BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (July 21, 2011) – The C.W. Post Department of Athletics along with head football coach Bryan Collins proudly announced five former Pioneers to be inducted into the 2011 Football Hall of Fame. Ernie Altamirano '76, Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall '92, Dave Shanahan '93, Jeremiah Pope '04,and Rob Blount '07 will be honored as members of the Class of 2011 on Sept. 29 at the Tilles Center on campus.

Altamirano, an offensive linemen from 1968-71, earned First Team All-New York State honors in 1971. During the summer of 1972, Altamirano signed with the New York Giants and attended training camp. He went on to join the C.W. Post's coaching staff in 1972 and stayed on as a full-time coach until 1979. Altamirano served as assistant coach at Columbia University from 1980-85 and spent an additional three seasons coaching at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy through 1988.

Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall, also an offensive linemen, was a standout player for the Pioneers from 1988-91. He served as a volunteer firefighter for the Hempstead Fire Dept. and coached JV sports for New Hyde Park before going on to serve in the FDNY. He continued his passion for football, acting as co-captain of the FDNY football team while part of the FDNY Rescue Squad 4 (Queens, NY). Pearsall made the ultimate sacrifice, tragically passing away amid the events of September 11, 2001. Aside from the legacy of his outstanding performances on the field, Pearsall is remembered each season with the annual Durrell "Bronko" Pearsall, Jr. award, presented to C.W. Post's most dedicated senior student-athlete.

Shanahan, a running back for the Pioneers from 1988-90, served as team captain during the 1990 season. He set a single-season rushing leader with a remarkable 1,160 yards in 1989. As head football coach at John Glenn High School, Shanahan was named 2010 Suffolk County and Division IV Coach of the Year. He led the team to victory in the Long Island Class IV Championship in 2010, and helped earn the team the 2010 Rutgers Trophy, signifying their place as the top team in Suffolk County.  Most recently, Shanahan acted as quarterback coach for team Long Island in the 2011 Empire Challenge High School Football All-Star Game.

Jeremiah Pope was a standout wide receiver for C.W. Post from 2000-03. He holds the record for single-season receiving yards with 1,118 yards in 2003, as well as for career receiving yards with an exceptional 2,435 yards. In 2003, Pope received the distinction of being named the Northeast-10 Offensive Player of the Year.  During the 2000 season, Pope placed second in the nation in Division II with a 33.2 average on kickoff returns. He continued his success in following seasons, averaging close to 31 yards per game on kickoffs in 2001 and gaining 1,075 all-purpose yards in 2002. In 2003, Pope became the second-ever Pioneer to break the 1,000-yard mark for receptions. He moved on to sign as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 and has played for AFL teams: Arizona Rattles, New Orleans VooDoo and New York Dragons.

Rob Blount played at quarterback for the Pioneers from 2002-05. One of his many honors received during his career at C.W. Post was the 2005 ECAC Division II Player of the Year award. He led the team to its first-ever NCAA victory as well as its first 11-0 season in 2002. Blount held a 31-9 record as quarterback for the Pioneers.  He holds single-game passing records with 470 yards against Southern Connecticut in 2005 as well as single-season passing yards with 2,995 in the same season.  Blount also holds the record for career passing yards with an impressive 6,361. A tremendous athlete, Blount was also a member of the C.W. Post lacrosse team from 2004-07. He was awarded All-America honors in 2005 (Second Team), 2006 and 2007 (First Team). Upon graduation, Blount signed as a free agent with the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse. Blount went on to serve as the offensive coordinator at Lawrence High School in 2007 and 2008. He is entering his third season as head football coach at Oceanside High School and was named New York Jets High School Coach of the Week on Oct. 7, 2010.

Anyone who is interested in attending the induction ceremony can email Bryan Collins (bryan.collins@liu.edu) or Matt Guercio (matthew.guercio@liu.edu) for ticket information.