BUFFALO, NY – More than two decades ago, Medaille College and the late President Kevin I. Sullivan ushered in a new era on Agassiz Circle with the formation of an Intercollegiate Athletics Department. Since then, over 3,300 student-athletes have walked the Medaille College halls. Over 3,300 student-athletes have represented Medaille both on the fields of competition and in the classroom. Over 3,300 student-athletes have left an everlasting legacy of excellence that will now be immortalized in the Medaille College Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
The inaugural Medaille College Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, September 5, in conjunction with the Medaille Pride Awards Social in the Events Arena. Doors will open at 5 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres and light music followed by the alumni awards program at 5:30 p.m. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will begin immediately following the alumni awards. Make sure to secure your spot at this historic event by registering for free at https://medailleawards18.eventbrite.com, all are welcome
 
The inaugural class of 2018 will see four amazing student-athletes honored, along with a man who started it all. In their years at Medaille, the four student-athletes being enshrined into the Medaille College Athletic Hall of Fame combined for two NCAA Division III Career All-Time records; two NCAA Division III Season Statistical titles; six Conference Players of the Year awards; three Conference Newcomers of the Year awards; six Medaille College Athlete of the Year awards; more than 14 All-Conference selections; eight All-Region selections; two Academic All-Region selections; two Academic All-American selections; four All-American selections; over nine conference championships; and nine appearances in either the NCAA or National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) or NCAA Tournaments.
 
Gary Boughton, II '09
 The Medaille men's soccer program has produced its fair share of stars over the years, and Gary Boughton '09 is arguably one of its brightest. From 2006-2009, Boughton rewrote the record books for both the Mavericks and the NCAA. When his collegiate career ended, his 82 assists were the most by any player in NCAA Division III men's soccer history; it's a record that still stands to this day. He also holds the NCAA record for career assists per game at .95, and led the nation in this stat as a junior and a senior. That two-year span was the first time since the NCAA started recording assists that a player led the country in assists per game in consecutive seasons.
 
Boughton also left an indelible mark on the Medaille College record books, ranking in the top five in assists (1st), points (3rd), shots (4th), shots on goal (4th), successful penalty kicks (1st), and attempted penalty kicks (1st). He also filled up the trophy cases as a Maverick, being recognized not only by the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) but nationally, as well. In the AMCC, Boughton was named to the All-Conference First Team four times, was selected twice as Men's Soccer Player of the Year and also earned Newcomer of the Year honors as a freshman.
 
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) named him a Northeast Regional All-American during all four years for his play on the field, and twice named him an NSCAA Scholar All-Region and NSCAA Scholar All-American for his work in the classroom.
 
"My first reaction when I found out I was selected for the inaugural Hall of Fame class was one of excitement. There is a bit of nostalgia, and it's certainly humbling," explained Boughton. "I was incredibly fortunate to play with great athletes, and got to watch and support so many others during my time at Medaille. To be recognized as one of the first athletes entering Medaille's Hall of Fame is a great honor for me, and something I'll hold close to my heart forever."
 
When reflecting on his time as a Maverick, he says the memories are "incredible": "The feeling of pride my teammates and I shared as we put on the uniform stood together and battled for each other, and the brotherhood we had on and off the field — those are my fondest memories."
 
Brandon Lumadue '11
 Many people say the hardest thing to do in sports is to hit a baseball. Trying to make contact with an object going anywhere between 60-90+ miles per hour is hard enough, add the fact that it can move up, down or side to side in the blink of an eye can make it even more daunting. Brandon Lumadue '11 did that better than any player to ever wear a Medaille uniform.
 
Brandon holds almost every important statistical batting record in Medaille baseball history, including batting average (.404), hits (183), triples (10), home runs (14) and runs batted in (133). In the categories where he doesn't rank first, he ranks second, including doubles (38), runs scored (100) and slugging percentage (.625).
 
Lumadue burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2008, finishing the year top-10 nationally in batting average, RBI per game and slugging percentage, en route to being selected to the AMCC All-Conference First Team. He was the 2009 AMCC Preseason Player of the Year as a sophomore, and as a senior captain, he led Medaille to the winningest season in program history.
 
"I was speechless when I found out about being selected to the Hall of Fame," said Lumadue. "It is a great honor to be part of the first class being inducted and is a phone call that I will never forget."
 
A Hall of Fame call is a chance to reminisce about past achievements, something athletes very rarely do during the heat of competition. For Brandon that meant remembering just how special that 2011 season was.
 
"My fondest memory was being part of the winningest team in school history," explained Lumadue. "The baseball program came a long way, and it is great to be a part of that history. The coaches and teammates who were there during my time at Medaille will always hold a special place in my heart."
 
Andrea Belis '02
The amount of success Medaille has had since joining the NCAA is well-documented. However, that success isn't exclusively tied to the Mavericks' time as an NCAA participant. One of Medaille's first student-athlete superstars, Andrea Belis '02, helped Medaille excel before the Mavs were officially in the NCAA, having first been a member of the National Small College Athletic Association.
 
Belis was a four-year member of the women's volleyball and basketball teams, while also spending two years on the softball and women's lacrosse teams.
 
In fall sports, Belis was dominant. She finished her volleyball career by compiling 797 kills, 149 digs, 297 total blocks, 173 solo blocks and an attack percentage of .227. Her total and solo block numbers still stand as the mark to beat in the Medaille record books, while she also sits top-10 in 15 other statistical categories.
 
As a junior and senior in 2000-2001, Andrea racked up more than 590 kills and 160 total blocks to earn NSCAA All-American honors in back-to-back seasons.
 
She continued her dominance on the Sullivan Center court into the winter season, this time on the basketball court.
 
In four years, Belis collected 904 points, 776 rebounds and 146 steals, while blocking 73 total shots. As late as 2013, every single one of those totals ranked her in the top-10 in Medaille Women's Basketball history.
 
"My reaction when I found out about my Hall of Fame induction was shock and then tears," explained Belis. "As a member of the Becker College Hall of Fame committee, I understand what goes into the selection process. It was very special knowing that not only did the committee select me, but that I'm also part of the first class."
 
As an athlete who played four different sports, Belis has a number of fond memories of her time as a student-athlete. However, one season stands out more than the rest.
 
"My fondest memory on the court is my senior year volleyball season," said Belis. "We won a tournament at Keuka College. It was the first tournament we won, and we played against great opponents. It set us up for a strong season that ended with a conference championship and a trip to Dallas for the National Small College Athletic Association Tournament."
 
Adam Baker
Not many people can say that they are in the discussion for being the greatest student-athlete in school history. Adam Baker can, and in two different sports.
 
In softball, Baker ranks top five in every major statistical category. Baker is first in all-time career runs scored, hits, RBI, total bases, stolen bases and put outs; second in Medaille history in games started, at bats, doubles and home runs, and is tied for second in total games played; and third in Maverick history in batting average and slugging percentage.
 
Baker also holds four single-season records, including most runs scored (45 in 2005) and highest slugging percentage (.947 in 2005, which was the fourth-highest slugging percentage in the entire country that year). As a senior, Baker led Medaille to the greatest season in program history, winning its only AMCC Regular Season Championship.
 
Baker was just as dominant on the basketball court, helping Medaille reach unprecedented heights. The Mavericks earned a spot in the D3hoops.com National Top-25 rankings for the first time in program history during Baker's sophomore season. Medaille was ranked in the Top-25 for 23 weeks, reaching as high as 13th in the country at one point. The Mavs also became a regular in the NCAA Tournament, winning the AMCC's automatic bid for three straight seasons.
 
Baker's storied career ended with 1,850 points, 1,103 rebounds, 164 steals and 130 blocks, all while shooting an incredible 52.7 percent from the floor. In fact, Baker was the only member of the 1,000 point-1,000 rebound club in Medaille history until last season.
 
Baker may go down as the most decorated student-athlete in school history. In addition to being the only athlete in AMCC basketball history to be named Player of the Year three times ('05, '07, '08), Baker's honors include: four AMCC Player of the Year awards (three basketball, one softball); three Medaille College Athlete of the Year awards; two AMCC Newcomer of the Year Awards (basketball, softball); six Regional All-American honors (three basketball, three softball); and seven AMCC All-Conference First Team selections (four basketball, three softball). In addition, Baker is the only Medaille athlete to be named an All-American in two sports.
 
 
President Kevin I. Sullivan
 President Kevin Sullivan served Medaille College for nearly 30 years (1971-2001). He began as a member of the Medaille College Advisory Board, followed by distinguished service on the College's Board of Trustees; he was Chairperson for several terms. Finally, he was appointed President of Medaille College in 1987. His devotion to the College and dedication to making the institution a vital force in the revitalization of the City of Buffalo and Western New York are reflected in the many community awards he received during his tenure.
 
His vision for the future of Medaille included enhanced enrollment, expanded and diversified academic curriculum, and new facilities for student activities, recreation and intercollegiate sports. The opening of the Sullivan Center in 1995, along with the creation of on-campus soccer, lacrosse and softball fields behind the Main Building the following year, laid the foundation for Medaille's intercollegiate athletic program. At each step of the way, President Sullivan was instrumental in recruiting student-athletes, bringing aboard coaches and graduate assistants to run the program, and leading the College to conference moves from National Small College Athletic Association to NCAA Division III and, eventually, the AMCC. He, his wife, Ginny, and their grandchildren were frequent supporters at home double-headers. They followed closely as in its second year of existence Medaille was already playing for a National Small College Athletic Association basketball championship in Salina, Kansas. 
 
A starting pitcher for Dartmouth College with major league aspirations, injuries forced him to settle for highly successful careers in banking and higher education administration. He never lost the passion for sports, especially baseball, and was an avid Boston Red Sox fan. Those working at Medaille during those years remember that President Sullivan would always pitch the first few innings of the student/faculty softball games. President Sullivan's love of sports and personal experience as a student-athlete gave him a deep desire to see the dream of intercollegiate athletics at Medaille become a reality.
 
There are many individuals who deserve recognition for the tremendous success of Medaille's athletic program from 1995-2018, including the other members of the initial Hall of Fame class. However, it was one man who truly made this possible. It is also fitting that we honor a remarkable president to lead four of our finest student-athletes into the Medaille College Hall of Fame.
 
Upon notification of President Sullivan's selection for the Medaille Hall of Fame, his devoted spouse and cheerleader Ginny remarked: "Kevin is sitting up there in heaven dressed in his Red Sox uniform saying, 'Thanks from the bottom of my heart. This is one of my most cherished honors.'"