Most of the accolades for Fairfield University are well known: Princeton Review’s Top-20 “Most Connected Campuses.” U.S. News ranking Fairfield number three northern university.
But the home of nearly 100 hall of fame athletes and coaches?
“We have a hall of fame?” asked Rich Trueblood ’07.
Yes, Fairfield has an athletic Hall of Fame, and it contains some noteworthy athletic alumni, including pro ball players.
“In my four years here, athletics were never Fairfield’s strong point,” said Donny Carelli, ’05. “I have never heard of a famous Fairfield athlete.”
“As part of the Pep Band, I get to see the crowds,” said Whitney Maus ’08, “and it’s easy to tell we’re not an athletic school.”
Each year during Homecoming Weekend, the Fairfield University Alumni Association hosts the annual athletic hall of fame dinner and induction ceremony. The event inducts previously nominated individuals, both athletes and non-athletes, who have contributed to Fairfield athletics into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Since 1982, the Fairfield University Alumni Association has inducted 96 former athletes, coaches, moderators and servicemen to the Hall of Fame.
All of the inductees were nominated and chosen based on their commitment to Fairfield athletics, not post-collegiate athletics, according to Ruth Gall,
operations assistant of the Alumni Association.
Yet, have any of these inductees made it to pro-athlete status?
In fact, several of the inductees did make it to the big leagues in baseball, soccer and basketball. Below is a listing of the Hall of Fame inductees with professional athletic experience:
So how do alumni get nominated and inducted?
The alum must first meet certain criteria. According to Gall, each nominee must be a graduate for at least five years, living or deceased and free of dishonor. Those non-graduated nominees must have distinguished themselves in the Fairfield athletic program. Both varsity and club level athletes are eligible.
Once these criteria are met, each nominee must go through an induction process. Once the inductees are chosen they are honored at the annual dinner and ceremony during homecoming weekend.
Matt Baron ’92 and Hugh Coyle ’88 were Fairfield’s most recent inductees, receiving the honor this past November.
“I have never heard of any of these people.” said John Vallee ’07. “But it’s cool that we have had professional athletes graduate from here.”
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