WASHINGTON - The latest class of the Gallaudet University Athletics Hall of Fame featuring six former student-athletes, one coach/administrator and one honorary member will be enshrined into on Sunday, October 26, during Homecoming 2025.
The Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 includes Jaris Alleyne, '16 (Football), Kristina Burke, '08 (Women's Volleyball), President Emeritus Robert R. Davila, '53 & H-'88 (Honorary Member), Casey Hicks, '14 (Baseball), Shana Lehmann, '10 & G-'13 (Women's Volleyball), Hannah Neild, '20 & G-'21 (Women's Basketball), Richard Pelletier, '75 (Football Coach, Athletic Director) and Anna Polivanchuk, '17 (Women's Swimming).
The Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame Induction is one of the premier events of the year for the GU Athletics Department. The special event recognizes the individuals, past and present, whose contributions to Gallaudet University Athletics have been deemed worthy of induction into the Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame.
To be considered for the Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame one must be a former Bison student-athlete, coach and/or contributor that is five years removed from the University. One must be nominated and submitted to the Gallaudet University Athletics Department during an open nomination period. Inductees can be deaf, hard of hearing or hearing. All nominations are then screened and reviewed by the Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame committee.
The ceremony will be held in the Peikoff Alumni House ("Ole Jim") on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. Ticket information will be released at a later date and will be posted on the Gallaudet Athletics website.
A brief description of the Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductees:
Jaris Alleyne, '16 (Football) was a four-year letterwinner on the Gallaudet football team from 2011-14. Alleyne is one of the most dominant linebackers in program history. In four seasons, he compiled 360 tackles (223 solo tackles), 32 tackles for a loss of 102 yards, 15 passes defended, six sacks for a loss of 42 yards, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. The Waldorf, Md., native, tallied 90 or more tackles in a season three separate times. Alleyne led the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) with 106 tackles his senior season (2014) in nine games played. He is a three-time All-ECFC First Team Defense honoree (2012, '13, '14). Alleyne was selected to the all-conference second team his first season in 2011. He was a 2014 D3football.com All-East Region Third Team Defense selection. Alleyne was named to the 2013 USA Football News D3 Preseason All-American Third Team.
Kristina Burke, '08 (Women's Volleyball) was a four-year letterwinner on the Gallaudet women's volleyball team from 2003-06. The electric outside hitter finished her career with 1,329 kills, 1,484 digs, 162 aces, 78 assists, 72 blocks in 103 matches. The two-time all-conference honoree helped to guide Gallaudet to 90 wins in four years as the Bison made multiple appearances in the NCAA tournament. In 2006, she tallied a career best 670 kills, 527 digs, 63 aces and 47 assists. Her 670 kills still ranks sixth all-time in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC), now known as the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, rankings for kills in a season. She ranks sixth all-time in NCAA Division III history for total attacks with 30-point scoring format (2001-07) with 1,920 attacks in 139 sets and ranks 12th in attacks per set (13.81). Burke was selected to the 2006 AVCA All-Region First Team and the All-CAC First Team that season. She all-conference second team in 2005.
President Emeritus Robert R. Davila, '53 & H-'88 (Honorary Member) was Gallaudet's ninth President and served in that role for three years (2007-09). During this time a wave of positive change took place with the Gallaudet Athletics Department. Thanks to the support of President Davila a new turf field debuted at Hotchkiss Field along with many other upgrades to fields and facilities that Bison athletic teams used. Gallaudet University Athletics Hall of Famer Michael Weinstock, '81 & G-'94 served as the department's Athletic Director during this transformative era for Bison athletics and had President Davila's full support during this key point in GU athletic history. New full-time positions were developed and resources continued to grow. President Davila was a key recruiter to secure several coaches and staff members for athletics. This would turn into the foundation of the success Gallaudet athletic teams had years later.
Casey Hicks, '14 (Baseball) was a four-year letterwinner on the Gallaudet baseball team (2011-14). Hicks is a highly decorated catcher and a feared hitter at the plate. The Henderson, Nev., native, had an epic senior season (2014) when he posted the following statistics; .401 batting average, eight home runs, 62 RBI, 57 hits, 38 runs in 42 games. For his career, Hicks finished with a .319 batting average, eight home runs, 153 RBI, 166 hits, 103 runs, 28 doubles, 17 triples, 45 stolen bases, 68 walks, .975 fielding percentage in 160 games (160 starts). Hicks was named the 2014 NEAC Baseball Player of the Year and got selected to the 2014 D3baseball.com All-South Region First Team and later voted to the 2014 D3baseball.com All-American Second Team. He also picked up ABCA All-South Region Second Team, ECAC Upstate Player of the Year, ECAC All-Star First Team honors during the 2014 season. Hicks was a three-time All-NEAC honoree with two appearances on the first team (2012, '14) and once on the second team (2013).
Shana Lehmann, '10 & G-'13 (Women's Volleyball) was a five-year letterwinner on the Gallaudet women's volleyball team (2005-09). In an unheralded position as the team's libero, Lehmann dove her way into the record books. Lehmann still holds Gallaudet's and the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC), now known as the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, career record for digs with 3,092 and digs per set (5.79). She still holds three of the Top 5 season dig totals in the CAC Record Book (third - 880 digs in 2006, fourth - 828 digs in 2007, fifth - 819 digs in 2009). The two-time all-conference first team honoree (2007, '09) helped to guide Gallaudet to over 100 wins in four seasons as the Bison made multiple postseason appearances (NCAA and ECAC). Lehmann completed her career with 3,092 digs, 215 assists, 183 aces, 102 kills in 148 matches played. She sat out the majority of the 2008 season with an injury.
Hannah Neild, '20 & G-'21 (Women's Basketball) was a two-year letterwinner on the Gallaudet women's basketball team (2017-19). The Division II transfer from Merrimack College (2015-17), made an instant impact on the Bison program and racked up awards and statistics in both seasons. The Litchfield, N.H., native, became Gallaudet's first finalist for the Jostens Trophy, awarded to the outstanding NCAA Division III men's and women's basketball players. During the 2018-19 season, she finished third in NCAA Division III for points (649), points per game (25.0) and fourth in free-throw percentage (88.5). In two seasons with the Bison she compiled 1,299 points, 452 rebounds, 179 assists, 175 steals in 53 games. Neild was named the 2018-19 NEAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year and was picked twice to the D3hoops.com All-Region teams. Neild became GU's first student-athlete to ever be named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Team in three different sports (basketball, soccer, softball). Neild took home the high honor of being named the 2018-19 CSC Academic All-America NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Team Member of the Year. Neild was GU's and the NEAC's nominee for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Richard Pelletier, '75 (Football Coach, Athletic Director) served as Gallaudet Athletic Director (1995-2000) and head football coach (1989-92, 1995-2000) during his working career (1976-2001) at his alma mater. He started out working at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (1976-88) in multiple roles including head football coach (1985-86) after being assistant coach for many years (1977-84). Former Gallaudet head football coach and Athletics Hall of Famer Robert Westermann brought Pelletier onto his staff as the defensive coordinator (1987-88) as the Bison posted a 9-1 record and won the 1988 Atlantic Collegiate Football Conference (ACFC) championship. Pelletier took over the head football coach reigns from Westermann in 1989 and continued GU's success on the gridiron. The Bison were co-conference champions in the ACFC (1989) and later in the Seaboard Conference (1998). Pelletier was named the 1989 ACFC Coach of the Year. Pelletier served as an Assistant Athletic Director (1989-94) before being elevated to the Athletic Director in 1995 and stayed in that position until 2000.
Anna Polivanchuk, '17 (Women's Swimming) was an accomplished women's swimmer for the Bison program from 2013 until 2016. The Orebro, Sweden, native, was the only Bison to qualify for the 2014 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle and 100-backstroke. She finished in the Top 25 for two events and 31st in the other. At the 2014 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) championships, she won six events including the 100- and 200-backstroke, 200- and 400-freestyle relay and 200- and 400-medley relay as the Bison finished third overall. Polivanchuk also picked up an All-NEAC second team honor in the 50 free. Polivanchuk still holds six individual (50-freestyle, 100-free, 50-backstroke, 100-back, 200-back, 100-yard IM) and four relay (200- and 400-freestyle, 200- and 400-medley) school records. All of Anna's program records were set in 2014. Anna along with her sister, Alexandra Polivanchuk, '15, an Athletics Hall of Fame inductee in 2023, combine to hold 10 individual school records and four relay school records.
2025 Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame Class Individual Stories
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