The Fairleigh Dickinson University Athletic Department will honor nine individuals and one team as it inducts the Eighth Class of the Division I Athletics Hall of Fame. All honorees will be inducted in a ceremony on Saturday, September 16th at 6:30 p.m. at the Glenpointe Marriott in Teaneck, NJ.
The 1962 Baseball Team is being inducted along with: Adriano Bedoya, men's soccer (1982-85); Jon Bittmann, baseball (1960-62); Angela Cann, women's basketball (1988-90); Cathy Liggett, administrator (1989-present); Michael R. Patterson, men's track/men's basketball (1962-66); Donna Schules Morrison, women's basketball (1989-93); Michael Shea, track coach (1988-94); Michelle Venditto Brandt, women's tennis (1986-91); and Michael Wasko, men's track (1981-85).
The 1962 baseball team, guided by Head Coach Harvey Woods, posted a 10-game winning streak en route to an overall record of 16-6-1, including a perfect 6-0 undefeated mark in the CBL. The Knights, who scored 10 or more runs five times, averaged a 5.25 run margin of victory, with their largest victory (20-2) coming over intrastate rival St. Peter's College. The Knights defeated another New Jersey rival, Seton Hall, 7-2. The squad posted a .282 team batting average and scored 150 runs in 23 games, averaging over six runs per game. FDU logged 54 extra base hits (29 doubles, 13 triples, 12 home runs) and recorded 61 stolen bases. The offense was strong, with 14 players hitting over .250 and six players hit .320 or better. The three top players on the roster hit over .370. The pitching staff did their part, posting a 2.70 team ERA, surrendering 174 hits to 767 batters to average a .227 opponent batting average. The team members: Jerry Krackenfels; Bob Montesano; Wally Smith; Bob Duvier; Tom Graziano; Jim Sciubba; Kevin Olifiers; Stan Fessler; Mike Sancilio; Pat Mariano; John Porada; Richard Takacs; Howard Silverman; Jon Bittmann; Art Latz; Charlie Linfante; Lyle Cherbonneau; Frank Fay; Louis Alberto; and Paul Nelson. The Head Coach was Harvey Woods, assisted by Jack Pollitt.
Adriano Bedoya is arguably one of the best players in men's soccer history. He ranks fourth all-time with 24 career assists, while helping the Knights to 67 wins over the course of his four-year career, which saw him play nearly every position on the field. In his career, the Knights compiled a combined record of 67-15-7. In all but one of his years as a Knight, Fairleigh Dickinson reached the NCAA Tournament. He was also member of the 1983 Hall of Fame men's soccer team that reached the Final Eight. In his four years with FDU, Bedoya scored 21 goals and contributed 24 assists. Then Head Coach Ben Stravato said Adriano could play any position and was highly skilled and unselfish. Bedoya recorded eight points on two goals and four assists in his senior year in 1984.
Jon Bittmann pitched for the baseball team from1960-62. In three seasons, he compiled a 14-5 overall record (a .737 winning percentage), helping the Knights to an overall 43-19-2 record. He registered a 2.88 ERA in 156 1/3 innings of work over his career. He fanned 138 batters and surrendered, only 117 hits. As a senior, he posted a 5-3 record (.625 win percentage), guiding the team to a 16-6-1 overall record and a perfect 10-0 CBL mark. Hurling 60 innings as the number two pitcher on the staff, he had a 2.40 ERA while striking out 59. During his junior year in 1961, Bittmann compiled a 6-1 record with an .857 winning percentage and had a staff-leading 1.69 era in 53 1/3 innings, allowing only 35 hits. His 37 strikeouts were second on the team. The team finished with a 14-4-1 record overall and a 4-1 record in the Collegiate Baseball League during his junior year. In his first season for the Knights, he threw 43 innings, which was second on the team with two complete games for a 3-1 record. Bittmann has played a key role in the establishment of the baseball alumni program and is responsible for the production and publication of the baseball newsletter as well as a constant supporter of annual athletic department events. Bittmann also served as an instructor in the University's Business School.
After helping the women's basketball team reach the program's first-ever NEC Championship in 1990, Angie Cann was honored as a member of the NEC All-Conference First Team and the NEC All-Tournament Team. She finished her career second in rebounding (958), third in career blocks (94) and sixth in career steals (205). She holds the fourth-highest mark for single season rebounds (372, 1990) and fifth-highest mark for steals in a season (80). She ranks twice among the top-ten all-time in blocks in a season (35, 1989-90; 34, 1988-89). She was second in the conference and 15th in the nation in rebounding as a senior, averaging 12.4 rebounds per game. She also served as an assistant coach from 1990-92.
Cathy Liggett was named the Head Athletic Trainer of Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1998, taking over all training responsibilities for the Knights' 18-sport Division I athletics department after serving as the assistant trainer for nine years. In the fall of 1999, she expanded the training room to include an in-house rehabilitation station for the increased attention to each student-athlete's recovery. She also coordinated equipment for the state-of-the-art Fitness Center facility. In the spring of 2001, Liggett was selected as Fairleigh Dickinson's first-ever recipient of the H. Rogers Muse Service Award for outstanding contributions to the Athletics Department. She is a member of various search committees within the University. She consistently provides unwavering support for the student-athletes, dedicating her time, her energy and herself to countless hours of ensuring that student-athletes are healthy? emotionally and physically. She tirelessly goes above and beyond to provide support wherever needed and was recognized by the University with the prestigious Pillar Award in 2004-05.
Michael R. Patterson was a 400-meter specialist for Hall of Fame coach Walter Marusyn, completing an undefeated season in dual meet competition as a senior in '66 and he was named the Most Outstanding Track Athlete. He was a member of the mile relay team that captured the program's first-ever victory at the prestigious Penn Relays. He finished third at the IC4A's with a time of 47.9 seconds. At the Quantico-Marine Corp Relays, the 1600-meter relay team set a then-program record. As a member of the basketball team, he helped the team to a 36-35 overall record. He played in 52 games, scoring 166 points and logging 102 rebounds. Patterson boasts a career .358 field goal percentage and a .647 percentage from the charity stripe. Since joining the ranks of the alumni, he has been very active as a student-mentor, participating as a member of the basketball and track booster clubs along with adopting a student each semester as part of a marketing class program to relate his experience in business.
Donna Schules Morrison was a four-year starting point guard who played in all 113 games over the course of her career. She is third on the all-time list in games played and started in 95 of those games. She guided her squad to a combined 66-47 overall record, including a 44-22 record in Northeast Conference play. She ranks among the top-five in four statistical categories, including holding the program record for single-season free throw percentage after shooting .877 from the charity stripe in the 1991-92 season. She ranks fourth all-time in school history with 137 career three-pointers made and 325 assists. She also ranks among the top-10 in three other statistical categories. Her 175 career steals ranks eighth all-time. In her rookie campaign, she started 21 of 30 games as she helped to the team to the program's first-ever NEC Championship, finishing the year with 7.2 points per game and 2.3 assists per game. Her junior year, she dished out a team-leading 81 assists, while ranking fifth in the NEC in three-point percentage (.340). That season she helped the Knights to their first-ever NEC Tournament title and a share of the regular season title, averaging 8.2 points per game and 2.8 assists per game. In her final season as a Knight she led the team to its' first-ever outright regular season conference title, averaging 3.8 assists and 10.6 points per game in league play.
Mike Shea started coaching the Knights' track and field programs in 1988 and coached for seven years. He coached the 1992-93 men's track and field squad to the Outdoor Northeast Conference Championship Title. He also guided the women's track and field program to the 1992-93 Northeast Conference Indoor Championship. Shea directed a complete re-birth of both the men's and women's teams in a short period of time. Shea helped the women's team set school records in 22 events and scoring 85 points in the 1992 Indoor Metropolitan Championships. He has coached two All-Americans, 10 NCAA Qualifying performances, 33 All-East performances, 15 All-NEC champions and countless All-NEC and All-Metropolitan performers.
Michelle Venditto Brandt was the women's tennis Most Valuable Player and team captain all four years that she competed. She won the Conference Flight “A” Championship in 1988 as a sophomore and again as a senior in 1990. She won the Flight “A” singles and doubles draw at the New Jersey State Championship in 1989 and was the Conference runner-up to teammate Rachel Gale as a freshman in 1987. Venditto ranked in the top three of the Middle States Tennis Association Section. She was also an excellent student at FDU earning honor roll honors and making the Dean's List. She was the Spring 1989 winner of the MCTC A doubles. As a junior, both her singles and doubles records were 11-0 making an impressive combined record of 22-0 for the Knights. She was a finalist for the Spring 1988 MCTC Tournament.
Michael Wasko was a member of the men's track and field team, specializing in hurdle and sprint events. He had an immediate impact on the program in the hurdles and quarter-mile events. He qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship as a senior and posted three top-five finishes at the IC4A Championships in both the hurdles and dash events. He was a three-time MET Champion in the hurdles, an eight-time conference hurdle champion and a two-time member of the All-East Team. As a freshman, he scored 3,380 points in his first-ever attempt competing in the pentathlon. He was a member of the 1988 Olympic Bobsled team, helping them to a fourth-place finish at both the Calgary Olympics and the World Championships. For his efforts, he was named the US Olympic Bobsled Athlete of the Year. Wasko graduated Magna Cum Laude and was recognized as a Fairleigh Dickinson University scholar athlete. He served as a graduate assistant en route to earning his MBA in 1989.
To nominate a Fairleigh Dickinson University athlete, coach or adminstator please forward that person's name, address, phone number and as much detailed information as possible about the nominee's achievements at Fairleigh Dickinson to:
Sean Morrison, Director of Development and Marketing for University Athletics
Fairleigh Dickinson University
1000 River Road, H-AT1-01
Teaneck, NJ 07666
