Kean Inducts 2008 Hall of Fame Class
Kean Inducts 2008 Hall of Fame Class
UNION, N.J. (1/24/09) - The Kean University Department of Athletics enshrined four individuals and one team at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Saturday, January 24, at Downs Hall.
The 2008 induction class spanned many eras of the University's history, including the days as Newark State Teacher's College through the transition to Kean University.
The 17th induction class included Ronald Goldfaden, William LaRusso, Cheryl Perone, Sabri Salhieh and the 1965-66 Newark State Teacher's College men's basketball team.
A 1972 graduate of Newark State College, Ronald Goldfaden was a standout first baseman for then Newark State College and at the time became just the third Squire ever to earn New Jersey State Athletic Conference first-team honors in 1972.
In his first two season, Goldfaden hit safely in 33-of-35 games played and helped lead the team to its first winning record in over a decade, while also earning NJSAC honorable mention all-star honors thos seasons.
Goldfaden was also a New Jersey Baseball Writers' Association College Division All-Star as a junior after leading the team in both homeruns (5) and runs batted in (20), while also compiling a 16-game hitting streak during the season. The year before, he set then-Squire records with five homers, six doubles and 22 RBI to lead the team.
William LaRusso was a two-sport athlete at Newark State Teacher's College, playing both baseball and basketball. A four-year member of both teams, his educational and athletic careers were briefly interrupted for a two-year stint in the United States Army, during which he earned the Distinguished Service Cross.
A co-captain of the baseball team his senior year, he batted .345 as the starting shortstop. LaRusso was also very active on campus as a member of the General Education Men's Guild for four years, including serving as vice-president during his senior year. He also was a member of the Newman Club, Nu Sigma Phi and Memoribilia, the yearbook staff.
LaRusso returned to Newark State in 1961, serving as the head men's basketball coach until 1964, where he coached several members of the school's first-ever conference championship squad. In 1974, the William LaRusso Sportsmanship Award was created to recognize his outstanding accomplishments and dedication to this institution.
Prior to his death in 1973, he was a principal in the Hawthorne School District.
Cheryl Perone concluded her four-year career as one of the most highly decorated field hockey players at Kean University, becoming just the third player in program history to earn New Jersey Athletic Conference all-star honors all four years. Perone also is the only Cougar to ever be named to the National Field Hockey Coaches' Association all-region squad three times, earning second-team honors in 1999 and 2000 and first-team recognition as a senior in 2001.
The 1998 NJAC Rookie of the Year after finishing with 18 defensive saves during her freshman year, Perone remains the only Kean player to ever participate in the prestigious NFHCA Division III North/South All-Star game at the conclusion of her senior year. A four-year starter, she wrapped up her career making 40 defensive saves in 73 career games.
Perone also served as a Kean assistant field hockey coach from 2003 through 2005 while earning her master's degree from the University.
Sabri Salhieh began making an impact on the Kean College men's soccer team as soon as he stepped onto the pitch as a freshman in 1983 and was a key member of a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference championship teams and NCAA tournament teams during his career, first as a leading scorer before switching over to defense to close out his career.
A two-time NJAC and National Soccer Coaches' Association of America first-team all-star in 1983 and 1984, Salhieh led the squad in scoring both years and propelled the Cougars to the program's first-ever appearance in the Final Four.
He also earned Collegiate Soccer Association of New Jersey first-team honors for three straight years, as the Cougars went 57-21-9 during his career and set a new standard for wins in a season in each of his first two years.
The 1965-66 Newark State Teacher's College men's basketball team became the first program in school history to capture a conference championship in any sport. Only the second team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, they won eight of the final 11 games to finish the season 14-11 overall and win the Jersey State Athletic Conference title with a 77-62 victory over Trenton State College.
Under head coach William Sullivan, the team had two players score over 1,000 career points and eclipse 1,000 career rebounds, including current Hall of Fame member Tom Ziolkowski who remains second on the all-time scoring and all-time rebounding list with 1,545 career points and 1,009 career rebounds.
Hall of Famer John McVey also concluded his career as only the second player to have both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, as both he and Ziolkowski also earned conference all-star honors that year.
The 17th induction class brings the total Kean Hall of Fame membership to 112 individuals and two teams.
