Download Invitation

Dec. 19, 2008

Bronx, N.Y. – Eight new members will be inducted into the Fordham University Athletic Hall of Fame on Sunday, January 25, 2009, joining such Fordham notables as Frankie Frisch, Vince Lombardi, Vin Scully and Peter Harnisch.

The day will start at 9:30 a.m. with a special mass in the University Church followed by the annual Awards Bruch in the McGinley Center Ballroom at 11:00 a.m. Following brunch, the Rams will take on Duquesne University in an Atlantic 10 match-up in the Rose Hill Gym at 1:00 p.m., in a game that will be televised live by the CBS College Sports Network. The eight new Hall of Famers will be introduced to the crowd at halftime.

Here is a brief bio for each of the new Hall of Famers:

Joe Bernal (Swimming Coach): In a short time, Bernal accomplished a lot with the Fordham swimming and diving program. He led the 1973-74 team to the NCAA Championships, a squad which finished second at the Metropolitan Championships and seventh at the Eastern Championships. For his exploits, Bernal was named the 1973-74 Metropolitan Coach of the Year as well as recipient of the 1974 Iron Major Award as Fordham’s Coach of the Year.

Six swimmers from the 1973-74 team qualified for nationals and the Rams set numerous school records under his guidance. Four of his swimmers are currently in the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame

Matt Fordyce FCRH ’03 (Football): Fordyce became the first kicker in Patriot League history to be named First Team All-Conference as both a punter and a placekicker, doing so in his senior season (2002). That year, he connected on an NCAA I-AA playoff record five field goals in the 2002 NCAA I-AA playoff win at Northeastern.

As a senior, Fordyce finished with a school-record 18 field goals as well as converting a school-record 44 extra points.

Charlie Gulotta FCRH ’68 (Water Polo & Swimming): Gulotta capped his Fordham career by garnering Honorable Mention All-American Collegiate Team honors in 1966. A two-time team captain, he also was named team MVP in 1964, 65, and 66.

With the swimming squad, Gulotta served as co-captain as a senior and graduated with the school record in the 200 IM.

Daniel Iannuzzi CBA ’81 (Swimming & Water Polo): Iannuzzi earned First Team All-East & Mid-Atlantic All-Conference honors as a senior in 1980, helping the squad to a second place finish at the Mid-Atlantic championships.

With the swimming team, Iannuzzi broke the school 100 backstroke record as a senior, winning the event at the Metropolitan Championships.

Greg McClure FCRH ’01 (Rowing): A four-year member of men’s crew, McClure won gold medals at the New York State Championships with the varsity heavyweight four (2001), varsity lightweight eight (1999) and the novice four (1998). He was also a 2000 Atlantic 10 gold medalist with the lightweight four and an Atlantic 10 silver medalist with the lightweight eight.

McClure was just the fourth person in Fordham history to make the finals at the World Indoor Rowing Championships. He also medaled at the prestigious Dad Vail Championships all four years, closing out his career with a gold medal in the men’s varsity lightweight four as a senior in 2001.

Andrew Nacrelli CBA ’55 (Football): The late Nacrelli was a Second Team All-East selection as a senior in 1954 and was invited to play in the 1954 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama as the punter.

A two-way starter as a junior and senior, Nacrelli led the team in receptions as a junior and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles following graduation.

Joseph Pantginis FCRH ’91 (Track & Field): Pantginis set the school high jump record of 7′ 1.75″ as a senior in 1991 while scoring in the event at the IC4A Indoor Championship. He also won the 1991 CTC and Metropolitan Conference high jump championship.

Pantginis qualified for the NCAA championship in the high jump as a senior when he was ranked 18th in the nation in the event.

Amanda Vogel FCRH ’99 (Rowing): After learning to row with the novice team as a freshman, Vogel proved to be a quick learner, competing with the Atlantic 10 and Dad Vail championship crews as a sophomore. She went on to race at Women’s Henley in England as a sophomore and made the final four of thirty international college crews in the collegiate four event.

Vogel also won Atlantic 10 and Dad Vails titles as a junior and senior, helping the crew to an undefeated season the spring of her senior year.

For more information, or to order tickets, please contact the Fordham Athletic Promotions Office at 718-817-4300.