BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 9, 2015) - On Wednesday, Director of Athletics and Recreation Bryan Collins announced the 10th Anniversary class of the LIU Post Athletic Hall of Fame, with the induction ceremony set for Friday, Oct. 8.

The ceremony and reception will take place at 6 p.m. in the Tilles Center Atrium. This year's class consists of six persons, representing the sports of baseball, men's basketball, football, field hockey, men's lacrosse, softball and women's lacrosse.

The 2015 inductees are: Mike Alfano '85, Marie Bahno '82, Bill Cherry '74, Trish D'Amato '03, Peter Gibson '82 and Mike Henderson '84.

Alfano was a starting infielder for the LIU Post baseball team from 1982-85. He hit a lifetime .344 with 21 home runs and 146 RBIs as a Pioneer. Alfano's efforts earned him All-Metropolitan Conference, All-District, All-State and All-America accolades.

He currently holds the program's single-season records for runs scored (63) and doubles (21), while ranking second in LIU Post history for career doubles (42) and RBIs (148). In addition, Alfano's .422 batting average in 1985 is eighth-best all-time in Pioneer history. After graduation, Alfano was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 18th round of the 1985 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

"This is such a huge honor. I am truly flattered and honored," said Alfano. "Those four years were the best of my life, especially the friendships and memories. To really tack off a good career, this is the icing on top of the cake for me."

Bahno spent four years at the catching position for the LIU Post softball team from 1979-82. A two-time team captain, she helped lead the Pioneers to the AIAW College World Series, while capturing All-Region and All-State honors.

In her senior season, Bahno, who led the team in home runs each of her last three years, was named the Most Valuable Player and Female Athlete of the Year, after hitting .322. She also batted .400 as a sophomore.

Cherry was the starting tight end for the Pioneers' football program from 1971-73. Over those three seasons, he made 78 receptions for 1,138 yards and eight touchdowns.

In 1973, Cherry, a 1998 inductee of the LIU Post Football Hall of Fame, was a key component in the Pioneers capturing the MAC Championship and the Lambert Cup. Upon graduation, he was signed by the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League.

Today, Cherry serves as the Head Boys' Varsity Lacrosse Coach at Manhasset High School. He has been in that position since 2007 and garnered Conference II Coach of the Year praise five times. Cherry also spent 20 seasons (1981-2010) at the helm of the Manhasset football team. On the gridiron, he led the Indians to Nassau County titles in 1994 and 1996, and was a five-time Coach of the Year selection. Meanwhile, on the lacrosse field, Cherry has guided Manhasset to three Long Island and Nassau County Championships, along with a pair of New York State titles.

"It is humbling and exciting to be thought of in that light (for the Athletic Hall of Fame)," Cherry commented. "It just means so much to me because it was such a big part of my life. I was shocked when Bryan (Collins) told me. I am truly excited to be put in the Hall of Fame with the names that are in there already."

D'Amato was a two-sport athlete at LIU Post from 2000-03, playing field hockey and lacrosse. She made her presence known as a lacrosse player, as she was a four-time Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association First Team All-American. 

In just the Pioneers' second year (2001) as a program, D'Amato helped to anchor a defense that went on to win the school's first-ever NCAA Division II National Championship. Her stellar showing in the national title game earned her the tournament's Most Valuable Player nod, and later, IWLCA Division II Defender of the Year honors.

D'Amato was featured in two nationally-recognized publications, as well. She was showcased in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd", and authored a Lacrosse Magazine feature on "Tips & Tricks" to improving lacrosse skills.

"I am excited about being inducted, especially with it being the 10th anniversary of the Athletic Hall of Fame," D'Amato stated. "I think that being a student-athlete adds a different dynamic to the college experience. Playing sports helped me gain a great group of friends. It also taught me about leadership, both on and off the field...I will always have the great memories from Post for the rest of my life."

Like D'Amato, Gibson was also a two-sport athlete at LIU Post, competing for both the football and lacrosse teams from 1980-82. He currently serves on the LIU Post Board of Trustees, and was a Co-Chairman of the committee to build Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium. Furthermore, Gibson, an All-Long Island and All-County quarterback at Oceanside High School, is a Chief Executive Partner at Knowledgent, a precision-focused data and analytics firm with consistent, field-proven results across industries.

"It's an honor to be recognized. A lot of special people have attended the University, and I realize that it is a small group of people that get recognized," Gibson said. "I came to LIU Post for athletics, but the lessons I learned there have helped me to lead an impactful life. When I think about Post, I think about the combination of academics and sport. We played sports at a high level, but the academics are important. Athletes have an advantage in life, doing sports and school and both at a high level. As a student-athlete, you know when to put your game face on, and we do that at work all the time. I am grateful for the opportunity that LIU Post gave me. They are a strong component as to why I have been successful in life."

Lastly, Henderson played three seasons for the LIU Post men's basketball team from 1981-84. He averaged 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and became the seventh player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

Henderson was a three-time Big Apple Conference All-Star and a two-time Big Apple Conference Champion. He also claimed Metropolitan Area and Eastern Basketball All-Star recognition in his time as a Pioneer.

A native of Brooklyn, Henderson was drafted by his hometown New York Knicks with the 223rd overall pick of the 1984 NBA Draft.

"I am really excited to be going in (to the Athletic Hall of Fame), only a couple of years after my coach (Tom Galeazzi) did," stated Henderson. "You can't find too many coaches, in any sport, that you keep in touch with after you graduate. Tom was a father figure to me, and the best coach to play for. He broke the athlete down and brought the athlete up."

To register for the 2015 LIU Post Athletic Hall of Fame, and other Homecoming festivities, please click here.