BALTIMORE, MD – Former men's lacrosse coach and director of athletics Bruce Allison was inducted as one of seven members of the induction class for 2011 for the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, in a ceremony on Saturday, October 29 at The Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley, Md.
“There are so many reasons for me to be thankful and grateful for: Growing up in the village of Penn Yan, N.Y., a father who taught me great work ethic and how to hunt and fish. My mother, a very devoted lady and a fabulous cook. My grandparents lived nearby and supported me in many way. A brother, five years older than me, who set great standards for me throughout his high school career, and heartfelt thanks for his safe return from POW camp after World War II," Allison said.
“I am pleased that I was able to be a small part of the growth of the game. Perhaps 10 years from now, we will have an NCAA championship composed of teams from all 50 states. Who knows? Why not?”
Members of the 1966 Union men's lacrosse team, which was inducted into the Union Athletics Hall of Fame, attended the October 29 ceremony along with other former players and current head coach
Paul Wehrum.
Front Row: Ann Allison: Coach Bruce Allison; Jessica Richards (Bruce and Ann's grand daughter); Tom Allison (their son); Coach Richie Moran (former Cornell coach, two time national champion, national lacrosse hall of fame member).
Second Row, Standing (l to r): Bob Dickman (goalie, '66); Ken Auerbach (goalie, '68); Dan “Pup” Gould (defense, '71); Nancy Nelson Walker '74 (wife of Dennis); Andy Brooks (midfield '78); Dennis Walker ('attack 74); Steve Ritterbush (attack, '68); Vinnie Russo (defense, '66); Bill Bowman (attack, '64); Bob DeMichele (defense, '66); Barbara Dickman [wife of Bob Dickman]; Eddie Green (midfield, '71); Tom Hitchcock ('66); Lee Schneider (attack '68); and Union Head Coach Paul Wehrum (member, National Lacrosse Hall of Fame).
Allison came to Union in 1957 and served the College through 1976. He started at Union as a coach of varsity wrestling, varsity men's lacrosse and freshman football, and also served as a physical education instructor. Allison was named the Director of Athletics and Chairman of Physical Education in 1971. He coached the men's lacrosse program for 19 seasons (1958-1976), and had many memorable victories, including wins in 1966 and 1974 over Syracuse. The 1966 team was 10-1 and ended the season with nine straight victories, while the 1974 team set a then-school record with 11 wins and reached the ECAC Finals.
Allison joined Jason G. Stranahan '26, Frederick A. Wyatt '32, and current head coach
Paul Wehrum as the fourth member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame to be affiliated with Union College.
Bruce Allison led the 1966 men's lacrosse team to a historic season.
Allison and the 1966 team were inducted into the Union College Athletics Hall of Fame as a Team of Distinction in October 2010. Allison himself was inducted in 2005.
A two-time president of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association, Allison is credited with developing and implementing the current NCAA lacrosse playoff system (1971). That year, he went to the NCAA headquarters, then in Kansas, to present his plan for a playoff championship that now draws thousands to the championship game every spring. Allison is also credited with forming the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Lacrosse League (1978).
As the Director of Athletics at Union, Allison established six intercollegiate women's programs. Allison later coached men's lacrosse and served as the director of athletics at the Colorado School of Mines from 1976-1995, and was inducted into the Colorado Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame in 1995. He resides in Golden, CO.
The 2011 induction class also included Traci Davis, David W. Huntley, John “Jake” Lawlor, Suzanne Honeysett McKinney, Jonathan Reese and Sandra Lanahan Zvosec.
A program of US Lacrosse, the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame was established in 1957 to honor men and women, who by their deeds as players, coaches, officials and/or contributors, and by the example of their lives, personify the great contribution of lacrosse to our way of life. More than 350 lacrosse greats are honored in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, which is located with the Lacrosse Museum at US Lacrosse Headquarters in Baltimore.
Bio capsules for this year's inductees follow:
Bruce Allison
Bruce R. Allison will be inducted as a truly great contributor. Allison was the head coach for Union College (1957-76) and then for Colorado School of Mines (1976-93). At both schools, he pulled double-duty by serving as director of athletics from 1972-1976 (Union) and from 1976-1995 (Colorado School of Mines). A two-time president of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association, Allison is credited with developing and implementing the current NCAA lacrosse playoff system (1971) and forming the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Lacrosse League (1978).
Traci Davis
Traci Davis will be inducted as a truly great player. Davis graduated from Ursinus College and was named captain her senior year (1982). She was an All-American in both field hockey and lacrosse at Ursinus, and went on to play for the U.S. women's national first team (1979-1989); the U.S. touring team (1981, 1984); and the U.S. world cup team (1986).
David W. Huntley
David W. Huntley will be inducted as a truly great player. Huntley, a four-year college player at Johns Hopkins University (1976-1979), received first team (1977, 1979) and second team (1978) All-America honors. He helped his team capture two NCAA Division I championship titles (1978, 1979) and made the All-Time Johns Hopkins Team (1979). Huntley played in the 1978 and 1982 World Games for Team Canada.
John “Jake” Lawlor
John “Jake” Lawlor will be inducted as a truly great player. A four-year player for the United States Naval Academy, Lawlor earned first team (1974, 1975) and honorable mention (1973) All-America accolades. His senior year he was given the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Schmeisser Award as the nation's outstanding defenseman.
Suzanne Honeysett McKinney (Posthumous)
Suzanne Honeysett McKinney will be inducted as a truly great umpire. After a successful playing career at the collegiate and national team level, McKinney umpired 35 years at the high school level, 30 years at the collegiate level and 20 years at the international level. She also served on the Philadelphia Umpiring Board.
Jonathan Reese
Jonathan Reese will be inducted as a truly great player. Reese received first team (1990) and honorable mention (1988, 1989) All-America honors as a four-year player at Yale University. Reese was Ivy League Rookie of the Year (1987) and received the Ivy League Player of the Year award and the USILA MacLaughlin Award as the nation's top midfielder in 1990. He led Yale to three Ivy League championships (1988-1990) and holds the Yale record for career goals (162) and points (200).
Sandra Lanahan Zvosec
Sandra Lanahan Zvosec will be inducted as a truly great player. Zvosec was a captain, All-American and NCAA Division I National Champion her senior year at the University of Maryland (1981). She went on to play for the U.S. women's national first team (1980-1987), the U.S. touring team (1984) and the U.S. world cup team (1982, 1986-Captain).
