Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet Ticket Registration
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University Athletics Hall of Fame Committee has announced the members of its 21st induction class to be enshrined during Homecoming Weekend in October. Shannon Manning '10, Dan Maurer '00, Tara (Dolan) Morano '92, Mike Quinn '06, Angela Vecchione '09 and Leon Weinstein '70 will officially enter the Hall on Friday, October 23, 2015.
Shannon Manning spent four tremendous seasons on the Bridgewater State women's lacrosse team from 2007 to 2010, leading the team to the school's second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010. Shannon was a three-time ECAC Division III New England First Team All-Star (2008, 2009, 2010), three-time NEWLA All-Conference First Team selection (2008, 2009, 2010), two-time NEWLA Player of the Year (2008, 2010) and a two-time winner of the Bridgewater State Female Athlete of the Year (2009, 2011) award.
Shannon was named to the WomensLacrosse.com Division III Third Team All-America Team in 2010, along with the IWLCA Division III All-Berkshire Region Second Team. She also led the Bears to three straight NEWLA Regular Season and Tournament titles and currently holds the program records for most points (384) and assists (156) in a career, as well as most points in a season (120 in 2010).
A two-time MASCAC All-Academic selection (2008, 2010), Shannon graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education.
Dan Maurer was a dual-threat quarterback for the football Bears from 1996 to 1999, passing for 57 touchdowns and rushing for 41 more. Dan holds the school record for touchdown passes in a season (27 in 1999) and in a career, and ranks third all-time in rushing touchdowns. In his career, Dan threw for 4,628 yards, and gained another 1,499 yards on the ground. His passing yards rank him second all-time at BSU, and his 130.51 career passer rating is the fourth-highest mark in school history.
In 1999, Dan led Bridgewater State to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament, where the 19th-ranked Bears lost to Ursinus College 43-38. He threw for 1,940 yards and 27 TDs, while rushing for 622 yards and 15 TDs during the season, and was named to the All-New England Football Conference First Team. Dan was named the ECAC/NEFC Offensive Player of the Week three times that year, and was selected as the New England Football Writers Division II/III Gold Helmet award winner in week six of the season.
Dan graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology.
Tara (Dolan) Morano spent four years on the women's swimming and diving team from 1988 to 1992, setting two individual records in diving that stood several years after her graduation. In 1989, Tara set the one-meter diving mark for an 11-dive event with a score of 347.50 points. The following season, she eclipsed the school standard for a ten-dive event one the one-meter board with a score of 231.05 points.
During her career, Tara served as a captain of the swimming and diving squad, and was President of the Captains' Council for the Athletic Department. She was also a phenomenal student, finishing on the Dean's list each year and graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education in 1992.
After graduation, Tara remained at Bridgewater State as an assistant swim coach for two seasons, and also served on the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee. She currently teaches physical education at Middleboro High School, and served as the school’s athletic trainer for 17 years. Tara was honored in 2013 with the MIAA Distinguished Women in Sports Service Award, which "celebrates the efforts of those whose contributions have had a lasting and profound effect on female student athletes".
Mike Quinn is one of the top scorers as well as one of the most versatile players in the history of Bridgewater State's men’s soccer program. Mike currently sits second on the Bears’ all-time leaderboard with 29 goals and is third in scoring with 71 points. He was a four-time All-MASCAC selection from 2002 to 2005, including three appearances on the first team, and garnered conference player of the year honors in 2005.
A two-time team captain who played both forward and fullback, Mike led the Bears in scoring during his junior and senior seasons in 2004 and 2005, amassing 24 goals and 11 assists during that two-year run. He started in all but one of the 73 games that he played in during his four years at Bridgewater, and notched nine game-winning goals. As a junior in 2004, Mike led the Bears to the MASCAC Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Bridgewater posted a 2-0 victory over Baruch College in first round action with Quinn tallying the game-winning goal.
Mike was also a three-time member of the MASCAC All- Academic Team (2004, 2005, 2006), and graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice.
During her outstanding four years on the Bridgewater softball team, Angela Vecchione became one of the most decorated athletes in the program's history. Angela earned All-MASCAC accolades for four straight seasons from 1998 to 2001, including three first team honors, and was a two-time winner of the MASCAC Player of the Year award (1999, 2001). She was named a Third Team All-American in 1999, and was selected to the NFCA All-New England First Team in each of her four seasons.
Bridgewater hosted four straight New England Regional Tournaments during Angela's career. She led the Bears to back-to-back regional titles in 1998 and 1999 as the team advanced to the eight-team World Series. For her performance, Angela was named to the New England Regional All-Tournament Team in both ’98 and ‘99.
Angela finished her career at Bridgewater State with a stellar .428 batting average, holding school records for hits (253), runs (193), triples (41), at bats (591), and games played (182). She also set or tied five school marks during her sophomore season in 1999, racking up 71 hits, 57 runs, 36 extra-base hits, 12 triples, and 133 total bases. All told, the Bears posted an impressive 143-42-2 record during Angela’s career, which saw her start at shortstop during the first three campaigns before transitioning to catcher for her senior year.
Angela graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education.
Leon Weinstein was an integral part in the turnaround of the Bridgewater State football program during its early stages. Leon started and played in all 30 games in his college career, anchoring both the offensive and defensive lines during his four-years with the team from 1966 to 1969. He was named as an NEFC All-Conference selection in all four seasons, making him the first player in school history to achieve that feat.
Prior to Leon's arrival at Bridgewater State, the football team was mired in a 15-game losing streak that spanned the previous two seasons (1964-65). The Bears won their first game with Leon at offensive guard and defensive tackle, en route to a 15-14-1 record during his collegiate tenure. In his last two seasons, Bridgewater utilized a balanced attack on offense, gaining 2,213 yards on the ground and 2,447 yards through the air. Most of the team's running plays went to Leon's side of the field, with the line's dominance allowing the Bears to attack with their passing game as well.
Leon graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education. After his graduation, he continued to enrich the school's football program, as he was an early contributor to the development of the BSU Football Alumni Council, and was involved in the creation of the BSU Tom Cook Football Scholarship Award.
The induction of Manning, Maurer, Morano, Quinn, Vecchione and Weinstein will bring the BSU Hall of Fame's total membership to 132.
The ceremony will take place at the Rondileau Campus Center Ballroom with a cocktail reception getting underway at 6:30 PM followed by dinner at 7. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Alumni Relations at 508-531-1287 or via email at shana.murrell@bridgew.edu or crystal.howard@bridgew.edu. The cost is $35 per person and checks should be made out to Bridgewater State University. You may also register for tickets online by clicking on the link below.