The evening of Saturday, March 28 proved to be a night filled with gratitude at Saint Peter’s University. Members of the University community, alumni, family and friends filled The Duncan Family Sky Room to celebrate the induction of the 2014 Saint Peter’s University Athletics Hall of Fame Class. The inductees all took the stage to thank their parents, spouses, friends and relatives who helped them along the way, but they also took a moment to thank their Saint Peter’s family.
The 2014 Hall of Fame class was highlighted by Bob Hurley ’71, the legendary Saint Anthony’s boys basketball head coach. Along with Hurley, former student-athletes Tania Kennedy ’09 (women’s basketball), Ryan Knapp ’03 (baseball), Candace Winder ’03 (softball) and Murphy Wiredu ’08 (men’s soccer) as well as Saint Peter’s track & field head coach Mike Massone, Peter Gotlieb, Ph.D., and the 1994-95 Peacocks’ men’s basketball team were inducted.
Hurley is the Saint Peter’s Athletics Special Achievement honoree for this Hall of Fame class. Born and raised in the Greenville section of Jersey City, Hurley has been the boys basketball head coach at Saint Anthony’s since 1972, leading the Friars to four national championships and 25 New Jersey State titles as a head coach. Named the USA Today National Coach of the Year three times, Hurley has produced over 150 players that have received a Division I full scholarship and coached five first round NBA draft picks. He is one of just a few high school coaches to be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Hurley’s sons Bobby and Danny both played Division I basketball and are currently head coaches at Division I programs.
“It is a great feeling to be back here at Saint Peter’s,” said Hurley. “Being here tonight is really something special because I am Jersey City. I have been here my whole life, like many of us in the audience, and it is very important to me and this is where I intend to live for the rest of my life. I know my mom and dad would be extremely proud that the first member of the family to go to college is actually here receiving an award.”
Kennedy was a four-year letter winner on the Saint Peter’s women’s basketball team. She was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Defensive Player of the Year in 2007-08 and she also earned a spot on the All-MAAC first team (2007-08), second team (2008-09) and the third team (2006-07) in her career.
A four-year letter winner on the Saint Peter’s baseball team, Knapp ranks third in career at-bats, third in home runs, fourth in doubles, fourth in total bases, fifth in runs scored, seventh in RBIs, eighth in hits, eighth in triples and tenth in stolen bases. He also played in the New Jersey College Baseball Association Senior All-Star Game.
Winder was a four-year letter winner for the softball team. She helped the squad to its only MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001. Winder is the program’s all-time leader in games played and games started while ranking second in at-bats, second in runs scored, third in homers, third in RBIs, fifth in hits, sixth in triples, seventh in slugging percentage and tenth in doubles.
Wiredu and last year’s Hall of Fame inductee Juan Gaviria ’08 made for a great offensive attack on the men’s soccer team for four years. In 2004 Wiredu was named to the MAAC All-Rookie team and earned the MAAC Player of the Year honor in 2007. Wiredu ranks third in program history in career shots, fourth in goals and sixth in points. He helped the team to a 41-29-2 overall mark and a 21-10-5 record in league play in his career.
Saint Peter’s cross country and track & field head coach Michael Massone entered the Hall of Fame after guiding the women’s track and field team to three-straight MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships and back-to-back MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In his eight seasons as the track and field head coach, Massone has been named the MAAC Coach of the Year six times.
Gotlieb is the Special Services honoree for the Hall of Fame in 2014. Gotleib was instrumental in the Middle State Certification process, serving as the chair of the midterm Division I and second NCAA Division I certification process. He has also worked with the student-athletes as the associate dean for experiential learning and career services to guide them in internships and career opportunities.
The 1994-95 the Saint Peter’s men’s basketball team was the second team in program history to capture the MAAC Championship. Finishing the regular season 16-10 overall and 10-4 in league play, Saint Peter’s won nine of its first 10 conference games, including posting a seven-game winning streak.
“I admire the student-athletes, past and present, who have the motivation, the dedication, the persistence and the talent to excel not only in their sport, but also in the classroom,” said Gotlieb. “You have not only my admiration, but my thanks as a member of the Saint Peter’s community for the past 39 years.”
To view a photo album from the evening, please click here.