General | 3/13/2017 2:11:00 PM

Romeoville, Ill. - Lewis University will induct former student-athletes Duane Chappell (men's track and field), Robin (Martz) Hammer (softball), Eduardo Quinones (men's volleyball) and Kirk Vucsko (men's basketball / baseball) into the Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday (March 17) as a part of the inaugural Flyer Red Dinner.

Former Lewis Athletics Director and Coach Paul Ruddy will also be recognized as the Lasallian of the Year.

All five honorees will also be recognized between games two and three of the men's volleyball match against No. 2 Ohio State at 7 PM on Saturday (March 18).

"Lewis Athletics is steeped in athletic accomplishment," Lewis Director of Athletics Dr. John Planek said. "The Hall of Fame induction lets us recognize those that forged the path for today's Flyers and the special tribute to Paul Ruddy's legacy is richly deserved."

The Flyer Red Dinner will be held at Drury Lane Theatre & Conference Center in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. Doors will open at 6:30 PM.

To register and for more information on partnership opportunities follow the link below or contact Brian Sisson. Come join us in a celebration of Lewis Flyers Athletics.

Flyer Red Dinner Online Registration

Brian Sisson
Email: sissonbr@lewisu.edu
Office: (815) 836-5228

Duane Chappell
Men's Track and Field (2000-04)

  A member of both the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and United States Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fames, Duane Chappell can now add a third Hall of Fame honor to his mantle.  

  Chappell is a six-time NCAA champion, taking home the indoor pole vault (2001, '02, '04) and outdoor pole vault (2002, '03, '04) titles three times apiece. He was also a six-time GLVC champion, winning the indoor pole vault (2001, '02, '04) and outdoor pole vault (2001, '02, '03) titles three times apiece. He was also an All-GLVC Indoor selection in the 55-meter dash as a senior in 2004.
   His success also helped the Flyer team to four GLVC Championships including three indoor titles (2001, '02, '03) and the 2001 outdoor championship. He was a member of two Flyer indoor teams that finished in the Top 20 at the NCAA Championships (t-19th, 2003; t-13th, '04) and four Top 25 outdoor finishes (15th, 2001; 23rd, '02; t-15th, '03; t-14th, '04).

Eduardo Quinones
Men's Volleyball (1997-2000)                                                                    
 One of the pioneers of Lewis men's volleyball, Eduardo Quinones appeared in 110 matches in his career and owns 1,597 kills - which puts him in third place in school history for career putaways.
   He appeared in 110 matches and helped the Flyers to 95 wins during his career, including an appearance in

the 1998 NCAA National Semifinals. In 1998, Quinones registered 323 kills, en route to All-Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Second Team accolades.     His most impressive performance came during his senior season in 2000. Quinones finished with 651 kills and a school-record 307 digs.  For his efforts, he was named to both the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and Volleyball Magazine All-America Second Teams - while also earning All-MIVA honors.

Robin (Martz) Hammer
Softball (2003-06)
   Robin (Martz) Hammer is the ninth Flyer softball player to be inducted into the Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame.

   The 2016 GLVC Hall of Fame selection dominates the Lewis record books as she is the all-time leader in career batting average (.408), hits (289), total bases (356) and single season batting average (.480, 2005) and hits (82, 2004 and '05).
   She is a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First Team All-American (2004, '05) and three-time NFCA All-Great Lakes First Team Selection (2004, '05, '06). She was a three-time All-GLVC First Team nominee and was tabbed the GLVC Player of the Year in 2005.
   As a sophomore in 2004, she registered a 35-game hitting streak, which is the fifth longest in NCAA Division II history. That season, the Flyers won the GLVC Tournament and advanced to the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Two years later, Hammer and her .453 batting average helped Lewis to the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
   Academically, Hammer was a four-time Academic All-GLVC selection and Br. David Delahanty Award winner, given to Lewis student-athletes for academic excellence. She was named a CoSIDA Academic First Team All-American in 2006 and earned Academic All-America Third Team honors in 2005.

Kirk Vucsko 
Men's Basketball/Baseball (1980-84)                                                                           
   A dual threat, Kirk Vucsko competed for Lewis University, not only as a baseball player, but as a member of the Flyer men's basketball team.

   Vucsko contributed immediately upon his arrival, as he was a member of the Flyer baseball team that advanced to the 1980 College World Series. During that campaign, he went 12-1 with an ERA of 2.83 on the mound, while batting .286 with five home runs and 22 RBI.
   In his second season with the Flyers, Vucsko was 11-1 with two saves, while batting .361 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI in 1981.
   As a junior, Vucsko was selected to the All-GLVC Team as a pitcher in 1982. He was equally as adept at the plate, as he batted .362 with seven home runs and 63 RBI that year. Following that season, Vucsko was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 28th round.
   As a member of the basketball team, Vucsko (1980-83) played a crucial role in helping the Flyers to its first two NCAA Tournament berths in school-history, including the Lewis' first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference championship in 1982.
   Vucsko left Neil Carey Arena as the fourth-best free throw shooter in school-history, knocking down 83.5% (142-for-170) of his charity shots.

Paul Ruddy
Lasallian of the Year
     Throughout his 42-year career at Lewis University, including 25 years as athletics director, the one constant for Paul Ruddy was success.

    Ruddy guided Lewis Athletics through the most prolific transformation in its history, and by the end of his tenure, Lewis had emerged from a program of relative obscurity into a nationally recognized athletics program.
    The athletic department's path to national recognition began almost as soon as Ruddy acquired the title of athletics director in 1978.
    In 1980, Ruddy guided Lewis' historic move from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and the University's entry into the prestigious Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).
    During his time as athletics director, Lewis was a model of success. The Flyers captured the GLVC All-Sports Trophy 12 of a possible 21 times, winning the award for the first time in 1983-84, just three years after entering the conference. Lewis held on to the trophy each of the next seven years, a streak which no other league school has equaled since.
    After relinquishing the All-Sports Trophy to Bellarmine in 1990-91, Lewis won it back four times over the next six years. To date, no other school in the conference has won the All-Sports Trophy more than Lewis.
    On the field of play, Lewis teams won 69 GLVC titles and made more than 100 NCAA postseason appearances during Ruddy's years as athletics director. The Flyers had at least one team qualify for NCAA postseason play in 23 of Ruddy's 25 years as athletics director.
    Ruddy founded the Lewis University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979. He was instrumental in the formation of the Lewis University Varsity Club, the department's fundraising arm, in 1993. In 1981, Ruddy and Chuck Schwarz, who then was Lewis' head men's basketball coach, intiated the annual Lewis Alumni Golf Outing that serves as a main fundraiser for the athletics department.
    Ruddy began his Lewis career in 1961 as a physical education instructor, assistant men's basketball coach and assistant baseball coach.
    He became head men's basketball coach in 1965 and posted a 111-75 record in seven seasons, which today ranks fifth all-time on the program's head coaching wins list.
    Ruddy was chairperson of the physical education department from 1972 until his appointment as athletics director in 1978. He also served as men's golf coach.