JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's University athletic department is excited to announce the induction of three former student-athletes, one team and two benefactors into the Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
The 36th Hall of Fame induction class includes: Johnell Burts (Women's Basketball, Class of 2008), Isaiah Harris (Men's Track, Class of 2014), and Shawn Poling (Football, Class of 2005). Also, joining the three individuals will be the 2007-08 Men's Soccer team, and Theodore "Ted" Kwiatkowski, D.M.D. (Honorary, Class of 1970) and Theresa "Terry" Kwiatkowski (Honorary, Class of 1972).
Altogether, four different sports are represented among that group, all of whom brought distinction, honor and excellence to the University, as well as two individuals whose merit, special contributions and leadership have helped advance Saint Peter's University Athletics
The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Induction Ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 23, at 11:00 am in The Duncan Family Sky Room at the Mac Mahon Student Center on the Jersey City campus. Tickets are $85.00 for adults, $35.00 for children under 12 years old and $850 for a table of ten. To register for the event, click
HERE.
Saint Peter's University Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Inductees
Johnell Burts '08 played four seasons on the Saint Peter's women's basketball team from 2004-2008. The 5-foot-4 guard from Windsor, CT finished her career ranked second in assists per game (4.6), fourth in 3-pointers attempted (295), fifth in 3-pointers made (100) and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.339). She ranked second on the single-season chart for assists (174, 2006-07), second in assists per game (5.8) and eighth in 3- pointers made (37). Burts was a three-time all conference recipient, making the All-MAAC Rookie Team in 2004-05 and earning spots on the All-MAAC Third Team as a junior and senior.
Isaiah Harris
'14 finished his four-year career as one of the most decorated Saint Peter's men's track student-athletes of all-time. He is the only Peacock in program history to earn All-American status, achieving the honors at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships after finishing 14th in the high jump and at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships after finishing 19th in the high jump. In addition to becoming the program's only All-American, Harris was also the first ever Peacock to compete in both the NCAA Indoor Championships and NCAA Outdoor Championships, qualifying for three total NCAA Championships and three NCAA Outdoor Regionals during his career. The 2014 graduate holds Saint Peter's record for the most MAAC Individual Championships medals (18) and he was named as the MAAC Most Outstanding Performer four-times --- twice at the MAAC Indoor Championships and twice at the Outdoor Championships. Moreover, Harris was a seven-time qualifier for the IC4A Championships and only Saint Peter's IC4A Champion, winning the triple jump in 2013.
Shawn Poling '05
played four years on the Peacocks football team, graduating in 2005. He ended his career ranked second in program history in career quarterback sacks (21.0), second in career yards from sacks (117), second in career tackles for loss (44.5), second in career yards from tackles for loss (175), second in career assisted tackles (112), seventh in career unassisted tackles (112) and fourth in career tackles (224). On the single-season charts, Poling holds three of the program's top-10 marks for sacks in a single season (tied 6th, 6.5, 2001 and 2003; 8th, 5.5, 2002). Additionally, he has the third most tackles for a loss (2001, 16.5) and eighth most assisted tackles (39, 2004) in a single season. Poling was named to the All-MAAC team all four years and he earned a spot on the 2004 Sports Network Preseason I-AA Mid-Major All-America Football Team. Following his rookie campaign in 2001, he won the MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year award and his 2001 football squad was inducted into the Saint Peter's Hall of Fame in 2011.
The 2007-08 Saint Peter's
men's soccer squad finished 15-6-1 overall and 6-2-1 in MAAC play during the season. The 15 wins are the second most in team history. When the season concluded, the team produced the MAAC Offensive Player of the Year award winner in Murphy Wiredu. At the 2007 MAAC Championships, the Peacocks beat No. 7 Niagara and No. 2 Fairfield to reach the MAAC Championship Game by the identical score of 2-1. Top-seeded Loyola defeated Saint Peter's 1-0 in the MAAC Championship Game, leading an NCAA at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, the only Saint Peter's team in any sport to receive an at-large. In the NCAA Tournament game, Saint Peter's took a 1-0 lead against Virginia into the locker room at the half before eventually falling to the perennial national power.
