(Photo Caption: Back row [l-r] Geoff Long, Jim Ritzel, Seth Hauben, John Biondolillo, John Minora. Front Row [l-r]: Alan Smith, Anni McDonough Zukauskas, Erika Smith, Leslie Hartman.)

Nine former athletes – seven of whom were All-Americans – will be inducted into the University of Rochester's Athletic Hall of Fame this evening.
           
The induction ceremony is part of the Meliora Weekend festivities on campus. Meliora is the University's motto signifying 'always better'. The ceremony will be held in the Leibner-Cooper Room in the Robert Goergen Athletic Center.
           
These nine individuals displayed the highest skill in 10 sports: baseball, field hockey, football, golf, men's basketball, men's cross country, men's track & field, women's basketball, women's lacrosse, women's volleyball.
           
The Hall of Fame Class of 2015 includes two Academic All-Americans and one National Player of the Year.
 
JOHN BIONDOLILLO '84 
At UR: Number one player on the golf team for all four years and the first All-American golfer in Rochester history… Led the team to the program's first-ever national ranking, qualification for the NCAA Championships, and team ECAC Championship in 1982… Won the individual ECAC Championship and eight other collegiate titles, including the NCAA Putting Competition… 13^th in 1983 NCAA Championships and earned All-America honors… Team lost only one match during his four years… Capped off senior year winning the 1984 Northeast Championships in Syracuse on Graduation Day. Post-Graduate: He worked in the banking industry for nearly 20 years and since 2003, he has owned a real estate company. Personal: Caddied for Arnold Palmer, won numerous amateur golf tournaments, and shot an even-par 72 on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland on his 40^th birthday… Recently made a hole-in-one while golfing with his father and his son…. Lives in Vermont with his wife, Marcia, and two children, Sam and Victoria. Sam, a high school golfer, is a sophomore at Boston College. Victoria is a highly-recruited high school senior lacrosse and soccer player. She was also a Junior Olympic Regional champion gymnast.
 
LESLIE CHRISTINE HARTMAN '94:
At UR: A powerful front court player for the women's volleyball team… She was ranked 10^th nationally in both kills per game and blocks per game as a senior… In her senior year, Yellowjackets advanced to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals, the farthest the program has ever gone… Four-year starter and letterwinner… Second Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and a two-time All-Northeast Regional honoree… All-New York State selection in 1992, All-Tournament Team selection in 1993… Second Team All-UAA as a Freshman, First Team All-UAA as a junior and senior… UAA Volleyball Athlete of the Week six times in her junior and senior years… Ranked ninth in service aces per game nationally in 1991 and first nationally in 1992… Named to the UAA's Silver Anniversary Team in 2012. Post-Graduate: Graduated in 1994 with a degree in psychology… Has worked with individuals with disabilities in both home and work settings… Obtained an MSE in biomedical engineering from Wright State University in 2004… Currently works as a Rehabilitation Engineer for the State of North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Independent Living… Works with individuals to make modifications to their homes, vehicles, and work sites to increase their levels of independence. Personal: Resides in Boone, North Carolina.
 
SETH HAUBEN '05:
At UR: Four-year starter and letterwinner for the winningest men's basketball class of all time…. Yellowjackets were 97-17 over Hauben's four years (58-2 at home), played in two Final Fours including the NCAA Division III National Championship game in 2005… Named the Division III National Player of the Year by DIII News in 2005 and was a two-time NABC First Team All-American (2004, 2005)… Four-time All-UAA selection… UAA Rookie of the Year in 2002, Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, First Team All-UAA for three years… Career averages of 15 points and 9.8 rebounds… Holds Rochester career rebounding record with 1,113 rebounds and is fourth in scoring with 1,713 points… Named a Capital One Academic All-American by CoSIDA in 2005.  Post-Graduate: Played basketball overseas for two years with teams in Denmark, Israel, Australia, Argentina, and China… Played and won a gold medal on the 2009 USA Men's Basketball Team coached by Bruce Pearl at the 18^th Maccabiah Games in Israel… Still plays basketball at least twice a week. Personal: Lives in Boston with his wife, Jessica, and their newborn son, Teddy.
 
GEOFFREY MARCEL LONG '94:
At UR: Senior year captain and linebacker… Held the single-season sack record with 16 in 1993… Finished his career with 161 tackles, and 27 sacks totaling 163 yards in losses… Named All-UAA in 1992 as well as to the ECAC Upstate New York All-Star team… Named to the Kodak/AFCA All-American team in 1993 and to the Champion/CoSIDA Small College All-America team in the same year… First Team All-UAA, ECAC Upstate NY All-Star, and UAA Defensive Player of the Year in 1993. Post-Graduate: Worked in law enforcement as a State Parole Agent for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 16 years… Named Parole Agent of the Year and given the Law Enforcement Administrators and Directors Award for capturing 49 fugitives in 2007. Personal: Married with two children… Enjoys coaching pee wee flag football, third grade basketball and other community activities.
 
JOHN MINORA '81:
At UR: Four-year starter at defensive tackle… Often praised by his coaches for spirited and aggressive play… Defensive Player of the Year in 1979 and 1980 and named Defensive Player of the Week several times… Chosen to the ECAC Upstate New York All-Star Team at defensive tackle… Awarded the Lysle "Spike" Garnish scholar-athlete award. Post-Graduate: Graduated with a degree in history… Attended Penn State's Dickenson School of Law, graduating in 1984… Launched Minora & Minora, a practice that has grown to nine attorneys and more than 18 employees… Responsible for the title work on the $150 million Steamtown Mall project, the largest downtown development project in the history of the City of Scranton… Currently represents the Scranton School District as General Counsel with a $130M budget and 1,300 employees. Personal: He and his wife, Kathy, live in Moosic, PA and have two grown children.
 
JAMES T. RITZEL '93:
At UR: Captain and MVP of the baseball team as a senior… Third Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)… First Team All-Northeast Region selection by the ABCA for his sophomore through senior years… Second Team ABCA All-Northeast Region as a freshman… NY State Rookie of the Year in 1990… All-ECAC Upstate New York all four seasons… Had 24^th highest batting average in Division III as a sophomore… Second Team All-UAA as a sophomore and senior… UAA Player of the Week twice, NY State Player of the Week once… Alumni Scholarship and Lysle "Spike" Garnish Scholar-Athlete award… Named a First Team Academic All-District honoree and a GTE/CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American. Post-Graduate: After graduation, he earned his law degree with honors from SUNY Buffalo… Practiced tax laws as Buffalo's largest law firm from 1998-2003… Started a playground surfacing business in 2003 and moved to Colorado in 2006. Personal: Married and lives with his wife, Kimberly, and three children, Savannah, Georgia, and Ridge.
 
ALAN L. SMITH '90:
At UR: Four letters for cross country, three letters for track & field (and a two-year captain)… NCAA Cross Country All-America honors in 1988… UR finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships from 1987-89 and won the inaugural UAA Cross Country title in 1987… First Team All-UAA in 1987 and 1988… In track he finished 10^th at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the 5,000 meter run… UAA outdoor 10,000 meter champion in 1989 and won the Rochester Track & Field Outstandign Performer Award in 1988. Post-Graduate: Earned his MS in exercise and sport science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and his PhD in exercise and movement science at the University of Oregon… Internationally recognized as an expert on youth development through sport and physical activity… Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State. Personal: Resides in Okemos, Michigan with his wife, Sarah, son Austin, and daughter, Emma.
 
ERIKA LEE SMITH '04
At UR: NCAA Division III Kodak/WBCA First Team All-American in 2003 and 2004 as selected by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association… Also named an All-American and First Team All-Region by D3Hoops.com… Led the team to two NCAA Final Four appearances (2003, 2004)… Rochester was 83-31 in her four seasons… Selected team MVP every year with career stats of 1,313 points, 167 three-pointers (shot .391 on three-pointers), 303 assists, 557 rebounds, and 243 steals… First Team All-UAA in 2003 and 2004… ECAC Upstate New York Player of the Year in 2003… In 2004, named NY State Women's Collegiate Athletic Assocation Scholar-Athlete and WHAM Sportswoman of the Year… Won the Merle Spurrier Award (top female athlete) from UR in 2004. Post-Graduate: Graduated with high honors from George Washington University Law School… Currently an insurance company attorney. Personal: Lives in Albany with her fiancé, T.J., and son, Lucas.
 
ANNI MCDONOUGH ZUKAUSKAS '98
At UR: A dynamic scorer for both field hockey and women's lacrosse… Served as captain of both teams… First Team All-Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (forerunner of the Liberty League) in field hockey as a senior and First Team honors in lacrosse for all four seasons… NY State Player of the Year in 1998 for lacrosse… Holds Rochester records for lacrosse goals in a game (10), a season (54), and a career (199)… Won the University's Merle Spurrier Award (top female athlete) as a senior. Post-Graduate: Joined the visual arts faculty and coaching staff at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Mass. Coached field hockey and girls' lacrosse and led the lacrosse team to its second ISL Championship in school history… Then taught and coached at Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn from 2007-2014… Rebuilt the lacrosse program and took team to multiple state semifinal and final championship games… Returned to Thayer in 2015 as a school administrator, faculty, and head varsity lacrosse coach… Inducted into Thayer's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 for her achievements as a student-athlete and later as coach. Personal: Now resides outside Boston with her husband, Tom, and two children, Anne Marie (5), and T.J. (4).