General | 8/8/2024 3:34:00 PM
KEUKA PARK, NY — The Keuka College Department of Athletics has announced the 2024 inductees into the Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. Athletics Hall of Fame. The three-person class includes
Dr. Nicole Zahtilla Zell '07,
Jessica Bandrowski Smith '14, and
Austin Gerber '15.
The induction, part of the annual Keuka College Green & Gold Celebration Weekend, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Green & Gold Annual Celebration Dinner inside the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center on the College campus.
Dr. Nicole Zahtilla Zell '07 – Women's Volleyball
Nicole Zahtilla came to Keuka College as an outside hitter from North Royalton High School in Ohio. She immediately made an impact for the Green and Gold and went on to be one of the top women's volleyball players in program history. Nicole graduated as the career leader in service aces and digs while ranking second in career kills. She is one of just six players in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs and still ranks third in program history with 926 kills.
She posted what would go on to be a career-best 274 kills in her rookie year, ranking then in the top ten. Although her total dropped in her second year, she had the best service season ever for Keuka College Women's Volleyball as she hit 75 service aces that season, a record that still stands today.
Nicole was a four-time All-North Eastern Athletic Conference selection, including being named to the first team in 2003 and 2004. She was also named a conference scholar-athlete.
As a team, Keuka College won the NEAC Championship in 2004, Nicole's second season, and then returned to the championship game the following two years.
Jessica Bandrowski Smith '14– Women's Basketball and Women's Soccer
Jessica Bandrowski was one of the best athletes ever to walk onto Keuka College's campus. Coming from the Long Island town of Center Moriches, Jessica was first recruited to play basketball and played a full, four-year, career for the Green and Gold. Following her second season of basketball, she joined the Softball team in 2012 and was named North Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in her only season on the diamond. The ensuing fall, Jessica stepped over to the soccer pitch and played two seasons there for the Wolves. In total, she played seven seasons for Keuka College across three sports and was named to All-Conference teams in all seven seasons.
On the hardwood, Jessica grew into her role, averaging nine points a game in her first year, 11.6 in her second season, and 15 in her final two. She was named First Team All-North Eastern Athletic Conference in her final two years. She guided the Wolves to three conference final games, winning the league in 2011 and 2012. Jessica was named the 2012 NEAC Tournament MVP. She remains the College's career leader in steals with 272 and graduated with the sixth-most points in program history at 1,144. She also ranks in the top five in career assists and career threes.
Despite spending just two seasons on the soccer pitch, Jessica is tied for sixth on the career goals list at Keuka College. She posted 18 goals in her first season, tying for fourth on the single-season list at that time. Jessica remains second on the career hat-trick list with four three-goal games in her career. She was named First Team All-North Eastern Athletic Conference in both her seasons with the Green and Gold.
In her one season on the softball diamond, she again made an unmistakable impact. Jessica hit .337 with 27 runs scored and 21 runs batted in. She was solid in the field as well, recording a program-record 87 assists. She was a First Team All-Conference selection and was named the North Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. Keuka College won the league in 2012 and went on to win a game in the NCAA Tournament.
Austin Gerber '15 – Men's Soccer
Austin Gerber remains one of the top scorers in Keuka College Men's Soccer history. He broke onto the scene in 2011, being named First Team All-North Eastern Athletic Conference and the league's Rooke of the Year. After a second-team selection in 2012, Austin hit the double-digit goals plateau in 2013 and returned to being named First Team All-Conference.
His shining season was his senior year, when he led all of the NCAA with a program-record 26 goals scored. A first-team selection, Austin was named the North Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was the first Keuka College Men's Soccer player to earn First Team All-Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
He ranks third in career goals and points with 45 and 102, respectively. He also has the third-most game-winning goals in a career with nine. Following his senior year, Austin was invited to the MLS Combine and later continued a professional soccer career in Rochester.
Registration is now open for Green & Gold Celebration Weekend. For more information, visit keuka.edu/greenandgold.
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