General | 7/17/2022 11:29:00 AM
ROCHESTER, NY – Nazareth's men's soccer team from 2006 and eight former standout athletes will be the guest of honor in September at the Golden Flyers' annual Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The Golden Flyers' 2006 men's soccer team was among the best in Nazareth's storied athletic history. Nazareth won the Empire 8 Conference championship that year, won a school-record 15 games and advanced in three rounds of the NCAA Tournament to reach the national quarterfinals.
Others who will be enshrined are
Maria Allocco, '15 (women's basketball/volleyball);
Beth Berger, '05 (women's soccer);
Michelle Cook, '11 (women's lacrosse);
Brad Ford, '14 (men's basketball);
Billy Gimello, '12 (men's volleyball);
Luis Rivera, '16 (men's track and field);
Kim Schneider, '94 (women's swimming); and
Brian Silcott, '93 (men's lacrosse).
The Hall of Fame induction reception and ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 17, 2022 in the Nazareth College Forum on campus. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by contacting the Athletic Office at (585) 389-2195.
Allocco, of Ballston Lake, N.Y., was a two-sport standout for the Golden Flyers and earned All-American honors three times as a middle blocker in volleyball. She ranks among Nazareth's career leaders in kills (1,339), service aces (211) and blocks (336) and was Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in 2011 and Player of the Year in 2014.
Berger, of Chittenango, N.Y., excelled as a soccer forward for the Golden Flyers by amassing 33 career goals and 74 points over four seasons. She was a two-time Empire 8 Conference all-star and helped Nazareth to four conference titles and two NCAA Tournament berths.
Cook, of Waterloo, N.Y., ranks among Nazareth's all-time scoring leaders in women's lacrosse with 201 points, including 126 goals. She was a three-time Empire 8 Conference all-star and helped the Golden Flyers to four straight conference tournament appearances.
Ford, of Victor, N.Y., was a four-year men's basketball standout who amassed more than 1,500 points and 900 rebounds in his career. He ranks among Nazareth's all-time leaders in those two categories as well as three-point field goals made with 146. He averaged a double-double as a senior in 2013-14 with 18.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in helping the Golden Flyers reach the Empire 8 Championship game.
Gimello, of Hauppauge, N.Y., was a two-time volleyball All-American for the Golden Flyers and was a member of Nazareth's national championship team of 2011. He ranks among the program leaders in kills (1,305) and service aces (94) and holds records for most kills in a season (457) and in a match (29).
Rivera, of Rochester, N.Y., was a four-time All-American as a thrower for the Golden Flyers' track and field team. His career was highlighted in 2016 when he became the Golden Flyers' first-ever track and field national champion with a heave of 20.45 meters in the 35-pound weight throw at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Iowa. He also was recognized as a six-time Empire 8 Conference champion.
Schneider, of Naples, N.Y., was a four-year swimming sensation whose career culminated with an individual national title in the 100-yard butterfly in 1994. Overall, she qualified for the NCAA meet three times and was a six-time All-American. She also won nine state titles while setting an array of school and pool records. In 1994, she also was recognized as the Rochester-area Sportswoman of the Year.
Silcott, of Mt. Kisco, N.Y., was a standout midfielder for the Golden Flyers who twice was honored as an All-American. He was team captain for two seasons and was a key contributor to Nazareth's first national championship in 1992. He was a first-team All-American in 1993 and was honored with the Fran McCall Award as the Outstanding Midfielder in Division III. Nazareth went 36-6 during his three seasons with the Golden Flyers.
Nazareth's 2006 men's soccer team was coached by Danny Gilbertson and posted an overall record of 15-5-3. The Golden Flyers defeated RIT in the Empire 8 Conference championship game and advanced past Geneseo, Medaille and UC Santa Cruz to reach the national quarterfinals where they were eliminated by NYU. They outscored the opposition 42-22.