Athletics Alumni Hall of Fame Announces Induction Class of 2011

The University of Hartford Department of Athletics is proud to announce that eight individuals will be enshrined in the Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame as the Class of 2011.

This year’s class includes six former student-athletes, one head coach and one contributor. William Clew ’52, Kristy Finlayson ’02, Brian LaMastro ’01, Jack McGetrick, Liz Nadeau-Sankar ’02, Ron Palmer, John “Jay” Shaw ’74 and Stephanie Volckers ’04 comprise the class, which will be recognized in an induction ceremony on Saturday, April 30, at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Hartford.

“The Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony is always a very special event for us,” Director of Athletics Patricia Meiser remarked. “The individuals that we will be honoring represent the best of intercollegiate athletics, either as a competitor, coach, contributor or friend of the Hawks. They have built the foundation for who we are today, and we are thrilled to honor them.”

The Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame inductions will be held April 30 at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Hartford. A reception will begin at 3 p.m., with dinner to follow at 4 p.m. The event is being held in conjunction with Hartford’s “LAX Under the Lights,” as the lacrosse team hosts UMBC in its regular-season finale at 7 p.m. at Al-Marzook Field. For more information on tickets to the induction ceremony, contact Associate Athletics Director Jim Keener at 860-768-5063 or jkeener@hartford.edu.

The Inductees

Kristy Finlayson graduated in 2002 as one of the most successful performers in the history of the women’s golf program. She claimed 10 individual honors in three years on the team, including 18 career top-five finishes. Finlayson, who posted a 76.9 stroke average in 52 career rounds, was named the Northeast Women’s Intercollegiate Player of the Year for three consecutive years. As a junior, Finlayson led the team to a number two regional ranking. She followed that up by carding a 76.4 stroke average as a senior, earning medalist honors at the Yale, Boston College and Hartford Invitationals. A business major, Finlayson posted a 2.98 GPA during her time at the University.

Brian LaMastro remains the most prolific scorer in the history of Hartford lacrosse nearly 10 years after completing his career. The all-time leader in points (269), points per game (4.41), goals (140) and assists (129), LaMastro was the America East Player of the Year in 2000 as he led the team to a 14-2 record and a share of the conference regular-season title. LaMastro broke out that year as a sophomore, setting a program record with 84 points, including 11 in a game against Providence that ranked as the second-highest single-game total in NCAA lacrosse that season. A three-time all-conference selection, LaMastro earned his Bachelor of the Arts degree in communications from Hartford in just three years.

LaMastro plied his craft under the watchful eye of head coach Jack McGetrick, the winningest coach in Hartford lacrosse history, posting an 87-67 record between 1993-2003. During McGetrick’s tenure, the Hawks won the regular-season conference title in 2003 and earned a co-conference championship in 2000. That year’s 14-2 mark remains the pinnacle of Hartford lacrosse success. Three years previous, McGetrick piloted the Hawks to an 11-3 mark, earning National Coach of the Year honors as the Hawks ascended into the national rankings. Remembered fondly by his nickname “Black Jack,” McGetrick followed his career at Hartford by founding and building a successful lacrosse program at Bellarmine University, where he coached from 2004 until losing a nearly two-year battle with cancer last October.

Liz Nadeau-Sankar did it all in her four years with the Hartford softball program. As a pitcher, she posted 32 victories, posting a 2.37 earned run average including a 1.34 mark as a senior in 2002. She ranks among the program’s top five all-time performers in nine different categories including wins, complete games (62) and strikeouts (310). At the plate, Nadeau-Sankar put together a .307 batting average. A three-time All-America East honoree, Nadeau-Sankar was named to the First Team as a junior and senior. She earned both undergratuate and master’s degrees in marketing from the University, posting 3.30 and 3.72 GPAs, respectively.

Stephanie Volckers graduated in 2004 as one of the Hartford volleyball program’s all-time best hitters. A three-time All-America East selection who was also named to the All-Rookie Team in 2001, Volckers remains the school’s all-time leader in kills per set (5.19), and also holds top-three all-time positions in kills (1,609) and digs per set (3.24). In her three seasons with the scarlet and white, Volckers turned in the top three single-season kills-per-set totals in program history. She had 515 kills in 2001, following that up with 606 in 2002. Volckers also holds the single-game record with 39 kills and 38 digs, both set during her first season. Volckers posted a 3.7 GPA as a marketing major.

William Clew is the recipient of this year’s Pioneer Recognition. With each induction class, one individual is recognized as a Pioneer in Hartford athletics, playing a significant role in establishing a foundation that led to the viability of the program that he or she represented. Clew was an integral part of the basketball program that competed as Hillyer College in the early 1950s. Those teams served as the foundation for the formative years of the program and led to its future success and establishment as a Division I program. Clew was a leader for the team known in those days as the “Fightin’ Hawks.” Since his graduation in 1952, Clew has remained an involved alumnus, serving most recently as a member of the Home Field Advantage Committee, which provided key leadership in renovating the outdoor athletics complex. A respected journalist who rose to the role of managing editor at the Worcester Telegram and Gazette over the course of a 37-year career, Clew has continued his athletic pursuits throughout his life, and has been a successful competitor in the Senior Games.

Ron Palmer is this year’s recipient of the A. Peter LoMaglio Service Recognition. An honor named after the “father” of University of Hartford athletics, this distinction is bestowed upon an individual who has provided outstanding and dedicated service to the department and its student-athletes. Palmer began his association with the University of Hartford when his daughter Liz attended the University and played women’s soccer and softball for the Hawks at the beginning of the Division I era. Since then, Palmer has remained a staunch supporter of the athletics program as a fan, donor, season ticket holder and overall friend to the University. Palmer has impacted nearly all of the Hawks’ programs, and has gained prominence in his local community as the president and owner of Palmer & Associates insurance agency in Glastonbury and a soccer coach at East Catholic High School. A member of the Connecticut Girls’ Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Palmer also served in active duty and in the reserves of the United States Air Force for 42 years. He retired with the rank of Command Chief Master Sargeant.

John “Jay” Shaw is being presented with the Vincent B. Coffin Professional Achievement Recognition. Named after the University’s first president, this award is presented to a former student-athlete who has demonstrated excellence in his or her professional career, and whose accomplishments reflect the foundation the individual established through athletics participation and academic pursuit while at the Unviersity of Hartford. Shaw played lacrosse in 1972 and 1973, playing a key role in the development of the program during its early days as a club sport. After earning his two-year degree from Hillyer College and moving on to earn an undergraduate degree at Colgate and a master’s degree at New York University, Shaw worked his way up to his current position as the managing director and co-founder of Resource Holdings Ltd., a New York City-based investment firm. He remains a committed alum, chairing the Hillyer College Board of Visitors. Along with his wife, Debi Shaw, John Shaw donated $1.5 million in 2008 to construct the Shaw Center at Hillyer College.