Canisius Sports Hall of Fame welcomes 60th induction class

By: Cooper Hillman, Assistant News Editor

The Canisius Sports Hall of Fame is celebrating its 60th induction class on Friday, Sep. 25, with eight new members being commemorated. Since 1963, this tradition has been a part of the athletics program as a way to honor great athletes or even non-athletes who have made exceptional contributions to the athletics department. 

There are many individuals included in this vast list, with 223 members including this year's new nominees. Among them is Erik Brady, who will be receiving the Rev. Paul J. Dugan, S.J. Award for his incredible contributions, including being the school’s mascot and team spirit while on and off campus.

With the countless athletes that go through Canisius, it’s a hard process for those that vote on each class every year. “The Canisius Sports Hall of Fame has been difficult in terms of selection many times. Canisius has had a long history of strong athletes from years past, which makes it hard to decide who to induct. However, I think that in terms of credentials, this class is good if not better than most induction classes in some time,” said Matt Reitnour, the Associate Athletic Director for Communications.

The voting process has a few requirements. An athlete must have graduated from Canisius and been out of the school for 10 or more years. The impact of the Hall of Fame has reached even fans as they explore the halls of the Koessler Athletic Center and see the legacies that leave a lasting impact on Canisius. “This tradition really impacts a lot of people. I see people wander through the Hall and some even recognize the names of those honored. Some were people's teammates, went to their high schools or even coached their kids’ sports teams,” said Reitnour.

In a school with around 400 current athletes, having a hall of fame is a point of pride and recognition for the Canisius athletic department, and Reitnour believes it is set up in a way that demonstrates the pride they have for Canisius athletes.

The ceremony will be held in the Montante Cultural Center to honor these few prestigious individuals for their impact on the Canisius athletics department and Canisius University as a whole.