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Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham Director of Athletics Dave Roach announced today that the late William D. Walsh, FCRH '51, will be honored as the recipients of the Fordham Victory Bell Award that will be presented at the Fordham Athletics Gala on April 27, 2019, at 583 Park in Manhattan.
 
The Victory Bell Award honors individuals who have brought distinction and honor to Fordham University Athletics through achievements not related to competition, coaching and/or administration. The honoree, selected by the Fordham Athletics Hall of Fame Committee, embodies a sense of leadership and passion for Fordham Athletics and serves as an inspiration to the Fordham Athletics Family. The late Wellington and Ann Mara received the inaugural Victory Bell Award in 2017.
 
"Bill Walsh was a tremendous benefactor to Fordham University and Fordham Athletics," said Roach. "He and his wife left their mark all over campus and the Walsh family continues to support the University today. We are appreciative all that Bill Walsh and his family has done for Fordham."
 

Born in New York, Walsh, a former member of the Fordham University Board of Trustees, graduated from Fordham in 1951. He tried out for the freshman football team in his days on Rose Hill but was cut by Fordham great Vince Lombardi who told Walsh, "There's plenty of things you do well, but football is not one of them."
 
That didn't seem to slow Walsh down as he went on to graduate from Harvard Law School in 1955. He began his career as an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of New York.
 
Walsh eventually moved west in 1963, joining McKinsey & Company as a management consultant before he moved to Arcata Corp., eventually became president and CEO of that company. He later founded Sequoia Associates, LLC, a private investment firm that specializes in leverage buyouts.
 
Deeply committed to philanthropy, he supported many institutions and efforts. In 1997, Bill and Jane Walsh and their six children donated $10.5 million to Fordham, the largest gift in the University's history at the time. In order to recognize their extraordinary generosity, which sets a standard that raises the aspirations of all the men and women of Fordham present and future, the University named the library to honor this remarkable family.
 
A friend of athletics, Walsh was a member of the Athletics committee on the Board of Trustees. His generous contributions of the Athletic Department enabled the department to build a varsity training center, the Walsh Training Center, and to undertake a complete renovation of Murphy Field, the multi-purpose athletic complex utilized by the football, softball, tennis, and track teams as well as by the intramural and club sport programs.
 
Walsh, who passed away in 2013, is honored by the Fordham Football program each year with the presentation of the Walsh Award at the annual Gridiron Awards Dinner.
 
The Victory Bell Award will be presented on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at the Inaugural Fordham Athletics Gala and Hall of Fame ceremony to be held at 583 Park in Manhattan.
 
The 2019 Fordham Athletics Hall of Fame Class:
 
Tom Dewey (Track and Field head coach)
Paul Dillon (Golf head coach)
Ryan Kirlin (Rowing)
Patrick Murray (Football)
Jennifer Mineau Elko (Softball)
Dave Montani (Rowing)
David Rosa (Track & Field)
Brienne Ryan (Swimming)
Melissa Salerno (Track & Field)
Greg Smith (Baseball)