Northeast Conference 399 Campus Drive • 1St Floor • Somerset, NJ 08873 (732) 469-0440 • Fax (732) 469-0744 •
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Northeast Conference 399 Campus Drive • 1st Floor • Somerset, NJ 08873 (732) 469-0440 • Fax (732) 469-0744 • www.northeastconference.org For Immediate Release Deember 7, 2010 Northeast Conference Announces Inaugural Hall Of Fame Class Somerset, NJ -- As the centerpiece of its year long 30th Anniversary celebration, the inaugural Northeast Conference (NEC) Hall of Fame induction class was announced today by Commissioner Noreen Morris. The eight-member class is headlined by the NEC’s first Commissioner, Chris Monasch, and legendary Mount St. Mary’s basketball head coach Jim Phelan. Student-athletes honored include Wagner basketball player Terrance Bailey, Robert Morris football lineman Hank Fraley, Mount St. Mary’s distance runner Peter Rono, Fairleigh Dickinson sprinter/hurdler Sharlene Milwood-Lee, Monmouth soc- cer standout Christie Pearce-Rampone and Saint Francis (PA) women’s basketball player Jess Zinobile. “We are thrilled to announce the inductees of the inaugural class of the Northeast Confer- ence Hall of Fame,” said Morris. “The incredible accomplishments of these coaches, administrators and student-athletes, both during and after their NEC collegiate experience, represent the breadth and diversity of the athletic success realized within the Conference in the last 30 years. On behalf of the entire NEC family, I’d like to congratulate this very special class of the Northeast Conference Hall of Fame.” The NEC Hall of Fame was established as a means to recognize, honor and perpetuate the memory of those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to NEC athletics and have helped to bring recognition, honor, distinction and excellence to both the Conference and its Division I athletic programs. Nominations for the Hall of Fame were made by current and former member institutions, along with the Conference office. Enshrinees were then selected in a vote by administrators from each member institution and the Conference. Student-athletes who have competed in an NEC-sponsored sport for at least two full seasons and completed their playing career at a member institution become eligible for induction beginning five years after exhausting their collegiate eligibility. Coaches, administrators and any other persons who have made outstanding contributions or offered extraordinary service to NEC athletics are eligible after three full years of service. Moving forward, a maximum of five inductees shall be selected annually, including at least one male student-athlete, one female student-athlete, and one coach or administrator. (Northeast Conference Announces Inaugural Hall Of Fame Class • 1-of-6) Bryant University (2012-13) • Central Connecticut State University • Fairleigh Dickinson University Long Island University • Monmouth University • Mount St. Mary’s University • Quinnipiac University Robert Morris University • Sacred Heart University • St. Francis (NY) College Saint Francis (PA) University • Wagner College 2010-11 Northeast Conference Inaugural Hall of Fame Class Administrator Chris Monasch, Northeast Conference Commissioner • 1987-97 Monasch served as the first full-time Commissioner of the Northeast Conference, and in ten years, helped the NEC develop from its origin as a basketball-only league to a 17-sport conference upon his departure in 1997. One of Monasch's first initiatives was to rebrand the ECAC-Metro Conference as the Northeast Conference in 1988. Along with the identity change came a move to larger, more centralized office space and additional conference staffing. Monasch was the catalyst in the addition of six NEC-sponsored sports, including football in 1996. He also oversaw the addition of Mount St. Mary's, Central Connecticut State, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, UMBC and Rider as full-time NEC members. It was under Monasch's tenure that the NEC had its greatest basketball success. In 1995-96, the conference sent three teams (Monmouth, Mount St. Mary's and Marist) to the postseason. Monasch was also instrumental in adding the NEC men's basketball title game to the ESPN Championship Week package back in 1988. During his term as NEC Commissioner, Monasch served on the NCAA Council, the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, the NCAA Special Events Committee and the NCAA Recruiting and Nominating Committee. Monasch went on to serve as the Commissioner of the America East Conference from 1997-05 and has spent the last six years as Director of Athletics at St. John's University. “Chris provided tremendous leadership during his years as Commissioner of the Northeast Conference and laid the foundation for the future of league,” said Walt Hameline, Wagner Director of Athletics. “Not only is Chris a great administrator, he’s an even better friend. There is no question that Chris Monasch is deserving of his induction into the Northeast Conference Hall of Fame.” Coach Jim Phelan, Mount St. Mary’s Men’s Basketball Coach • 1954-03 The iconic coach known for his trademark bow-tie, was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, the most prestigious honor of his legendary career. His 830 wins at Mount St. Mary’s ranks fifth all-time among NCAA Division I coaches, while his 1,354 games coached is the all-time NCAA record. Phelan is the only person to coach 49 years at one school and ranks second all-time in the NCAA for most seasons coached. Over his career, the Philadelphia native coached 19 teams to 20-win seasons. He led the Mount to the 1962 NCAA College Division National Championship, one of five Final Four appearances (1957, 1961, 1962, 1981 and 1985) for the program under his watch. Phelan was named the NCAA College Division Coach of the Year in 1962, the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 1981 and was a three-time NCAA District 2 Coach of the Year (1981, 1985, 1986). After the Mount transitioned to Division I and the Northeast Conference in 1989, he guided the Mount to NEC championships and NCAA bids in 1995 and 1999. He also led the Mountaineers to the Postseason NIT in 1996 and won his 800th career game on national television as the Mount defeated CCSU in the 1999 NEC title game. Phelan was a two-time NEC Coach of the Year (1993, 1996) and was named the Clair Bee Coach of the Year in 1998 by the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2006, the Knott Arena floor was renamed “Coach Jim Phelan Court” and the number “830” were retired in his honor. Likewise, the NEC Coach of the Year was renamed in his honor back in 2003. Phelan was an Honorable Mention All-America player at La Salle and went on to play for the NBA’s Philadelphia Warriors in the 1953-54 season. “Mount St. Mary's is honored that Coach Jim Phelan has been named to the inaugural Northeast Conference Athletic Hall of Fame class,” said Lynne Robinson, Mount St. Mary’s Director of Athletics. “Coach Phelan's extraordinary 49-year career as the Mount's head men's basketball coach has been well documented. Beyond the 830 victories and the many accolades he has received throughout the years, Coach Phelan is as much remembered for being a true gentleman of intercollegiate athletics, embodying the qualities of loyalty, integrity, and fairness. With the many great coaches in the Northeast Conference throughout its 30 year history; we are very pleased that Coach Jim Phelan will be included in this elite first class of NEC Hall of Fame inductees.” (Northeast Conference Announces Inaugural Hall Of Fame Class • 2-of-6) Male Student-Athletes Terrance Bailey, Wagner Trenton, NJ/Ewing Men’s Basketball • 1983-87 The most prolific scorer in NEC men’s basketball history, Bailey was previously selected to the NEC All-Decade team, 20th Anniversary and 25th Anniversary teams. His 2,591 career points are nearly 300 more than the next closest NEC player and his single-season point totals of 854 points as a junior and 788 as a senior rank him third and fourth, respectively, on the all-time conference list. Bailey led the nation in scoring (29.4 ppg) and was named the NEC Player of the Year as a junior in 1985-86. He won the NEC scoring title again as a senior (28.1 ppg) in 1986- 87 and finished his career as a three-time first team all-league performer. Not just a shooter from the outside, the 6’2” guard also tallied 136 dunks over course of his career, including a legendary slam over 7’4” Marist center Rik Smits. The Trenton, NJ native was chosen by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 1987 NBA draft. Bailey is currently a school teacher in the Trenton, NJ area. “Terrance Bailey to this day is the most exciting college player I have ever seen,” said Tim Capstraw, former Wagner head coach. “To see him with the ball in transition and take off and slam dunk on everyone, including 7’4” Rik Smits, were the single most exciting plays I have ever witnessed.” Hank Fraley, Robert Morris Gaithersburg, MD/Gaithersburg Football • 1996-99 One of the pioneers of Northeast Conference football, Fraley starred at offensive tackle for the Colonials, who won or shared league titles in each of his four years from 1996-99. He was named to the All-NEC first team three times and was a three-time NCAA I-AA Non-Scholarship All- American from 1997-99. Fraley was also tabbed the National Weekly Football Gazette Lineman of the Year as a senior in 1999. The second Colonial to have his number retired, Fraley played on two ECAC Bowl championship teams (1996-97) and starred on RMU’s NCAA I-AA Non- Scholarship National Championship team in 1999. He was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006, by which point he was in the midst of a successful NFL career.