General | 7/11/2024 9:39:00 AM
ELMIRA, NY – The Elmira College Department of Athletics announced the 2024 Hall of Fame Class on Wednesday morning. Amongst the honorees for this year's class are Jeff Franey '00 (Men's Lacrosse), Brandon Christo '09 (Men's Golf), the 2013 national champion Women's Ice Hockey team (Coached by Dean Jackson '03) and Ross Shepherd '81 (Men's Soccer/Benefactor). The Hall of Fame Class of 2024 will be the fifth group enshrined.
Franey led EC Lacrosse to a program-best 12-7 record during his All-American campaign in 2000. The attacker scored a stellar 65 goals his senior season, the most in Elmira history, while also tallying 74 points which ranks as second-most in a single season. Franey holds the top four scoring seasons by a Soaring Eagle in Elmira history, with the next closest person netting 15 fewer goals than his record-breaking campaign.
Franey helped Elmira reach the ECAC Upstate NY title game, beating SUNY Potsdam 16-10 in the tournament semifinal. He finished the year as a member of the Empire 8 All-Conference First Team and was a USILA North-South Senior All-Star Game participant. His historic season for EC Lacrosse earned Franey USILA Scholar All-American honors.
Christo was named to the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) DIII PING All-America Third Team following his senior year in 2009. He set the program single-season record for scoring average with a 74.05 through 22 rounds played and finished the season with a 35 national rating.
Christo appeared in 15 tournaments during the 2008-09 season for the Soaring Eagles and brought home eight individual victories while finishing better than 93.8% of his opponents. At the ECAC Division III Metro-Upstate Championships, Christo carded an opening round 70 before delivering a second-round score of 69. His 36-hole total of 139 (-3) at the event set the program record, which still stands for the Soaring Eagles.
The 2013 Women's Ice Hockey national championship team avenged a rematch of the 2005 NCAA Championship against Middlebury where the Panthers beat EC on its home ice. The 2013 national championship marked the third in Elmira's 12-year history at the time, and tied them for the most titles in women's hockey history with Middlebury.
Finishing the season with a 24-5-1 record, the Soaring Eagles would see the game-winning goal at the 12:26 mark in the second period, as Samantha Curk '13 played a shot in from a tricky angle from the front of the left faceoff circle. Taylor Steadman '16 was in perfect position in front of the net as she gathered the rebound and beat Jones low glove side for the 1-0 lead, and the eventual game-winner. Lauren Sullivan '13, Taylor Steadman '16, and Ashley Ryan '15 were all named to the NCAA All-Tournament team.
A 1981 graduate and business administration major, Ross Shepherd was a three-year captain of the men's soccer team at Elmira, and was the 1980 recipient of the Wayne Moschetti '73 memorial award. Known for his dependability on the defensive side of the ball, Shepherd has been an advocate for promoting the men's soccer program at Elmira, always representing himself and the college in the highest regards. He played alongside Bob Barsamian '82, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
During his playing days, Shepherd was named to the Private College Athletic Conference (PCAC) All-Star Second Team (1978-79), and was named the EC Most Valuable Player during the 1979-80 season. In addition, he was credited with First Team PCAC All-Star Honors to go along with his MVP recognition during the 79-80 season.
During the 1983 season, Shepherd would help coach the Soaring Eagles, taking over for previous head coach Bob Crandall. He would earn his first head coaching victory of the season, a 2-0 victory over Manhattanville in early October.
The 2024 induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Stephans Lounge inside of Meier Hall on the campus of Elmira College.
More information will become available soon.