Ithaca College

A total of 10 new members have been elected to the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame. The annual induction ceremony will be held October 10, in the Emerson Suites on campus as part of Ithaca's Homecoming Weekend.

The 10 inductees represent nine sports. Joining the Hall of Fame will be Sue Bender '93, Barry Cohen '80, Michael Ferrara '80, TJ Gamba '87, Lisa Gould '87, Renee Helbok '99, Chris Matteotti '96, Margaret Pilling '81, Todd Stephan '96, and Nicki Swan '97.

Sue Bender ’93 is one of eight Ithaca field hockey players to earn all-America honors twice. A second-team pick as a junior and first-team selection as a senior, she led the Bombers to three straight NCAA playoff trips (including quarterfinal appearances in 1991 and 1992). Bender ranks seventh on the program’s career scoring list with 109 points; her 42 goals and 25 assists stand fifth and sixth, respectively.

The men’s lacrosse program’s first three-time all-American, Barry Cohen ’80 capped his career with first-team honors in 1980 while leading Ithaca to the NCAA semifinals. Cohen, who helped the Bombers to three NCAA playoff appearances (including two trips to the semifinals), scored 258 career points, good for second all-time at Ithaca. He’s also second with 147 goals and third with 111 assists and played in the North-South All-Star Game as a senior.

Michael Ferrara ’80 was recently inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame. A professor at the University of Georgia, Ferrara founded and directs that school’s athletic training education program. He has also served as director of medical operations for the 1996 Paralympic Games and director of medical services for the 1992 Paralympic Games.

TJ Gamba ’87 batted .367 in three years as a Bomber outfielder before signing with the Cleveland Indians following his junior season. A third-team all-American in 1986, Gamba helped Ithaca to three NCAA playoff appearances with trips to the World Series in 1985 and 1986. He still ranks among Ithaca’s career leaders in runs batted in (seventh with 126), hits (11th with 130) and average (11th).

Lisa Gould ’87 won the first of Ithaca’s 10 individual national titles in gymnastics. The 1985 champion on the uneven bars, Gould was the only Bomber to win a national championship at the combined Division II and Division III meet (the Division III meet has been held since 1987). In a career shortened to two seasons by injuries, she set a school record in the bars and won an ECAC title in the event as a sophomore.

Another individual national champion, Renee Helbok ’99 won Ithaca’s Iris Carnell award as the top female athlete in her class. A 27-time all-American in swimming and diving (only one Bomber has earned more honors), she won the program’s third NCAA title by placing first in the 500-yard freestyle as a senior. Helbok helped Ithaca to a pair of top-10 finishes at the national championships and won 22 state titles. She was named Swimmer of the Meet at the state championships twice.

Chris Matteotti ’96 also capped his Bomber career with a n NCAA title, winning the 118-pound national championship as a senior. One of the wrestling program’s eight three-time all-Americans, Matteotti compiled a career record of 80-24. He won three conference titles and earned all-state honors twice. His accomplishments helped Ithaca record four top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, including the 1994 national title.

Margaret Pilling ’81 starred on Ithaca’s field hockey and lacrosse teams, helping both teams to state titles. In field hockey she scored 48 career points and helped the Bombers to third-place finishes at the 1980 and 1981 national tournaments. Pilling’s lacrosse achievements included 75 points and a fifth-place showing at the 1981 national tournament. She was invited to try out for the national lacrosse team in 1982.

Todd Stephan ’95 ranks second on the men’s soccer program’s career scoring list with 105 points in 65 games. His 46 career goals also rank second. A two-time all-region and two-time all-conference pick, he owns two of Ithaca’s four highest-scoring seasons. Stephan recorded career-high totals of 15 goals and 35 points as a senior, helping the Bombers to the NCAA quarterfinals.

One of the softball program’s top pitchers, Nicki Swan ’97 earned all-America honors as a junior and senior. She set school records with 73 wins and 465 strikeouts in her career while compiling a 1.88 ERA. Swan pitched the Bombers to four NCAA playoff appearances including the 1996 World Series. At the time of her graduation she owned Ithaca’s four highest single-season win totals.

The inaugural Ithaca College Sports Hall of Fame ceremony took place in 1969 when 15 individuals were named as charter members. A total of 276 athletes, coaches, and administrators have been inducted in the past 40 years.