INDUCTION CEREMONYAND SENIOR ATHLETE RECOGNITION

May 4, 2017

- PRESENTED BY -

BSN Sports

Adirondack Bank

Dupli Envelope & Graphics

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Congratulations Tom Clark and All Honorees on Your Induction into the Utica College Pioneer

Hall of Fame From Your Employees At Adirondack Bank

UticaRome

WhitesboroMohawk

HerkimerIlion

Little FallsHolland Patent

Boonville Syracuse

Old ForgeSaranac Lake

Lake PlacidPlattsburgh

Congratulations 2017 Honorees

on Your Induction into the Utica

College Pioneer Hall of Fame

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Presenting sPonsors

gold sPonsors

Thankyou

MARCUS MARONEY ‘07 Football

WILL PLUFF ‘06 - Former Teammate of Marcus MaroneyCurrent Defensive Coordinator

I N T R O D U C T O R Y R E M A R K S

W E L C O M E

P R E S E N T A T I O N O F I N D U C T E E S

C O N C L U D I N G R E M A R K S

DAVE FONTAINE ‘89Director of Physical Education and Athletics

JASON POWLESAnchor, NEWSChannel 2 at Daybreak and Sunrise, WKTV

R E C O G N I T I O N O F S E N I O R A T H L E T E S

THOMAS FIESTHUMEL ‘80 Baseball

RICH JOSEPH - Former Baseball Coach

K E Y N O T E S P E A K E R

REBECCA PLUNKET T ’17 - WOMEN’S LACROSSE - STUDENT ATHLETE

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S E N I O R A W A R D S P R E S E N T A T I O N

KIWANIS STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD

GREG ROBERTS AWARD

RICHARD “DICK” MILLER MOST INSPIRATIONAL PLAYER AWARD

JIM ‘DOC’ SPARTANO OUTSTANDING SENIOR ATHLETE AWARD

YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US FOR A POST-DINNER PUB NIGHT IN THE PIONEER PUB (STREBEL STUDENT CENTER), WITH MUSIC BY WPNR

Lau r a Ca s am e n toPresident

JOE PRUCKNO ‘12 Track & Field

ERIC PARKER - Head Coach for Men’s and Women’s Cross Country/ Track & Field

KATIE KUTAS ‘09 Field Hockey

ANDREA DZIEKAN -Former High School Field Hockey Coach

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Jason Powles anchors NEWSChannel 2 at Daybreak and Sunrise. Until November 2012, he was the long-time Sports Director at NEWSChannel 2.

This will be Jason’s tenth straight year serving as the master of ceremonies for the Pioneer Hall of Fame and Senior Student-Athlete Recognition.

Jason has been with NEWSChannel 2 since July 1996. During his tenure, Jason has covered the NCAA Tournament, the Orange Bowl, several pro football camps, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame ceremonies. He has also hosted a continuing series in conjunction with the Hall of Fame called “Heroes of the Game”.

However, his local coverage is what has made him an invaluable asset to the NEWSChannel 2 team. He has hosted the High School Football Preview Show and created the NEWSChannel 2 High School Football All-Star Team as well as the High School Boys and Girls Basketball All-Star Teams. His work hosting race coverage of the Boilermaker Road Race helped earn WKTV an Associated Press Broadcast Award.

Jason is also an adjuct lecturer of journalism at Utica College.

Jason is from Rotterdam, New York, and grew up loving television. His mother said his first words included “Cronkite!” The interest in the field led him to study public communications at the College of Saint Rose, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in May 1992. He’s married to his lovely wife Anne and has two wonderful daughters, Rachael and Jillian.

Jason Powles master of ceremonies

Utica College Athletic Association (UCAA) members for your leadership and support of Utica College Athletics.

UCAA Advisory Committee 2016-17Jeana Nicotera - Brand Consultant, Cooley Group

Kristy Nole - AVP of Marketing & Communications, First Source Federal Credit Union

John Calabrese ‘90 - Franchise Owner, Express Employment Professionals

Scot Hayes - Owner and CEO, New York Sash

Rob Clark - EVP of Retail Banking, Adirondack Bank

Alex Carbone - EVP of Variable Operations, Carbone Auto Group

Symeon Tsoupelis - Owner, Symeon’s Greek Restaurant

Brian Jackson ‘85 - Partner, Slavin, Jackson & Burns DDS

Dan Kalil ‘00 - Commercial Operations Manager, Assured Information Securities

Rob Wuest ‘88 - Owner, Signal Technology Group

Rick Short ‘88 - Director of Marketing & Communications, Indium Corporation

Paul D’Aiuto - AVP of Operations, Birnie Bus Service, Inc.

Joe Chiffy - Co-Owner, Parkway Drugs

John Harmon ‘00 - VP, New York State Correctional Officers Police Benevolent Association, Inc

Lauren Birnie - Regional Manager at Birnie Bus

THANK YOU

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Katie Kutas is a true Pioneer as she helped lay the groundwork for what has become one of the most successful athletic programs on the campus of Utica College.

Kutas’ career was littered with accomplishments including being named to the Empire 8 All-Conference First Team in three out of her four seasons as a Pioneer. The accolades began to roll in immediately following her freshman year as she burst on the scene and earned Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honors while helping to guide the Pioneers to their first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in program-history.

Kutas did not slow down and in 2006 she was named the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year after recording 40 points in her sophomore season. He average of 2.35 points per game in 2006 ranks fourth on the College’s all-time single season list. She had a knack for scoring big goals in her sophomore season as she caged seven game-winners. For her efforts she was also named a 2006 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) First Team North Atlantic All-Region selection.

Kutas currently ranks fourth on the College’s all-time list with 98 career points (45 goals, 8 assists), sitting behind three former All-Americans on the College’s career scoring list. She averaged 1.46 points per game over the course of 67 career contests and she is one of just four players all-time to score 40+ career goals.

Kutas helped lead the Pioneers to 37 wins in four seasons and she guided Utica to a share of the Empire 8 Conference Championship in 2006.

Following her senior season she was selected as a NFHCA Second Team North Atlantic All-Region pick and she was chosen to participate in the prestigious NFHCA Division III Senior All-Star game.

Katie majored in risk management and insurance at UC and was a member of the Gamma Sigma Sigma sorority and the Gamma Iota Sigma risk management and insurance fraternity.

Katie Kutas ‘09

2005-2008, FIELD HOCKEY STUDENT-ATHLETE

Joe PrucKno ‘122010-2012, TRACK & FIELD STUDENT-ATHLETE

Joe Pruckno was the type of athlete that you can build a championship program around, and when the Utica College men’s track & field team earned its first Empire 8 Conference Championship last Spring, it’s no secret that the culture of hard work that was established by Pruckno played a major role.

His workmanlike attitude and effort towards honing his craft certainly paid off as he became the program’s first national qualifier and first All-American in the hurdles,

setting the stage for all future Pioneers. When it was all said and done, he finished his career as arguably the most decorated athlete to ever step foot on campus.

In two years he was a three-time All-American hurdler and a four time NCAA qualifier. He was the 2011-2012 Empire 8 Conference Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. He was a three-time Empire 8 Conference Champion and a four-time New York State Collegiate Track Conference Champion.

He’s the current school-record holder in the indoor 55 and 60 meter hurdles and the outdoor 110 meter hurdles. He was also on the school-record 4x100 meter relay team (41.85). During his time he set Empire 8 Conference Championship records in the 55 meter and 60 meter hurdles.

Pruckno was a standout athlete at nearby Rome Free Academy and also was a highly decorated track & field athlete at Mohawk Valley Community College.

While his athletic accomplishments are certainly impressive, it is his service to our country that makes his achievements stand out even more. Pruckno was active-duty Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 21 from 2006 to 2008 in California. In 2008 he switched over to the Naval reserves and enrolled into nearby Mohawk Valley Community College. His Naval Mobile Construction Battalion was then sent to active duty to Kuwait in 2009 and Afghanistan in 2010. Upon his return he enrolled into Utica College.

Joe is still enlisted with the United States Air Force as a military police member and he is currently on active duty orders at the eastern air defense squadron in Rome, NY while working for the Rome Police Department.

He was named Officer of the Month in May 2016 after saving the life of an opioid overdose victim.

Joe earned an associate’s degree in chemical dependency from MVCC before coming to UC to study sociology/anthropology.

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Every aspiring young athlete has at one time dreamed of being selected in the first round by a professional sports organization. Well, in the case of former Utica College standout pitcher Tom Fiesthumel, that dream became a reality when he was selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“Tommy has as much desire as Dave Cash (Native Utican and Major League All-Star) and has all the tools,” said Joe Buccolo a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Fiesthumel’s baseball career blossomed locally as he was a star athlete at nearby Proctor High School, posting a 13-1 record on the mound and a near .400 batting average. He entered Utica College in 1974 and made an instant impact as he was the team’s Most Valuable Player and Co-Most Valuable Player for the two years he played for the Pioneers prior to being drafted into the big leagues.

During his time as a Pioneer he posted a 13-4 career record, including two no-hitters, three one hitters and seven shutouts. He posted a perfect 5-0 record in 1974 and ended up winning his first seven decisions in the blue and orange. He finished his freshman season with an incredible .90 earned run average.

His baseball abilities extended past the pitching mound, as he was a .350 career hitter for the Pioneers, and even went 4-for-5 at the dish while throwing a no-hitter against Houghton College. In his sophomore season he posted 41 strikeouts in 28 innings of work to help the Pioneers to their second best overall record (to that point) in program-history.

Fiesthumel went on to play in the minor leagues for the Niagara Falls Pirates where he posted a 2.48 career ERA and he even had two outings with the Utica Blue Sox, where he registered 10 and two thirds scoreless innings to earn one win and one save for his hometown team.

Following his pro career he returned to Utica College and became an assistant coach to Rich Joseph and since he had exhausted his baseball playing eligibility, he demonstrated his athletic prowess by becoming a standout performer for the golf and tennis teams at Utica. He graduated from UC in 1980 with a degree in business administration.

“Fiest was a great teammate, athlete and competitor,” said teammate Mark Salsbury ‘79. “He had exceptional juice on his fastball, a super change and a variety of curveballs. With him on the mound UC could beat anybody. He could have easily gone to the pros as an outfielder as well.”

thomas Fiesthumel ‘80 1974-1976, BASEBALL STUDENT-ATHLETE

marcus maroney ‘072002-2007, FOOTBALL STUDENT-ATHLETE

Marcus Maroney was ahead of the curve in a time of growth for the young Utica College football program. His statistics and accolades certainly tell the story of a Pioneer Hall of Fame worthy career, but he was also the one player on the field that the opposing team coaches would spend all week trying to warn their team about.

Despite being earmarked week-in and week-out as the top player on the field, he still managed to skirt the opposition’s game plan and will go down as one of the

top defensive players in the history of Utica College football.

Maroney played free safety for the Pioneers and totaled 290 career tackles, a mark that stands as the third highest tackle total in the history of the program. His 176 career unassisted tackles ranks second all-time at Utica and his 17 pass breakups rank third all-time.

He was a two-time Empire 8 All-Conference First Team selection and a two-time ECAC North West Football All-Star selection. Maroney was a D3football.com All-Region Third Team Defensive selection in 2006, marking the first time in program-history that a Pioneer had earned a spot on the coveted D3football.com All-Region list.

He finished his junior season ranked 11th in the country with a career-high 90 tackles and he also added six pass breakups, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception on his way to earning first team all-conference accolades.

He capped his career at Utica with 72 tackles as a senior, including a team-best 50 solo tackles, on his way to a second straight all-conference first team selection.

Marcus majored in management at Utica and is originally from Lockport, New York. He is currently the senior assistant director of admissions for Western New England University. In 2013 Marcus earned his M.B.A. from Anna Maria College.

Maroney is married to 2008 Pioneer Hall of Fame selection Shannon Rohacek, a former standout and All-American field hockey player at UC, and they currently reside in Worcester, MA.

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2017 senior student-athletes

Field Hockey Head Coach Nikki Kieffer

Rachael Scaramuzzino%*

Tori Couture2 Sara Hennessey2%

Women’s TennisHead Coach John Nigro

Shannon Fillmore* Anastasia Fitzpatrick* Gabriella Morreale Lulu Zhang*^

men’s cross counTry/Track & FieldHead Coach Eric Parker

Kyle Carr2% Jason Ortiz2^ Erik Winberg2% Jon Hoover Sam Kaczmarek%!* Christian St. Amour%

Women’s cross counTry/Track & FieldHead Coach Eric Parker

Mackenzie Hoven* Jade Jenkins%

Gabrielle McQueen Abby Schaible2%^

men’s soccerHead Coach Brian Marcantonio

Joseph Hunter Matt Beljan Marcel Dupuis^2 Patrick Claffey* Owen Gillam%*

Women’s soccerHead Coach Eileen Blumenauer

Jamie Enders Brianna Marfe Elizabeth Feigum Xiomara Rodriguez2 Ciara McIlvenny*

Sara Kubera*

FooTballHead Coach Blaise Faggiano

Jerred Beniquez% Ryan Burnett% Juwan Wilson%R!AS Teddy VanGalen^ Joe Castellitto* James Murphy Tyler DePasquale Jack Doyle* Frank DeNome Austin Berninger Robert Pontbriand%!AS Peter Mueller Nicholas Bruzzese% Alfronzo Whitehurst Dan Pamlanye

VolleyballHead Coach Aris Bird

Brandi Blaszak%

Women’s baskeTball Head Coach Michele Davis

Calypso Carty^*

Eric JohnsonT

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^ Empire 8 Sportsmanship Award Winner* Conference All-Academic Team Selection% All-Conference Selection! All-Region Selection& All-American~NCAA Qualifier

#Conference Athlete of the Year

ASSenior All-Star GameRRookie of the YearTTeam Manager2Two-Sport Athlete

Seniors2017

Women’s HockeyHead Coach Dave Clausen

Jane Pagano2%*

Gabrielle Schnepp2%!* Emily Coope* Keira Goin%* Victoria Pelton*

men’s HockeyHead Coach Gary Heenan

Kevin Kirisits2%* Easton Powers2*

Luc Boby* Connor Schmidt Thomas MaxamT

men’s sWim & diVe Head Coach Erin Knight

Sam Bensin Tommy Carlson Chris Deyette Chris Halsey^*

men’s lacrosseHead Coach Mike Parnell

Tyler Nicolaus*%

Mitch SobiloRyan Jordan Rusty Dessert% Brickman House Liam Wheatley Hunter Izyk Parker Smith

Women’s lacrosseHead Coach Kristin St. Hilaire

Amanda Chruscicki Tewasherake Barnes Rebecca Plunkett%! Maggie Notter%

Sara Hennessey2%

Colleen Dowling%!~

baseballHead Coach Joe Milazzo

Paul Joyce*JT Ross% Josh Call* Dom Caccioppoli% Jordan Hughes Bryan McGuire

soFTballHead Coach Pat Mineo

Kassidy Ogren%^

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senior student-athlete awards

Jim ‘doc’ sparTano ouTsTanding senior aTHleTe aWard

The award recipient has fulfilled the educational goals of the Utica College Athletic Department to the highest degree. The educational goals include: teamwork, leadership, loyalty, perseverance and sportsmanship. Jim Spartano’s legacy will carry on through this award and the thousands of student-athletes, coaches and colleagues that he mentored and inspired throughout his 38-year tenure as an athletic director and coach. The phrase “positive experience” was not a term that was taken lightly by Spartano, and through his tireless efforts and student-first approach, he was able to create and maintain a culture of fairness and success that reached far beyond any playing surface. He truly embodied the mission of the department by ensuring that a positive student experience remained paramount at all times, and his ability to connect with students, faculty and staff has undoubtedly left an impression on the College that will live on for years to come.

2016 Recipients: Sarah Wiatr Shane Ruffing

greg roberTs senior aTHleTe aWard

The Greg Roberts Award shall be given annually to a male and female senior student-athlete that best exemplifies what Greg Roberts stood for: hard work, unselfishness, loyalty, and passion for Utica College athletics.

2016 Recipients: Christy Traglia Kells Casey Nick Woodman

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Seniors

ricHard “dick” miller mosT inspiraTional player aWard

The Dick Miller Award honors dedication to physical fitness, athletic competition and for displaying an outstanding example of commitment to excellence. This award is generally given to two senior student-athletes who have exhibited excellence, determination and hard word in the athletic arena over the course of their time spent at Utica College. This award was first handed out in 1987.

2016 Recipients: Morgan Reed Alysa Russell Rob Tutein

THe kiWanis sTudenT-aTHleTe aWard

The award is given to the most outstanding male and female student-athletes based on performance in the classroom, community involvement and athletic accomplishments. A panel of coaches and administrators from each institution vote and select the best suitable male and female.

2016 Recipients: Abby Monroe Thomas Woodburn

class of2016

Pioneer athletic hall oF Fame

The Hall of Fame was established in 2008 to celebrate the dedicated student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and benefactors whose extraordinary achievements express the values of Utica College in the spirit of competition within a lifelong learning environment.

The Hall of Fame is located in the main lobby of the Harold T. Clark Jr. Athletic Center as you enter the handicapped accessible entrance to the gymnasium.

CLASS of 2016

Larry PLatt ’85 - Lifetime achievement

ava thomas ’07 - Women’s BasketBaLL

Doug herring ’09 - men’s BasketBaLL

CLASS of 2015Dave oWen ‘73 - men’s BasketBaLL & BaseBaLL

kim aDriance ‘81 - Women’s BasketBaLL

charLes a. gaetano h’04 - Benefactor

CLASS of 2014kristy (Patchett) fischmann ’03 - Women’s Lacrosse

ashLey kaufman ’09 - Women’s soccer, Women’s hockey, softBaLL

1987 Division i BaseBaLL team

CLASS of 2013tim roye ’81 – Lifetime achievement

Penny armstrong acree ’83 – sWimming

BoBBy mcmaiL simon ’98 – softBaLL

Dena fryDman ’98 – softBaLL

Justin cichon ’06 – men’s BasketBaLL

CLASS of 2012Jim sPartano – athLetic Director

first Women’s BasketBaLL team ’49-’50keith WaLker ’85 – men’s BasketBaLL

Jessica Berry ’11 – Women’s BasketBaLL

CLASS of 2011scott cLarke ’96 – men’s BasketBaLL

steve LavaLLee ’87 – BaseBaLL

Ben mack ’01 – men’s Lacrosse

DaPhne seLBy ’79 – Women’s BasketBaLL

CLASS of 2010Doris miga – mentor, BasketBaLL

Joan kay ‘89 – coach, Women’s BasketBaLL

DaviD ancrum ‘81 – men’s BasketBaLL

stePhanie Price ‘08 – Women’s hockey

shannon rohacek ‘05 – fieLD hockey

Jimmy sokoL ‘05 – men’s hockey

Deana WieganD ‘07 – Women’s hockey

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CLASS of 2009 Bernice (WesLey) BenJamin ‘90 – Women’s BasketBaLL

Larry caLaBrese ‘62 – men’s BasketBaLL

DJ carstensen ‘85 – men’s BasketBaLL

haroLD t. cLark, Jr. ‘65 – Benefactor

DaviD f. D’aLessanDro ‘72 – Lifetime achievement norman “nonnie” Pensero ‘57 – men’s BasketBaLL

CLASS of 2008 (INAUGURAL CLASS) carLa Behe ‘06 – fieLD hockey

ray Bryant ‘07 – men’s BasketBaLL

sharon Lyke ‘85 – Women’s BasketBaLL

Jeff muha ‘05 – footBaLL

JiLL noLan ‘07 – Women’s hockey

stePhanie Price ‘08 – Women’s hockey

shannon rohacek ‘05 – fieLD hockey

Jimmy sokoL ‘05 – men’s hockey

Deana WieganD ‘07 – Women’s hockey

CLASS of 2009 Bernice (WesLey) BenJamin ‘90 – Women’s BasketBaLL

Larry caLaBrese ‘62 – men’s BasketBaLL

DJ carstensen ‘85 – men’s BasketBaLL

haroLD t. cLark, Jr. ‘65 – Benefactor

DaviD f. D’aLessanDro ‘72 – Lifetime achievement norman “nonnie” Pensero ‘57 – men’s BasketBaLL

CLASS of 2008 (INAUGURAL CLASS) carLa Behe ‘06 – fieLD hockey

ray Bryant ‘07 – men’s BasketBaLL

sharon Lyke ‘85 – Women’s BasketBaLL

Jeff muha ‘05 – footBaLL

JiLL noLan ‘07 – Women’s hockey

stePhanie Price ‘08 – Women’s hockey

shannon rohacek ‘05 – fieLD hockey

Jimmy sokoL ‘05 – men’s hockey

Deana WieganD ‘07 – Women’s hockey

Pioneer athletic hall oF Fame - Past honorees

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uc athletics - recent accomPlishments

• In the last 13 years, the Utica College athletic department has made 21 NCAA post-season appearance and 38 student-athletes have earned the nation’s highest honor as All-American’s.

• In the last four years, 256 student-athletes were honored with All-Conference recognition and 13 of those players were named their respective conference’s Player or Rookie of the Year.

• UC has hosted four NCAA Tournament contests in the last five years and was honored to recently host its first NCAA Division III Championship in the College’s history as it hosted the 2017 NCAA Division III Men’s Hockey Championships at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

• In the last five years, UC has won eight regular season and conference tournament titles.

• This past fall, 13 teams had a grade point average of 3.0 or better, 94 student-athletes earned Empire 8 President’s List honors (3.75+), and 23 student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA.

• In each of the last two years the College’s Valedictorian and Salutatorian were at one point Utica College student-athletes. 2016 Valedictorian: Rose Zaloom (Women’s Tennis), 2016 Salutatorian: Matt Rogers (Football, Men’s Tennis), 2017 Valedictorian: Melanie Carlson (Women’s Soccer), 2017 Salutatorian: Mikhail Bushinski (Men’s Hockey).

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Immediately following the ceremony, join us at:

PUB NIGHT!In the Pioneer Pub

You are invited to join us for a post-dinner

Pub Night with music by WPNR

www.utica.edu/wpnr

LIKEON FACEBOOK

facebook.com/UCPioneers

THE PIONEERS

@UCPioneers

FOLLOWON TWITTER

THE PIONEERS

- S TAY C O N N E C T E D -

THE PIONEERSTHE ONLINE HOME FOR

ucpioneers.com

VISIT

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PIONEER ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

CLASS OF 2017

GOOD LUCK SENIOR STUDENT-ATHLETES