 (Men's Swimming) , Sophie Namy FCRH '00 (Rowing) , and Kirwin Watson FCRH '04 (Football).
The day started with a special mass at the University Church and the Hall of Famers and their guest then assembled in the McGinley Center Ballroom for the formal induction ceremony. Master of Ceremony Michael Kay FCRH '82 introduced each new Hall of Famer and they were presented their Hall of Fame plaque by University President, Fr. Joseph McShane, S.J. and Executive Director of Athletics, Frank McLaughlin.
Following the awards ceremony, Watson spoke on behalf of the group, mentioning how Fordham feels like home to him and the other inductees. "Whenever I come back to Fordham I always feel like I'm coming back to family," opened Watson.
Watson went on to relay the gratitude of each of the newest members.
"As individuals we excelled in sports and we shared a common blessing to be educated at a great institution," stated Watson. "We needed a lot of help while we were here and to get to the point where we are today and that help came from the Fordham family."
Fr. McShane then spoke to those in attendance, thanking the Hall of Famers for their devotion to the University.
"Hall of Fame Day for all of us is a day of gratitude," said Fr. McShane. "The new Hall of Famers are a source of enormous pride for the University and for that we thank you."
McShane went on to address the newest Hall of Famers, "You have distinguished yourself on the field, have represented the best of what Fordham stands for with passion and a deep commitment. We praise you for your accomplishments and more so for the idea that you are great ambassadors for Fordham."
The ceremony ended with the Fordham band marching into the ballroom and playing an inspiring rendition of the Fordham Fight Song.
The day was made even more special with the appearance of the 2009 New York Yankees World Series trophy, which was brought down to the Rose Hill Gym for the men's basketball game with Temple following the ceremony.
Here is a bio on each of the new Fordham Athletic Hall of Famers:
IOANA DRAGAN CBA '02 - TENNIS
One of the most successful women's tennis players in Fordham history, Ioana Dragan capped her collegiate career by being named the 2001 Atlantic 10 Student Athlete of the Year for Women's Tennis as well as winning the 2001 Claire Hobbs Award as the school's top female student-athlete.
A three-time All-Atlantic 10 team selection (2000, 2001 and 2002), Dragan compiled a 15-5 record at first singles as a senior while also recording an 11-7 mark at first doubles to earn her fourth straight team MVP award.
As a freshman, Dragan led the women at first singles throughout the season. At the Atlantic 10 championships, she went at 4-0 at first singles and 3-1 at first doubles, earning Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team honors while leading the Rams to a fifth-place tie overall. She also was named the 2000 Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Rookie.
A native of Bucharest, Romania, Dragan currently resides in the Bronx with her husband, Miaha Radu Udrea, and their daughter, Amber.
JAVARUS DUDLEY CBS '04 - FOOTBALL
The Fordham University football program had never seen a wide receiver as talented as Javarus Dudley and it may never again. Dudley, a consensus First Team All-American as a senior in 2003, became the first Fordham receiver to compile more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season, accomplishing the feat three times. He was named the 2002 Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year as well as First Team All-League in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
Dudley graduated as the Patriot League career leader in receptions (295), receiving yards (4,197), receiving touchdowns (34), all-purpose yards (7,121), kickoff returns (111) and kickoff return yardage (2,663), all records that still stand. He also holds Fordham single-season marks for receptions (101, set in 2004), receiving yards (1,439, set in 2004) and kickoff return yards (840, set in 2002).
As a senior, Dudley caught 101 passes for 1,439 yards and 14 touchdowns. He set Fordham school records for both receptions in a season and receiving yards in a season, breaking the record of 77 receptions for 1,106 yards which he set as a junior. Dudley finished the year leading the NCAA I-AA in receptions per game (8.42) and was third in receiving yards per game (119.9) as well as being ranked 18th in scoring (8.00 points/game). He also set Patriot League records for most receptions in a season, breaking the old record of 88, and receiving yards in a season, breaking the former record of 1,322.
Following graduation, Dudley started a professional career with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football league (AFL). He was named to the 2006 AFL All-Rookie team, helping the Predators to ArenaBowl XX, the 2006 AFL Championship, in Las Vegas in his rookie season. In the title game, Dudley caught ten passes for a game-high 117 yards and four touchdowns.
Dudley led the 2007 Orlando team with 107 catches for 1,524 yards and 29 touchdowns while also rushing 16 times for 20 yards and four scores before moving to New Orleans where he was a member of the New Orleans Voodoo in 2008, recording 1,099 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns.
A native of Hollywood, Florida, Dudley is a high school football coach.
KEVIN EAKIN FCRH '04 - FOOTBALL
Despite playing just two seasons, Kevin Eakin was one of the most prolific passers in Fordham football history, setting Fordham career records in passing yards (6,112), touchdown passes (45), completion percentage (61.5%), 200-yard passing games (19) and 300-yard passing games (5). He also ranked among Patriot League career leaders in completion percentage (third), passing yards/game (sixth), passing touchdowns (tenth), passing yards (11th) and total offense (12th).
Over his career, Eakin threw for a school and Patriot League-record 6,112 yards and 45 touchdowns. He completed 486 of 790 passes, both second best all-time, for the 6,112 yards. His completion percentage of 61.5% is also a school record, and he threw for over 200 yards 19 times in 25 career starts as well as surpassing the 300-yard mark five times. Eakin's career record as a starter was 19-6.
Eakin led the 2002 Rams to their first ever Patriot League title and first appearance in the NCAA I-AA playoffs. Fordham defeated Northeastern in the first round of the 2002 playoffs before falling to Villanova in the second round.
A 2002 & 2003 First Team All-Patriot League selection, Eakin was the first Fordham quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season, setting the school passing yardage record in 2003 with 3,072 yards. He led the Patriot League in passing yards/game that season and was second in total offense.
Following graduation, Eakin signed a future NFL contract with the New York Jets and was assigned to the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe. He finished the 2005 NFL Europe season as the second-rated passer in the league, completing 105 of 180 passes for 1,299 yards and 11 touchdowns, and was invited to Jets' training camp in the summer.
In 2006 Eakin was cut the final week of camp by the Buffalo Bills after spending the spring with the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europa, helping the team advance to the World Bowl. On the year, he threw for 353 yards and two scores.
For the past two years, Eakin has been a member of the Tennessee Valley Vipers, leading the team to the 2008 Arena Football League 2 (AFL2) championship, throwing for 2,515 yards and 51 touchdowns in 12 regular season games and for 704 yards and 11 scores in the playoffs. Last year, he was named Second Team All-AFL2 as the Valley Vipers won the 2009 AFL2 South Division title, recording 3,945 passing yards and 85 touchdowns in 16 games.
Kevin, a native of Coral Springs, Florida, currently resides in Toney, Alabama, with his wife, Shi-Anne Ragsdale Eakin, and their son, Elijah.
AKIRA KOSUGI CBA '96 - SWIMMING
Even though he only competed with the team for one year, Akira Kosugi left a lasting impression with the Fordham University men's swimming program.
A transfer to Fordham after swimming for three years at Florida, Kosugi was named 1996 Most Outstanding Performer at the Atlantic 10 Championships, winning A-10 titles in the 200 IM and 100 fly. He was also a member of the 200 medley relay team that won the 1996 Atlantic 10 championship, setting an Atlantic 10 record in the process with a time of 1:33.00, a Fordham record that lasted until it was broken last year.
As a senior, Kosugi set Fordham records in the 200 IM (1:51.21), 100 back and 100 fly (49.52), with the 100 fly and 200 IM records still standing today. He was also a member of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams that set school records in 1996 (3:24.93).
At Florida, Kosugi was a member of two Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship teams and was a multiple SEC semifinalist in the 200 IM, 100 back and 100 fly.
A native of Tokyo, Kosugi and his wife, Sachiko, reside in his hometown where he is employed as a Managing Director at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch.
SOPHIE NAMY FCRH '00 - ROWING
After injuries curtailed her soccer career, Sophie Namy joined Fordham crew, becoming one of the top rowers in school history.
Rowing in the women's top crew for three years, Namy won both the Atlantic 10 championship and Dad Vail championship in both her junior and senior years with the varsity four.
Namy continued to row for a fifth year in 2000 as she had eligibility remaining due to time missed because of injury that year. She stroked the best varsity eight Fordham has ever raced and finished second at the Dad Vail, missing the gold medal in a photo finish (this was Fordham's best finish in the varsity eight event at the Dad Vail).
In 1999-2000, Namy was named the women's rowing MVP, making the jump from the varsity four boat to the first varsity eight boat. The team's captain that season, she led the varsity eight to first-place titles at the Bucknell Fall Invitational and the Fall Metropolitan Championships, and a third-place finish at the Atlantic 10 Fall Championships. In the spring, she led the varsity eight to a win at the Jesuit Invitational, a second-place finish at the Bucknell Invitational, and a fourth-place finish at the Knecht Cup.
Individually, Namy set the school record on the ergometer for lightweight women for both 2000 and 6000 meters. She raced in the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championships during her fifth year and made the Grand Finals, becoming the first woman from Fordham to ever make the finals at this event. Namy would finish seventh among more than eighty competitors - the best finish ever by a Fordham woman at CRASH-Bs.
Academically, Namy was just as successful, earning Academic All-America honors all three years with crew. As a senior in 1999, she helped the crew to an undefeated spring season and added a New York State Championship to her other accomplishments while also competing in the varsity four that raced in Women's Henley that spring, helping the boat to the final four among twenty-nine international university crews.
Namy, a native of McLean, Virginia, currently resides in her hometown where she is employed as a researcher at the International Center of Research on Women, located in Washington, D.C.
KIRWIN WATSON FCRH '04 - FOOTBALL
The Fordham football program had not seen a running back the likes of Kirwin Watson before he arrived at Rose Hill and they haven't seen another like him since he left.
A finalist for the 2002 and 2003 Walter Payton Award as the top NCAA FCS (formerly I-AA) offensive player in the nation, Watson was a Second Team All-America as a senior in 2003 as well as being named the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year that fall. He is the first Fordham player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season on the FCS level, doing so as both a junior and a senior.
As a junior, Watson finished tenth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, setting school records for rushing yards in a season when he gained 1,467 yards on 285 carries. The 1,467 yards was the fourth best total in Patriot League history and he ranked ninth in the NCAA I-AA in rushing yards/game and points/game.
In 2003, Watson earned his third straight First Team All-Patriot League honor and finished 13th in the Walter Payton Award voting. He rushed 311 times for 1,477 yards and 20 touchdowns. He set the school single season records for most rushing yards, most rushing touchdowns and most carries, breaking the record of 285 carries for 1,467 yards and 18 touchdowns which he set in 2002. Watson was 13th in the NCAA I-AA in rushing (123.1) and fourth in scoring (10.50 points/game). In the Patriot League, Watson ranked second in both rushing yards per game and scoring.
The 2002 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, Watson holds Fordham career records for rushing yards (4,617), rushing attempts (942) and rushing touchdowns (48) as well as single season records for rushing yards (1,477 set in 2003), rushing attempts (311 set in 2003) and rushing touchdowns (20 set in 2003). He was named Third Team All-America by The Sports Network, the Associated Press, and the Football Gazette.
Watson finished his career as the third all-time leading rusher in Patriot League history while breaking the league's record for most career rushing touchdowns, surpassing the old record of 40 set by Lehigh's Erick Torain from 1987-90. He also finished second on the Patriot League all-time scoring list and fifth on the all-purpose yards list.
A native of Sunrise, Florida, Watson currently resides in Manhattan. From 2004-09, he served as the Regional Scout for the Northeastern Part of the United States for the New York Jets.
