The Canisius athletic department announced today that Genevieve Garcia Dispenza ’02, MBA ’05 – softball, Ryan Stewart ’97 – hockey, Jon Udwadia, MD ’93 – tennis, Matt Vinc ’05 – men’s lacrosse and former head hockey coach Brian Cavanaugh have been chosen as the 53rd induction class to the Canisius College Sports Hall of Fame. Additionally, Dennis Misko ‘67, the school’s director of external projects and major gifts, will be presented with the Rev. Paul J. Dugan, S.J., Award, an honor that recognizes individuals for their significant contributions to Canisius athletics.
The Canisius Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, when the men’s basketball team plays host to Marist in the Koessler Athletic Center. Game time is set for 3 p.m. The annual Hall of Fame Day will begin with a special “Induction Lunch” from 12:30-2 p.m., in the Montante Cultural Center. The cost is $25 per person and includes a buffet lunch, beverages and a ticket to the basketball game. Those interested in taking part in the “Induction Lunch” are asked to RSVP to the Canisius Office of Alumni Engagement by calling 1-800-201-4952 or register online by going to canisius.edu/alumni. The deadline to R.S.V.P. is Feb. 16, 2016.
To be eligible for the Canisius College Sports Hall of Fame, a former student-athlete must have completed his/her eligibility 10 years prior to induction, be a graduate of the College, been acclaimed as an undergraduate as one of the outstanding athletes in the history of the school and, since graduation, the student-athletes’ life must have continued to reflect favorably on the College. Non-athletes may be inducted if they have made outstanding contributions to Canisius College athletics.
The Canisius Sports Hall of Fame, which began in 1963, now boasts 188 individual members and four teams with the addition of this year’s group.
Genevieve Garcia Dispenza ’02, MBA ‘05 – The 2001 MAAC Pitcher of the Year and a two-time MAAC All-Tournament selection, Garcia Dispenza is the 16th former Canisius softball player to earn induction into the school’s Hall of Fame. A native of Pacific Grove, Calif., Garcia Dispenza appeared in 113 career games for the Griffs from 1999-02, where she made 76 starts in the circle. She recorded a career record of 46-26 to go with 10 saves and a career earned run average of 1.56. Her 483 career strikeouts in 513 innings of work ranks fourth-best in school history. She played in four MAAC Softball Championship tournaments, two NCAA Division I Softball Tournaments, and she was named to the West Regional All-Tournament in 2000 as a sophomore. A three-time MAAC All-Academic honoree, she also earned three CoSIDA Academic All-Region awards for her work in the classroom.
Ryan Stewart ‘97 – A four-year letterwinner who played 100 career games in a Canisius hockey sweater, Stewart is the 10th former member of the Canisius hockey program to earn a spot in Canisius’ Sports Hall of Fame. Stewart tallied 131 career points on 55 goals and 76 assists to go with a plus-48 rating. A two-time team captain and a two-time team MVP, Stewart ranks 14th in school history with his 131 career points and his 55 career goals ranks 12th in the school’s all-time record book. He led the Griffs in goals in back-to-back seasons and helped lead the Blue and Gold to the ECAC West Championship game in 1995-96. Stewart is currently the Director of Pro Scouting for the Chicago Blackhawks and has been a part of the organization’s three most-recent Stanley Cups, including the spring of 2015.
Jon Udwadia, MD ‘93 – The only MAAC tennis champion in school history, Udwadia was voted into the College’s Sports Hall of Fame on the “old-timers” ballot and he is the third former member of the College’s men’s tennis program to be enshrined into the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame. In his four years with the program from 1988-91, the Canisius men’s tennis team never had a losing record, with him winning both first singles and first doubles MAAC titles in 1990. He recorded a career record of 40-16, primarily as the team’s first singles player, highlighted by double-digit wins in both 1990 and 1991.
Matt Vinc ‘05 – The first Canisius defender to earn all-conference accolades, Vinc is the sixth former Canisius men’s lacrosse player to be inducted into the College’s Sports Hall of Fame. Vinc played 52 games for the Blue and Gold from 2002-05, where he tallied four goals, six assists and 258 career ground balls. He was the team’s leader in ground balls collected from 2003-05 and he currently ranks fifth in that category in program history. He helped lead Canisius to two MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship tournaments (2003 and 2004), and he ended his career on Main Street by being the sixth overall pick in the 2005 National Lacrosse League Draft. A four-time NLL Goaltender of the Year, he helped lead the Rochester Knighthawks to three-straight NLL crowns from 2012-14. He has also won two gold medals (2006 and 2014) with the Canadian National Field Team and was a member of the Canadian National Team that earned a silver medal in the World Championships in 2010.
Brian Cavanaugh – The school’s winningest hockey coach, Cavanaugh posted a career record of 341-306-57 in 24 seasons as the bench boss for the Canisius ice hockey program. The first varsity head coach in program history, Cavanaugh recorded 15 winning seasons and led the hockey program to 16 postseason appearances, highlighted by the team’s berth in the 1996 ECAC West Championship final. Cavanaugh helped transition the program to the Division I level before the start of the 1998-99 season, where the Griffs advanced to the MAAC Hockey League Championship in the program’s inaugural Division I season. Cavanaugh, who is currently the Director of Athletics at D’Youville, is the 16th former Canisius head coach to be enshrined into the Sports Hall of Fame.
Dennis Misko ‘67 – A former member of the Canisius men’s basketball program from 1964-67, Misko is the third winner of the Rev. Paul J. Dugan, S.J., Award, presented annually to individuals whose acts or efforts have significantly benefitted Canisius athletics. The College’s director of external projects and major gift officer, he is responsible for working on StartUP-NY, real estate and other special projects for Canisius, while also serving as a member of the team responsible for long-term philanthropic relationships with donors and prospective donors. Misko serves as the primary Institutional Advancement staff member working on behalf of the Blue & Gold Fund and he was a driving force behind the creation of the Coach’s Circle, a group of over 70 leadership donors whose support is instrumental in the success of Canisius’ men’s basketball program. Misko was also involved in helping secure the donations necessary to complete the construction of Canisius’ state-of-the-art hockey locker room inside HARBORCENTER. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Canisius, and last summer, he was awarded with the George M. Martin Advancement Award, which honors an individual’s extraordinary contribution to Canisius College.
