ALBANY – The College of Saint Rose will induct four former outstanding student-athletes and the 1991 softball team into its
Athletics Hall of Fame during an on-campus ceremony at the Thelma P. Lally School of Education on Saturday, October 1, at 6:00 pm. The induction ceremony will be held as part of the College's Athletics Homecoming Weekend celebration.
The 2011 class includes the following individuals;
Chuck Bauer (baseball, 1993-1995),
Eric LeBlanc (baseball, 1994-1996),
Nora O'Heaney McGrath (women's cross country; women's track & field, 1993-1996), and
Drea Porteus (women's soccer, 1999-2000 and 2002-2003).
Bauer, LeBlanc, McGrath, and Porteus will be the 37th through 40th inductees into the Saint Rose Athletics Hall of Fame. The 1991 softball squad will be the third team recognized. The 1990 baseball team was enshrined last year and the 1988-89 men's basketball squad was inducted in two years ago
The 1991 softball team posted a 28-4 record en route to capturing the NAIA District 31 Championship and qualifying for the NAIA National Tournament in Columbia, Missouri. The team featured six players that were named to the NAIA All-Tournament team, two others who were honored as NAIA Scholar All-Americans, a potent offense that batted a collective .344, posted a 0.74 team ERA, and a .183 opponent batting average, all of which still stand as school records. The Golden Knights also won 18 consecutive games at one point.
Chuck Bauer was among the most dominant hurlers to ever don a Golden Knights uniform. Chuck was an American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) second-team All-American, the ECAC Regional Player of the Year, and the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) Co-Most Valuable Player as a senior. He was furthermore a NYCAC first-team All-Conference pick as both a junior and senior and is thus one of only three Saint Rose players in the NCAA era (1992) to be named first-team All-Conference in two separate years. Chuck closed out his career as the school's NCAA era all-time leader in strikeouts (253) and ERA (2.06), and second in wins (22); despite only playing two full seasons (1994, 1995). He still owns school career records for ERA, shutouts (6), and batting average against (.197) and is listed among the top-five in every major career pitching category. Chuck additionally still holds single-season school records for wins (13) and strikeouts (141), along with the second lowest ERA (1.58), which he set as a senior in 1995. He was a member of the 1994 and 1995 Saint Rose NCAA Tournament teams and was part of the 1995 NYCAC Championship team that a set an NCAA era school record with 40 wins (40-18). Chuck was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 19th round as a senior.
One of the most talented pitchers in Saint Rose annals,
Eric LeBlanc was an American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) first-team All-American and the Northeast Region Pitcher of the Year, and was furthermore selected as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) Player of the Year as a senior. He was additionally an ABCA first-team All-Region pick as a senior and a second-team selection as a junior. A two-time NYCAC first-team All-Conference pick, he still stands first all-time in the school's NCAA era in wins (30) and is second in ERA (2.94). Eric also closed out his career as the College's NCAA era all-time leader in strikeouts (305) and complete games (23), and tied for fourth in batting average against (.224). Eric was a member of the 1994 and 1995 Saint Rose NCAA Tournament teams and was part of the 1995 NYCAC Championship team that a set an NCAA era school record with 40 wins (40-18). Eric was drafted by the Chicago White Sox as a junior and the Cincinnati Reds as a senior.
Nora O'Heaney McGrath is among the finest women's middle distance and cross country runners to ever wear a Saint Rose uniform. She still holds five school records indoors (400, 500, 600, 800, and 1000 meter runs) and was part of four indoor school record holding relay teams, three of which still stand. Nora was also a member of two school record holding relay teams outdoors. She furthermore earned All-American status as a junior in 1995 with a fifth place finish in the 800 meter run at the NCAA indoor championships, thus becoming the first female All-American in school history. Nora was named All-East in the 800 by
Eastern Track Magazine after she finished ninth at the NCAA outdoor championships that spring. In 1996, Nora made her second straight appearance at both the NCAA indoor and outdoor meets. She wound up 12th in the 800 at the indoor championships and finished 15th in the 1500 at the outdoor meet. She previously won the 800 at the ECAC Championships and finished first in the 1500 at the Collegiate Track Conference Championships that season. In cross country, Nora won the 1994 New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) individual championship and garnered All-East honors that year as well. She additionally helped lead the Golden Knights to four straight NYCAC team titles (1993-96). Nora is still an active competitive runner as a member of the Westchester Track Club.
One of the most dynamic strikers to ever take the pitch for Saint Rose,
Drea Porteus was also instrumental in helping the women's soccer program forge its way to national prominence. A National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-New England selection in 2000, Drea was also a Northeast-10 Conference second-team All-League pick in 2000 and a third-team All-Conference selection in 2003. She was previously honored as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-League honoree in 1999. Drea also helped lead the Golden Knights to two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002, 2003), including the 2003 New England Regional Final. She also guided Saint Rose to the 2000 ECAC Tournament (2000) and helped the Golden Knights to a 50-26-3 record throughout her career. Drea is the second all-time leading point producer in school history (104 points) and stands fourth all-time in both goals (39) and assists (26).
The inaugural Saint Rose Athletics Hall of Fame induction took place in 1985 and another followed in 1986. The next class was enshrined in 1992 followed by subsequent classes 1994, 2002, and 2003. It was then deemed an annual event in 2007.
