Photo Album -- https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=FelicianUSports&set=a.6268294666546343
Speeches -- https://www.youtube.com/user/FCGoldenFalcons/videos
RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Four Felician University all-region student-athletes joined its only conference championship basketball team and the visionary president that established its intercollegiate athletics program in being presented for induction into the Felician Athletics Hall of Fame at the organization's eighth annual Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Friday, September 24, 2021, at the Felician Wellness and Recreation Center (WaRC) in Rutherford.
Felician welcomed its largest class into its Hall of Fame, and, for the first time, held its induction ceremony on one of its southern Bergen County campuses. The night's guests of honor were the 2009-10 Men's Basketball Team, standout student-athletes Rob Albano '14 of Mahwah (cross-country), Ciera Clark '15 of Torrance, Calif. (softball), Eric Miceli '02 of Riverdale (baseball) and Mickey A. Zudonyi '11 of Monmouth Beach (baseball), as well as Sister Theresa Mary Martin, the fourth President of then-Felician College, who was inducted posthumously.
The Golden Falcons established their Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013 and held seven consecutive banquets before the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Ben "JR" DiNallo, Felician's 18th-year Director of Athletics, served as the master of ceremonies at last month's return banquet, and, in his opening remarks, captured a celebration theme. Not only were the Golden Falcons celebrating six more Hall-of-Famers, he pointed out, but the completion of a new building -- the WaRC -- and the simple act of dining and conversing together in person once again.
DiNallo then introduced Felician President J.W. Crawford III, J.D. Crawford expressed his deep appreciation for athletics throughout his own life, including lessons learned from the fields of play. "The individuals we honor tonight did not let obstacles stand in the way of achieving their goals and those of their teams," Crawford said from the podium, before turning his attention to Sr. Theresa. "This University owes Sr. Theresa Mary Martin a profound debt of gratitude for the many things she's done, for her foresight in establishing Felician University athletics, which opened the door for so many who have crossed the threshold of Felician University to achieve success far beyond these halls."
The 2009-10 Men's Basketball team was presented for induction by its head coach, Dave DeFerrari of Secaucus, with its captain, Devon Young '11 of Brooklyn, N.Y., accepting the honor on behalf of his teammates. The Golden Falcons were 24-7 that season, a program record for victories that still stands. They earned a memorable comeback victory over defending champion Philadelphia University in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference semifinals, and defeated Goldey-Beacom College for the league championship the next day. Felician men's basketball played in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first, and thus far only, occasion.
DeFerrari spoke of how, prior to preseason workouts, the team dedicated that season to longtime former assistant coach Dr. Russ Wiebe, who had died suddenly the previous summer. In a speech which mentioned every team member, coach and manager, DeFerrari told the gathering that the group's success came down to "brotherhood, sacrifice and leadership." Young was a junior during the championship season. During his acceptance, he took his listeners through the evolution of the roster throughout his first three years on campus that culminated with the title run.
Albano was one of two of the night's honorees that is married to a fellow former Felician athlete. His wife, Kassandra (Topp) Albano '15, delivered a heartfelt presentation that merged their meeting as Felician undergraduates with Rob's dedication to running. Rob Albano was a two-time CACC Runner of the Year, two-time USTFCCA All-Region performer, and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American® during his time in Rutherford.
"Felician taught me a lot," Albano concluded his acceptance. "Most importantly, it humbled me. If it wasn't for my coaches sitting me down and explaining why my training style wasn't working, or my teammates pulling us all together to focus on team chemistry, I do not believe I'd be at this podium today. Thank you to my coaches and friends for making all this possible and my parents for encouraging me to live on campus."
Clark set a standard for offensive players for the Felician softball program after being plucked out of northern California by then-Felician head coach Lori McGuinness. A three-time all-CACC honoree, she was the softball team's first all-region selection as a junior in 2014. A .371 career hitter (3rd at Felician), she owns 171 hits (4th), 40 doubles (1st), 29 home runs (2nd), 113 runs scored (1st ) and 141 runs batted in (2nd). McGuinness presented her for induction.
"One of the best parts about (softball), and the part I miss the most, is being a teammate," Clark said. "I was so incredibly blessed to have played with so many wonderful girls at Felician. If you love the game, it will love you back, and let me tell you – I loved that game. It's easy to get caught up in the pressures and distractions and politics that come with sports, but I remember making a promise to myself that I was never going to let anyone or anything take that joy away from me."
Ed Ward, Felician's inaugural baseball coach, began that sport's portion of the night by introducing his star slugger from the Golden Falcons' first two seasons, Miceli. In 2000 and 2001, Miceli was a combined 102 for 261 at the plate. His .391 batting average and .630 slugging percentage still rank second in team history. He was the Golden Falcons' first baseball All-American, earning NAIA Honorable-Mention honors in 2000.
Miceli spent much of his acceptance speech talking about family, including meeting his wife, former softball standout Katie (Quigley) Miceli '03 at Felician, his parents' positive influence in his athletic career and life, and his pride in his three sons. "Tonight is my chance to say thank you to those I haven't had an opportunity to thank, or I simply don't thank enough – my teammates, my family, Felician University, Coach Ward, and especially the game of baseball," he said. "I spent a little over two years at Felician, and it's given me more in return than I could ever repay."
Felician's current head baseball coach, Chris Langan, then took a turn at the podium to honor Zudonyi, one of his earliest standouts and most influential captains. An all-region second-baseman as a sophomore in 2009, Zudonyi remains among the Golden Falcons' all-time top five in games (201), hits (217), runs (149), walks (86) and steals (81).
"Playing baseball at Felician College was one of the best privileges of my life," said Zudonyi, now a sergeant in the Atlantic Highlands Police Department. "What a great feeling standing up here tonight accepting such an honor. I'm not a guy that likes to fail, but playing baseball teaches you that failure is OK, but persistence will prevail. Thank you to my coaches, thank you to my family, thank you to the selection committee, and thank you to baseball."
Sr. Theresa Mary Martin was the president of Felician College from 1984 to 2012, and references to her tenure permeated the evening. The intercollegiate athletics program first took the fields and courts during the 1996-97 academic year with four sports, guided by Bob Symons, whom Sr. Theresa hired as the first Athletics Director. In 1997, Sr. Theresa purchased the current Rutherford campus from Fairleigh Dickinson University, providing a home gymnasium and residence halls.
Sr. Theresa, who died in December 2019 at age 87, was presented for induction by Felician Trustee Anthony Scardino Jr., the former Lyndhurst mayor and New Jersey State Senator who also served on the Board of Trustees during Sr. Theresa's tenure. Symons then followed by accepting the honor on her behalf.
Scardino recalled a letter he wrote to Sr. Theresa in September 2011, the start of her final year as Felician President. "Thanks for being present in the lives of your students, your faculty, your staff," he recalled penning, "your Board, your Regents, and most especially, for your prayers for all of us." Added Symons, "Sr. Theresa was competitive, make no mistake. But by adding an athletics program, she felt it added to the spirit of the campus community and would bring us all together."
In early September, Felician began its 26th season of varsity intercollegiate athletics.
