Wesleyan honors HOF Class of 2016

MIDDLETOWN >> Wesleyan inducted its eighth class into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 21. The 2016 Class featured football and track star Bill Brooks ‘49, P ‘71, track & field/field hockey standout Jenna Flateman ‘04, volleyball star Alexis Keller ‘02, former Head Baseball and Assistant Football Coach Peter “Kosty” Kostacopoulos, former Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach Don Russell, and the 1994 Wesleyan women’s soccer team.

“All of this year’s inductees have very impressive credentials and are well deserving of this recognition,” Wesleyan Director of Athletics Mike Whalen said “It was particularly gratifying for me to have Don Russell and Peter “Kosty” Kostacopolous inducted as both were at Wes during my time as a student-athlete. There were a large number of former student-athletes who played for both Don Russell and Pete Kosty who attended the dinner to support their former coaches.”

One of those former student athletes was Jed Hoyer ‘96, who played baseball for Coach Kostacopoulos and is now the General Manager of the Chicago Cubs. Hoyer took the red-eye flight from Los Angeles after the Cubs won Game 5 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to attend the dinner.

“That is a testament to how strong the bond is between student-athlete and coach,” Whalen said.

The induction ceremony, which takes place every other year, featured a reception at the Daniel Family Commons in the Usdan University Center. Over 180 people attended the dinner and ceremony in Beckham Hall of Fayerweather.

“The Wesleyan University Athletics Hall of Fame (HOF) is intended to honor and give lasting recognition to those individuals or teams, who either through participation, support or interest, have made outstanding contributions in the athletics arena and specifically to the Wesleyan athletics program,” Whalen added.“The individuals and teams enshrined have not only brought recognition, honor and distinction to Wesleyan and its athletics program, they have continued to demonstrate in their lives the values imparted by participating in intercollegiate athletics.”

The HOF was founded in 2006 through the collaborative work of the Athletics Advisory Council (AAC), the Athletic Department and the Office of University Relations. The HOF is on display in the Warren Street lobby of the Freeman Athletic Center, and includes world class and national caliber athletics, Olympic medalists, NCAA champions, regional titleholders, and teams that have won New England titles and placed in national competition.