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Seven to be inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame

Two new awards to be introduced tonight at 34th annual celebration

Published: October 6, 2005

By MICHAEL JANKOWSKI
Reporter Contributor

Six alumni and an administrator from UB have been selected for induction into the Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame.

Two new awards will be introduced at the 34th annual celebration to be held tonight in Alumni Arena: the Distinguished Alumni Award for Athletics, for alumni who made significant contributions to the world of athletics after they left UB; and the Pioneering Award, to honor the accomplishments of outstanding athletes, administrators, coaches and participants during those years in which women's athletics was not recognized at the varsity level.

Part of Homecoming Week, the Hall of Fame event will begin with a reception, followed by the induction ceremony on the basketball court. The inductees are:

  • Former UB coordinator of women's athletics, coach and faculty member Elizabeth (Betty) Dimmick, who will enter the Hall as the inaugural recipient of the Pioneering Award.
    Despite the challenges of multiple sclerosis, Dimmick spent 26 years at UB before retiring in 2000. She coached tennis and field hockey, helping her field hockey team capture the New York State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women crown in 1982. As an administrator, she played a significant role during the greatest growth period in the history of women's sports at UB and at a time when many institutions were reluctant to provide equitable opportunities for female student-athletes.

  • Joseph G. Cesari, Ed.B. '62 is the first Distinguished Alumni Award inductee. Cesari is perhaps the most successful high school wrestling coach in Pennsylvania history. He began a program from scratch and retired with a record of 351-31-2, with two state titles and with his teams ranked among the top 20 in the country from 1980-89. The former UB wrestler and football team member has been inducted in three halls of fame, including the National Wrestling and the National High School halls. His three sons—all coached by their father—combined for six Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state titles.

  • Offensive tackle Edward K. Ellis, B.A. '97, was the fourth-round pick in the 1997 NFL draft, chosen by the New England Patriots. Ellis played an integral role on the 1996 Bulls team that finished 8-3 and was ranked 27th in Division I-AA of the NCAA. That season, the Bulls averaged 372 yards—the offense produced 10 100-yard rushers and the seventh-highest single-season rushing total in team history—and 24 points per game. Ellis was named a first team All American by the Gridiron Report and an honorable mention All American by the Football Gazette. He played in the NFL for seven seasons with the Patriots, Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and New York Giants.

  • Swimmer Inger D. Rooneem, B.A. '00, who competed for three years at UB, was an Academic All American on each occasion (earning a 3.6 GPA or better). She was the Mid-Continent Conference's swimmer of the year as a sophomore and became UB's first female swimmer to hit an NCAA Championship Meet qualifying time, which she did on six occasions during her career. She was all Mid-American Conference as a junior, and a year later was the fastest female swimmer in the MAC, winning both the 50- and 100-yard freestyles in the conference championship meet.

  • Raymond H. Willie, B.A. '94, helped lay the groundwork for the UB men's swim team's entry into Division I. At the conclusion of his UB career, Willie had established five school records, two of which still stand today. He was a five-time Division II All American and six-time honorable mention All American and finished fourth and eighth, respectively, in the 50- and 1,650-yard freestyle events at the NCAA Division II Championships his sophomore year.

  • Volleyball star Candide (Candi) Sims Werkmeister, B.S. '97, M.B.A. '99, is one of the most complete players in the history of UB women's volleyball. She ranks among the top 10 in 11 of 15 UB team statistical categories in a career that spanned more games (503) than anyone else in the program. Throughout that span, the volleyball team placed among the top nine in eight of a potential 10 all-time statistical categories for UB volleyball teams. Werkmeister was a Mid-Continent first team selection her final three years of competition and on the conference's 1996 all-tournament team.

  • Wrestler Thomas A. Jobin, B.A. '85, was one of the most determined athletes in the storied history of UB wrestling. He had an immediate impact as a freshman when he made it to the finals of four major tournaments, including the New York State Championships. Three broken vertebrae as a sophomore (when he was named a tri-captain) slowed his career, but he was 24-7 in all matches and fifth in the NCAA Championships in his junior year, earning All-American honors. Another trip to the NCAA followed in his senior year, when he again earned All-American accolades as the runner-up in the 177-pound weight class.