2013 Athletics Hall of Fame Class
3/6/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Five Pirates legends have been named members of the Seton Hall University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2013. This star-studded class will be celebrated on Monday, June 10, 2013, at the Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, N.J.
Members of the 2013 Class include: Andre Barrett of men's basketball, Rico Bellini of baseball, Joseph Burke of wrestling, Gerson Echeverry of men's soccer and Jennifer Heider-Berenyi of women's swimming.
"It is a pleasure to be able to celebrate the outstanding achievements of these remarkable former student-athletes," said Director of Athletics Pat Lyons. "Each of these individuals have shown the dedication, hard work and determination necessary to ascend to the top of their sport. They are fitting examples of what it means to be a student-athlete, and are excellent representatives of Seton Hall University."
Like last year, the Hall of Fame ceremony will include a golf outing in addition to the Enshrinement Dinner. The day begins with lunch at 11:00 a.m. and a shotgun tee time at 12:30 a.m. A cocktail reception will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and inductions at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available for purchase by contacting the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund at 973-275-6447 or pirateblue@shu.edu.
HONOREE BIOGRAPHIES
Despite a long line of elite point guards in Seton Hall history, Andre Barrett stands out as one of the greatest. A two-time All-BIG EAST selection and 2004 Haggerty Award recipient, Barrett currently ranks eighth on Seton Hall's all-time scoring list with over 1,800 career points. One of the great play-makers in Pirates' history, he ranks second in career assists to only 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Shaheen Holloway, and guided his team to an NCAA Tournament appearance and first round come-from-behind victory over Arizona in 2004. A stellar defensive player, Barrett also ranks among the Pirates' career top-10 in steals. A four-time All-Met performer, he's one of only two players in Seton Hall history with over 1,000 career points, 400 rebounds and 400 assists.
A captain and key component to baseball's back-to-back College World Series appearances in 1974 and 1975 was Rico Bellini. A sure-handed, slick fielding shortstop, Bellini batted at the top of the Pirates order in 1975 and was instrumental in the team's success. An AACBC All-District selection as a senior, Bellini helped lead the Pirates to an 11-0 upset of #1 Florida State in the College World Series, ousting the Seminoles from the tournament. Following his graduation in 1975, Bellini played four seasons of professional baseball in the Cleveland Indians farm system. In 1979-80, Bellini was the head baseball coach at Wagner College under athletics director P.J. Carlesimo. After working 25 years on Wall Street as a senior vice president for I-CAP International, he retired and now serves as a personal instructor at The Strike Zone in East Hanover, N.J. and coaches the New Jersey Cardinals U-17 showcase travel team.
Seton Hall's first All-American wrestler, Joe Burke became a national force in the 150 lb. class during his collegiate career. Twice, he earned All-America status, finishing fourth at nationals in 1993 and third in 1995. In his senior year, Burke entered the season ranked #2 in the nation, but defeated the preseason #1 ranked wrestler three times to assume the #1 ranking and earn the top seed at the NCAA Championships at the University of Iowa. That season, he lifted the program to new team heights as well. Seton Hall finished with a duel match record of 12-5, won the Big Northeast Conference Championship and finished the season ranked 18th in the nation. A winner of several tournaments during his career, Burke was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1993 New England Championships. The Millmay, N.J. native finished his career with an amazing 148-20-1 individual record.
One of the greatest men's soccer players to wear a Pirates' uniform, Gerson Echeverry cemented his legacy as one of the nation's elite from 1990 to 1993. A three-time All-Conference performer, Echeverry led Seton Hall to back-to-back BIG EAST regular season titles and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1991, he put together what is arguably the finest single-season performance in Pirates' history. Echeverry finished third in the nation with 52 points, was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and garnered Third Team All-American recognition. After a stellar professional career, both overseas and with Major League Soccer, he settled in as a reputable coach spending five years as an assistant at his alma mater, before working with the U.S. Men's U-17 team. Currently, Echeverry is entering his second season as head coach at Seton Hall.
Arguably the greatest female swimmer in Seton Hall history, Jen Heider-Berenyi took the BIG EAST by storm in the early 1990s. As a freshman in 1991, she became the first Pirate swimmer to win a BIG EAST title, and went on to win three more in her career. To this day, no swimmer, regardless of gender, has matched Heider-Berenyi's four championships. The first Pirate to break the one minute mark in the 100-yard backstroke, she set 11 school records, including the 100-yard fly, a record that still stands today. Heider-Berenyi remains one of only two swimmers in Seton Hall history to win multiple BIG EAST titles in the same event (100-yard fly).
