ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca College Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has finalized its 56th Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted on Friday, October 9, 2029. The newest class features eight highly successful individuals and one national championship team.

The induction ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. on campus, the night prior to IC's home football game against the University of Rochester. Tickets will go on sale for the event shortly.

1991 FOOTBALL

The 1991 football team won the program's third national title under the guidance of head coach Jim Butterfield. The Bombers posted a 12-1 record, which culminated with a 34-20 victory over Dayton in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl on December 14. In eight of IC's wins during the season, the Bombers held their opposition to 14 points or fewer.

In the title matchup, Jeff Wittman scored three touchdowns and finished with 159 yards rushing on a school playoff-record 30 carries, while Todd Wilkowski completed 15-of-25 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdown passes went to Nick Ismailoff, who made 10 receptions for 193 yards.

The defense was equally impressive. In the second half, Ithaca did not allow a first down and yielded only 13 yards to the Dayton offense. Billie Mays Jr. had 10 tackles and Joe Palladino picked off two passes and made nine tackles.

PHIL BARERA '11 – MEN'S BASKETBALL

A NABC Second Team All-American as a senior in 2011, Phil Barera was a four-year member and two-year starter for the men's basketball program.

Barera was also named Empire 8 Player of the Year as well as NABC and D3hoops.com All-Region as a senior and was just one of 10 players from the East region to compete in the NABC Division III All-Star Game.

Over his final two seasons, Barera averaged 16.5 points with 9.4 rebounds and shot 65.3-percent from the floor. He finished his career with 25 double-doubles and posted career-bests of 38 points and 20 rebounds.

The Bombers won 20 games in each of his final two seasons and reached the NCAA Division III Tournament during Barera's senior campaign.

NICOLE CADE '08 – SOFTBALL

Nicole Cade was one of the most versatile student-athletes in IC softball history as a two-way player as she was named NFCA First Team All-American as a utility player in 2007.

Along with that, Cade was a three-time Empire 8 all-star and all-tournament selection for NCAA regional play. Cade was also the first-ever Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year and was a CoSIDA Academic All-American.

In 131 career games played, Cade batted .312 with 68 hits, 43 RBI and 33 runs scored in 218 at bats. In the circle, Cade won 68 games for the Bombers in 99 career appearances and posted a 1.61 ERA with 555 strikeouts in 540.2 innings pitched.

She ranks third all-time in strikeouts and starts, fifth in innings pitched and sixth in opponent's batting average and complete games.

TIM FAULKNER – COACHING

Tim Faulkner was a staple in the department as the head coach of men's tennis and assistant coach for the football program for nearly 30 years. Faulkner also served as the head coach for the women's tennis program for three seasons and was the head coach of the freshmen football team for five years.

Faulkner became the coach of the men's tennis team in 1970, and he remained in that position for 28 years until his retirement in 1998. During that time, he guided IC to 168 wins, two ICAC titles and still holds the best career winning percentage at .686.

In 1976, Faulkner joined the football coaching staff and was part of all three national championships and five of the seven Stagg Bowl appearances. The Bombers won more than 170 games from 1976 to 1993.

Faulkner wrapped up his coaching legacy with the women's tennis team as he won 20 matches from 1995 to 1998.

ELI GOBRECHT '16 – MEN'S LACROSSE

Eli Gobrecht was one of the most dominant defensive players to ever compete for the men's lacrosse program as he was a three-time All-American and the USILA Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.

Gobrecht played in 77 games and helped the Bombers to the best season in program history as a senior. The Bombers went 20-1, earned the No. 1 ranking in the country and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championship.

He totaled 100 ground balls and 65 turnovers as a senior and finished his career ranked top six all-time in ground balls with 266 and caused turnovers with 166.

Grobrecht has been playing professional lacrosse since he graduated. He was drafted by Denver in the MLL Supplemental Draft in 2011, won a PLL title in 2022 with the Waterdogs and was invited to try out for the USA Lacrosse Team in 2022.

MARC ISRAEL '05 – MEN'S WRESTLING

One of the winningest competitors in the storied history of Ithaca College wrestling, Marc Israel ranks ninth all-time with 118 wins. Israel won more than 22 bouts in each of his four seasons on the mat for the Bombers, with a career-best 37 victories during his junior season.

Israel was a two-time All-American for the Bombers, earning and eighth place finish at 141 pounds as a freshman and then took third at 165 pounds his senior season. He was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the ECWC Championships in 2005.

Israel also exceled off the mat as he was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and three-time NWCA Scholar All-American.

He remains involved with the program as a volunteer assistant coach and is the Associate Vice President for Business and Finance at the College.

JOEL LAMSON '90 – MEN'S WRESTLING

A three-time captain and two-time All-American for the wrestling program, Joel Lamson won 107 matches during his career at Ithaca and was an integral piece to the back-to-back national championships in 1989 and 1990.

During the 1989 season, Lamson went 31-5 and finished fifth nationally as the Bombers won their first national title with 72.5 points. The following year, he won 17 matches and was the national runner-up at 126 pounds as the Bombers repeated with 81 points.

As a sophomore, Lamson won the first of his three NCAA regional titles and went 33-7. He began his career on South Hill with a 26-win season in 1986.

SHARON LI '15 – GOLF

The best golfer in the 17-year history of the program, Sharon Li is the only All-American to ever play for the Bombers. In fact, Li was a three-time All-American during her time on South Hill and was the 2014 WGCA Division III Player of the Year.

Li is the program's all-time leader in scoring average at 77.53 and holds the three best season scoring averages. In 39 career events (81 rounds), she placed within the top 10 37 times. She is also the only golfer to ever card a round below 70.

Li was named Empire 8 Player of the Year three times and was the Rookie of the Year in 2011. During her junior season, Li helped the Bombers to the program's first team trip to the NCAA Division III Championships, where IC finished fifth overall out of 21 teams.

NETH WIEDEMANN '09 – MEN'S LACROSSE

Neth Wiedemann was a standout defender for men's lacrosse during one of the best runs in the program's history from 2006 to 2009. During that four-year stretch, the Bombers wone 58 games and appeared in two NCAA Division III Tournaments, reaching the semifinals in 2008.

Wiedemann was a three-time USILA All-American and a three-time preseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse. Following his senior season in 2009, Wiedemann was named New York State Defensive Player of the Year, adding to his four all-conference nods within the Empire 8.

He concluded his career with 265 ground balls, which ranks seventh all-time in program history, to go along with caused 98 turnovers.


HALL OF FAME PROCESS

Each year, the Hall of Fame Committee accepts formal nominations in February and March. The committee (16 members) will then meet in April to collaborate on a preliminary ballot from the compiled nominations of individuals and teams. The voting process of an official Hall of Fame class is finalized in May, and they are officially informed of their selection shortly after.

Nominations are accepted for individuals in two categories - active and veteran. Active members are recent graduates (after 10 years) that remain in that category for 15 years before moving to the veteran category. Candidates fall under the veteran category if they are nominated after their 25th anniversary of graduation.

Any team can be nominated for induction, but under the Hall of Fame bylaws, the inducted team to the Hall of Fame will alternate between a men's or women's team. It is at the committee's discretion if a team will be inducted each year.