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Hall of fame to induct new members
UB will hold its Dr. and Mrs. Edmond J. Gicewicz Family UB Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 in the atrium of the Center for the Arts, North Campus.
Three UB alumni will be inducted into the hall of fame, while two UB alumni will be presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award. The Gugino Award will be presented to two of UB’s most loyal supporters of the athletics program, the alumni association and the university overall.
The induction ceremony is part of UB’s True Blue Days.
At 150 pounds, David J. Hickson, BS ’87, was a three-time NCAA qualifier in wrestling, a two-time Division III All-American (4th- and 6th-place finishes) and semifinalist in 1987. He served as captain of the wrestling team three times, one of only two to do so in the program’s 73-year history. He was selected in 1985 by the NCAA Wrestling Coaches Association as a member of a college all-star team representing the U.S. in international competition in South America. Hickson retains his top 10 position in five UB wrestling categories. He was a leader off the squad as well, serving as chair of the UB Athletic Governance Board in 1985-86 and a member of then-President Steven B. Sample’s Intercollegiate Athletic Board. In addition to wrestling, Hickson was a starter at safety on the football team for two years, serving as co-captain for one season.
Anthony Swan, BA ’02, was a workhorse running back from 1994-97 with an amazing 812 carries for 3,103 yards, both UB career team records. The Bulls’ career leader in 100-yard games with 13 and in single-season games with seven (tied), Swan also logged two 200-plus-yard games and had 29 career touchdowns, placing him in a tie for second in the UB annals. During the 1996 campaign, UB was ranked in the top 25 in Division I-AA for the first time in school history. The season culminated with an 8-3 record and a ranking of 27. Swan was named an honorable mention All-American by the Football Gazette and was a team co-captain the following season.
During her volleyball career, Barbara J. Tinus, BA ’89, compiled the following record: 20-23-2, 43-12, 52-6 and 26-13 under Bob Maxwell and competed in the NCAA Division III Tournament her final two seasons. In Tinus’ junior year, the team was ranked as high as fifth in the nation and made it to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament. Still the UB leader in single-season and career service aces, Tinus held the UB record for career assists for 18 seasons until it was surpassed in 2005. She also ranks among the top 10 in solo blocks and played in 481 games for UB, the third-highest total ever.
Distinguished Alumni Awards will be given to Norbert A. Baschnagel, EdM ’68 and EdB ’65, and Richard J. Gallagher, MSW ’69.
MVP of the 1964-65 UB basketball team that went 19-3 and competed in the NCAA Tournament, Baschnagel has had an outstanding career as a coach at Clarion University in Pennsylvania, where he has been since 1974. From 1982-89, his women’s tennis teams established the school’s all-time record for consecutive dual match wins at 45 and had a four-year record of 57-1. His teams earned four Penn State Athletic Conference crowns and he was named PSAC coach of the year twice. During his tenure as a men’s basketball assistant coach (1974-82), Clarion compiled a 159-67 record, was 27-3 in 1976-77 and was ranked as high as third in the country in 1981-82.
Gallagher earned his master’s degree after serving in executive positions with the Buffalo Area Council on Alcoholism and State Council on Alcoholism. Since 1984, he has been executive director of Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services, as well as Kids Escaping Drugs, both based in Buffalo. In 1983 he founded the publication Western New York High School Sports and also established the Western New York High School All-Academic Team to annually recognize the accomplishments of more than 300 student-athletes in all sports and a banquet to honor them. He is a regular contributor to The Buffalo News’ all-star teams, and his publication has helped many student-athletes earn recognition and scholarships.
The Pioneering Award will be given posthumously to Elizabeth J. (Jane) Poland. The award, which honors the accomplishments of outstanding participants during the years in UB history that women were not given an outlet for their athletic ability, recognizes the advocacy of women’s athletics by athletes, coaches and administrators. Poland coached women’s golf and bowling at UB (she also taught each as an academic course) and three of her students have been inducted into the Hall of Fame: Cynthia Coburn Carroll, BS ’79, and Suzanne Fulton Schottke, BS ’79, for bowling, along with golfer Susan Brodzik Holland, BS ’73. The bowling team captured seven straight Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women state titles, and placed second, third and sixth in its best national competition. From 1978-80, the women’s bowling team was ranked at least sixth nationally. Poland served in state and local positions in women’s athletics, and was a committee member in a variety of departmental functions, including the Title IX Evaluation Committee.
The Russell J. Gugino Award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions of time and resources to the university’s athletic programs, will be given to Roberta A. Evans and Willie R. Evans, EdB ’60. Evans and his wife have been fixtures at UB football and basketball games for many years, as well as at a variety of cultural functions hosted by the university. Evans was inducted into the UB Hall of Fame for his role as a running back on the 1958 Lambert Cup team, as well as an individual selection, and is also a member of the selection committee. He is a long-time member of the UB Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving as president in 1981-82. He served as interim vice president for alumni relations in 2008, and an alumni legacy scholarship was named in his honor in April 2009.
Tickets for the induction ceremony are $25 for members of either the UB Alumni Association or UB Blue & White Club, and $30 for non-members. They may be purchased by contacting the Office of Alumni Relations at 645-3312.
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