JERSEY CITY, NJ - The Saint Peter's Athletics Department inducted the 35th Athletics Hall of Fame class at a luncheon ceremony on Sunday, February 24. The event was held in the Duncan Family Sky Room in the Mac Mahon Student Center.
The 35th induction class consists of: Mike Guilfoyle (Baseball), Nick Leon '11 (Men's Basketball), Cristina Vilsaint '14 (Women's Track & Field), and Dr. La Toro Yates '94 (Football). Also, joining the four individuals will be the 1990 Women's Volleyball team, and Donald Conway '55 (Honorary).
The luncheon included remarks from Saint Peter's Director of Athletics
Bryan Felt and an invocation by Saint Peter's Vice President for Mission & Ministry, Father Rocco Danzi.
Emcee Charles O'Brien introduced each honoree to the more than 150 people in attendance, before each honoree had an opportunity to give a speech.
Saint Peter's Hall of Famer Maureen Guilfoyle '81 was on hand to introduce her brother Mike. The Guilfoyle's are the first known brother/sister duo to be inducted into the Saint Peter's Athletics Hall of Fame.
Photo Gallery
Saint Peter's Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019
Mike Guilfoyle pitched four seasons for the Saint Peter's baseball team from 1987-90. He left as the program's all-time leader in wins (16), strikeouts (198), and strikeouts per nine innings (9.06), still holding the all-time records in both wins and strikeouts per nine innings while ranking third in strikeouts. Guilfoyle pitched Saint Peter's third most innings all-time after his playing career ended, and currently ranks eighth in the category. His best season came in 1990 when he set the program's single season records in strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings. That season, Guilfoyle also recorded the second most wins in a season with six and his 3.38 earned run average was the ninth lowest ERA.
Nick Leon played four seasons on the Peacocks men's basketball team from 2007-11. Leon helped guide Saint Peter's to the 2011 MAAC Championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. He ranks top-10 all-time for the program in career points, assists, steals, field goals attempted, 3-pt field goals made, 3-pt field goals attempted, 3-pt field goal percentage, free throws made, and free throw percentage. Leon earned a spot on the All-MAAC Third team following the 2009-10 season and he was placed on the MAAC All-Tournament team in 2011 after the championship run.
Cristina Vilsaint was an integral piece of the Saint Peter's women's track & field teams that claimed five MAAC team titles between 2011-2013. With her in the lineup, the Peacocks won the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Indoor Championships, and the 2011 and 2012 Outdoor Championships. Individually, Vilsaint was a five-time MAAC Champion, claiming gold medals in the weight throw, shot put, and hammer. She was also named the MAAC Most Outstanding Field Performer at the 2012 MAAC Outdoor Championships. Vilsaint stills holds Saint Peter's records in the weight throw and hammer throw events. Academically, she earned a spot on the MAAC All-Academic team twice.
Despite only playing two seasons of football for the Peacocks in 1992 and 1993,
La Toro Yates made an impact those two years. Serving as the team captain, Yates was named All-MAAC and ECAC All-Star at the safety position. Yates ranks fifth in single-season unassisted tackles (67) and sixth in total tackles (101). Following his graduation in 1994, he became a graduate assistant coach for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, earning a master's degree from Saint Peter's in addition to his undergraduate degree.
The
1990 Saint Peter's women's volleyball team posted a 23-7 overall record and a perfect 5-0 MAAC record during the season. The team claimed the program's only MAAC Championship, by way of a 3-2 win over then-MAAC member La Salle in the title match. The 1990 squad is just one of six Peacock teams to win over 20 games in a season and the 23 wins are fourth most in program history. With their perfect record in regular season conference play, they are one of two teams in Saint Peter's volleyball history to go undefeated in MAAC regular season action.
Saint Peter's Athletics' Honorary inductee for the 2019 Hall of Fame class is
Donald Conway, a 1955 graduate of Saint Peter's and a former baseball player. Conway is the current Chairman of the Board for the Greater Bergen Community Action Program. His career includes service as a practicing attorney; he also operates a successful real estate business. Conway is an active member with the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, an organization for which he seeks sponsorships for children. Conway and his wife are frequent travelers to Central and South America and serve as a regular host family for visitors from Costa Rica. Prior to accepting the GBCA chair, he served as Vice Chair for six years. Conway has been a loyal contributor to Saint Peter's University and its athletic department.
