Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Fri., June 27, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Athletics

Five to join Fredonia State Athletics Hall of Fame

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2008 will include three multiple-choice All-Americans, the Hall's first softball inductee, and a former athletic trainer who now plies his trade with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League.

Hall of Fame committee members meeting in March selected Chris Hughey, Chris Whitmore, Robert Healy, Melanie (Yaskulski) Deemer, and Bud Carpenter for induction Oct. 18 on campus.

Hughey played four seasons for the Blue Devils (1982-83 through 1985-86) and left with at least 10 school records, including those for career points (1,970) and rebounds (1,006), records that still stand. He is the only Fredonia State men's basketball player to attain All-American status -- which he did twice, 1985 and 1986 -- and the school's only four-time All SUNYAC First Team player in the sport. He was SUNYAC Player of the Year twice. Hughey is employed by Whitmont Legal Technologies Inc. in Washington, D.C.

Whitmore lettered for four seasons in men's soccer (1998 through 2001) and earned All-American distinction in 2000 and 2001; he was SUNYAC Player of the Week in 2000. A three-time All SUNYAC player, he holds school records for goals (50) and points (72). The Blue Devils posted a 32-4 won-loss record in Whitmore's four seasons and appeared in ECAC Upstate New York tournaments all four years. He graduated from Fredonia State in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Healy participated in track and field from 1983 through 1986 and earned three All-American awards -- twice in the decathlon (1984 and 1986), and once as part of the 1,600-meter relay team (1984). The quartet still holds the school record in the event. Healy was the New York State Collegiate Track Conference decathlon champ in 1984 and was part of three relays to win NYSCTC championships. He is employed by Viotrex USA and resides in Albany.

Deemer played four seasons (1998 through 2001), is a two-time All SUNYAC honoree, and still stands as Fredonia State's lone SUNYAC Player of the Year in softball (2000). She remains the program's all-time leader in runs batted in (105) and triples (13) and the single-season leader in RBI (37) and hits (45). She also is in top four in seven other career and single-season categories. A 2002 Fredonia State graduate, Deemer is a social studies teacher and varsity softball coach at Dryden High School.

Carpenter, the head athletic trainer for the Buffalo Bills, will become the Hall's sixth honorary inductee. A 1979 Fredonia State graduate with a degree in education, Carpenter served the athletic department in various capacities prior to his leaving to join the Bills. He was a driver on road trips, a launderer, the Zamboni driver at the ice rink, a track and field official, as well as the intramural director, to name just a few of his duties.

The site and time of the dinner will be announced later. Tickets are available through the Fredonia State Alumni Affairs office (http://www.fredonia.edu/alumni/). Cost of the dinner is $20 per person.

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