Michael Andrews and John Lumelleau Honored at Annual Fordham Gridiron Club Dinner

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New York, N.Y. - Michael Andrews, GSB '09 and John Lumelleau, FCRH '74, were honored with the Mara Family Award and the Walsh Award, respectively, at the annual Fordham Gridiron Club Dinner held at the Yale Club in Manhattan on Thursday night, September 10.
 
The Mara Family and Walsh Awards honor members of the Fordham football family for their dedication and contributions to the program.  The Mara Family Award is named in honor of the family of the late Wellington Mara, a 1937 graduate of Fordham, while the Walsh Award in named in honor of William D. Walsh, Fordham College class of 1951 and namesake of the Walsh Athletic Training Center as well as the Walsh Family Library on the Rose Hill campus.
 

Before dinner, junior quarterback Kevin Anderson, one of three captains in attendance, spoke on behalf of the team, reliving the exiting win at Army the previous week and imploring those in attendance to come out and support the Rams in 2015.
 
Andrews was presented his award by Sister Anne Walsh, RHSM, the team's academic advisor, who said "Michael graduated in 2009 but never left Fordham." Andrews can be found at most football games and recently started the SL Hudacek Fordham Mentoring Program, designed to connect current student-athletes with former players who serve as mentors. These mentors are a resource the current players can contact with any problem, big or small, from where to get a good haircut to how to balance academic and athletic workloads as a student-athlete.
 
The program is named in honor of Andrews' grandfather Steve Hudacek, a standout player for the Rams in the early 1940's who was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989.
 
"It is such an honor to receive an award named for a family who has done more for Fordham than I ever could," said Andrews. "My freshman year Marcus Taylor took an interest in an underclassman and I owe my career to the opportunities he presented to me. I'm just hoping that the Mentoring Program can be that same help for the current students and show them what it's like to be 'Men for Others' and that my grandfather would be proud of what we're doing."
 
Lumelleau, who was a member of the first varsity team after the sport was elevated from club status in 1970, was presented his award by Deborah Hirsch, daughter of William Walsh and a member of the Fordham Board of Trustees who described Lumelleau as "a generous man who inspires generosity in others."

 

Lumelleau currently serves as President & CEO of Lockton, the world's largest privately held insurance broker. Since he joined Lockton in 1997, the Lockton team has grown ten-fold, from six offices with 700 Associates and $92 million in revenue to a global organization with more than $1 billion in revenue and 4,950 Lockton Associates in 64 offices. 
 
"If I said I was honored it would be an understatement," said Lumelleau. "I'm extremely honored to receive the Walsh Award. My experience with Fordham goes back to 1956 or 1957 when my father brought me to campus to watch my brother play for Fordham Prep. I was so excited to be a part of the team that brought varsity football back to Fordham. Football has been a touchpoint between Fordham and my life."
 
Moorhead closed the night by speaking of the strong foundation of the football program. "We stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us, including these two most deserving award winners tonight, Michael Andrews and John Lumelleau."
 
Moorhead went on to talk about the Rams' win over Army. "I've never been more proud of a football team than as I was after the Army game. But as I told the team we are pleased but not satisfied. We have to stay humble and hungry."