Varsity Club Inducts Six To Athletic Hall Of Fame

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross Varsity Club has announced that six individuals have been selected for induction into the Holy Cross Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2010 inductees into the Hall of Fame are Lee Hendrickson (Class of 1992, soccer), Tom Kelleher (Class of 1988, football), Lynn Liberatore (Class of 1995, cross country, track & field), Patrick Rissmiller (Class of 2002, ice hockey), John Vrionis (Class of 1968, football, lacrosse) and Dr. James Walsh (Class of 1952, honorary).

Hendrickson was one of the top offensive players in the history of the Holy Cross women’s soccer program. As a freshman in 1987, she set Holy Cross single-season records with 47 points and 20 goals, in addition to posting seven assists. Hendrickson scored three goals in a game three different times during her freshman campaign, tying the school single-game record at the time. In her sophomore campaign, she led the team with 10 goals and six assists for 26 points. After missing the 1989 and 1990 seasons due to injury, Hendrickson returned to the pitch for her senior season in 1991 to score six goals and record two assists for the Crusaders. Almost 20 years after playing her last game, she still holds the Holy Cross career records for points (87) and goals (36), while ranking fifth all-time in assists (15).

Kelleher starred at running back for the Crusaders, playing on some of the top squads in school history. As a junior in 1986, he ranked second on the team with 737 yards and five touchdowns on 184 carries. Kelleher also caught 24 passes for 221 yards and a score during his junior year, as Holy Cross posted an overall record of 10-1 and finished the season ranked No. 5 in the nation. He then led the team in rushing during his senior year in 1987, carrying the ball 134 times for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns, while posting 22 receptions for 219 yards and two scores. Kelleher helped lead the Crusaders to a perfect 11-0 mark in 1987 and a No. 1 ranking in the final national poll. A first team All-New England selection as a senior, he finished his career with 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns on 352 carries. Kelleher was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1988, and also spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989. In addition, he has spent the last 10 years as the color analyst on radio broadcasts for Holy Cross football games.

Liberatore was a standout member of the women’s cross country and track teams during her time at Holy Cross. On the outdoor track team, she won the Patriot League title in the 10,000-meter run during her sophomore (37:50.08), junior (37:12.63) and senior years (36:55.20), improving her time each season. Liberatore also won the Patriot League indoor title in the 5,000-meter run as a senior (17:58.80), and placed fourth (18:15.0) at the Patriot League cross country championship during her senior campaign. Named the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for indoor track in 1994 and outdoor track in 1995, Liberatore earned All-Patriot League honors five times in cross country (once), indoor track (twice) and outdoor track (twice). She was also selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll three times in both cross country and track, and earned Crusader of the Year honors in 1995.

Rissmiller totaled 53 goals and 90 assists for 143 points as a four-year member of the Crusader men’s ice hockey team. He helped Holy Cross to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship as a freshman, when he led the team with 28 assists. By his senior year, Rissmiller earned MAAC Offensive Player of the Year honors in addition to being a first team All-MAAC selection, as he led the team in scoring with 46 points on 16 goals and 30 assists. His 30 assists during the 2001-2002 campaign still rank as the most by a Crusader since the program moved to the Division I level. Following his collegiate career, Rissmiller has gone on to play professional hockey for the last eight years, becoming only the second Holy Cross graduate to play in the National Hockey League. He has played in 182 games with the San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers, and is currently a member of the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League.

Vrionis was a letterwinner on both the football and men’s lacrosse teams during his time at Holy Cross. On the gridiron, he won two letters while catching 39 career passes for 570 yards and seven touchdowns. Vrionis’ top year came during his senior season, when he led the team with 511 receiving yards and 42 points scored. He was also a member of teams which scored victories over Boston College (32-26 in 1966) and Yale (26-14 in 1967, the Bulldogs’ only loss of the season). In lacrosse, Vrionis led the team in scoring as a senior with 47 points on 36 goals and 11 assists. He scored eight goals against Worcester Polytechnic Institute on April 13, 1968, to set a school single-game record which still stands. Vrionis was also selected to play in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association North-South College All-Star Game following the conclusion of his senior season.

Walsh has served as the team physician for Holy Cross athletics for more than 30 years. He has overseen physical exams for all athletes, and has made himself available to the coaches for any medical needs Crusader teams have during their seasons. Walsh began his association with the athletic department in 1978 as director of sports medicine, and currently serves as a medical advisor to the athletic training staff. He still plays an active role in the medical treatment of all the school’s athletes, concentrating on the football and men’s basketball teams. Walsh, who earned his medical degree from Georgetown in 1956, was also a member of the United States Army, being stationed in Korea from 1957-1959.

These six individuals will be formally inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 8, at the Varsity Club’s annual dinner, to be held in the Hogan Campus Center.