July 30, 2008
The University of New Mexico Alumni Lettermen’s Association has announced the 2008 inductees into the UNM Athletic Hall of Honor. The Class of 2008 includes Jack Abendschan (football 1962-64), Jim Hulsman, Maria Gurreri (volleyball 1987-90) and Leanne Palmisano (tennis 1982-85).
This is the 22nd class since the inaugural inductions in 1986.
The posthumous inductees are Joe Behl (rhymes with meal) (baseball, football, track 1939-42) and George Heard (football, 1960-62).
Additional awards:
Distinguished Service: Jerry Apodaca (football) and Jeff Apodaca (football)
2007-08 Coach of the Year: Ray Birmingham (baseball)
2007-08 Female Athlete of the Year: Katie Coronado (track and field)
2007-08 Male Athlete of the Year: John Sullivan (football)
The annual banquet and dinner will be held Friday, Sept. 12, at the UNM Student Union Ballroom. Tickets are $45 each or $450 for a table of 10. Call the UNM Alumni Office at 277-2593 for more information.
Biographies
Jack Abendschan, Inductee
Sport: Football
At UNM (1962-64):1962 Honorable mention offensive guard – Western Athletic Conference
1963 1st team offensive guard – Western Athletic Conference
1964 2nd team Associated Press All American at offensive guard
Professional Football:
Saskatchewan Roughriders, Regina Saskatchewan Canada
Offensive guard and placekicker
1967-1975 All-Western Conference 8 years
All-Pro Canadian 5 years
2 All-Star Game appearances
Maria Gurreri |
Maria Gurreri, Inductee
Sport: Volleyball
At UNM (1987-90):
1987-1990 Four-year starter at outside hitter
1989 U.S. Olympic Festival South Team (gold medal) and team captain
1991 U.S. Olympic Festival South Team
1987-1989 Empire State Games (gold medal)
1990 Captain of Volleyball Team
WAC All-Academic, Second Team
1991 State winner, NCAA Woman of the Year
Athletic Awards:1988 Honorable mention All-High Country Athletic Conference
1989 1st team all-High Country Athletic Conference
1990 2nd team All-American and 1st team all-WAC
Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame, Co-Female Athlete of the Year
Jim Hulsman, Inductee
Sport: Basketball, Football, Track & Field Coach
APS Career:
1954-1958 Part time Coach
1959-2002 Head Boy’s Basketball coach, Albuquerque High School
Career record: 660-223
State championships: 1971,1977,1984,1990,1993,1995,1998
State tournament appearances: 24
District titles: 18 regular season and 12 district tournaments
Honors:National Federation High School Hall of Fame
Albuquerque/New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame
New Mexico Activities Association Hall of Fame
New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame
Leanne Palmisano |
Leanne Palmisano, Inductee
Sport: Women’s Tennis
At UNM (1982-85):
Played No. 1 in singles and doubles, every year for the Lobos
1985 First UNM women’s tennis player to qualify for the NCAA Championships
Two-time winner in singles and doubles, Intermountain Conference
High Country all-conference, 1984-85
Lobos’ MVP
Nationally ranked in singles and doubles
Coaching:Head men’s and women’s tennis coach, University of Denver
Won 3 Conference titles in 4 years of coaching
Twice Named Continental Divide Conference Coach of the Year
NAIA Regional Coach of the Year, 1990
Crestmoor Community AssociationTennis Coach, Teacher, Leader
19 years as Program Director
Coach representing the State of Colorado and the six-state Intermountain Section in regional and national tournaments
Team Colorado Coach – 10 years
Advocate for Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation and Colorado Tennis Association
Joe Behl, Posthumous Inductee
1939-1942 UNM baseball, football and track letterman
Backup quarterback and punter under Ted Shipkey
Compiled a 7-2 pitching record and ran hurdles in track
1941 1st UNM pitcher to beat Arizona
1942 Joined the Naval Reserve and flew Torpedo missions over the Pacific.
1946 Awarded the Navy Cross, the nation’s second highest military honor for achievement in action
1946 Received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 5 clusters
1946 Signed with the Albuquerque Dukes as pitcher
1946-1948 Had three 10-win seasons with the Dukes
Owned and operated Joe Behl’s Sporting Goods and the Red Lion Inn in Albuquerque
1965-1972 Albuquerque Dukes first base coach
Los Angeles Dodgers area scout
George Heard, Posthumous Inductee
Sport: Football
At UNM:
1961 Member of the Aviation Bowl championship team
2nd place in the 100-yard dash (9.7) at the Skyline Conference championships
1962 Selected to play in the All-American Bowl
2nd team All-WAC tight end
Professional Career:1963 Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
Played tight end for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders
Professional:Worked as a Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for 30 years
Jeff Apodaca, Distinguished Service Award
Sport: Football (1983-85)
Jeff Apodaca is Vice President, Integrated Sales and Marketing (2002-present), with Univision Communications UVN, the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States.
Prior to joining Univision, Apodaca served as Vice President of Sales and Operations Southwest/West Coast for the Excite Network where he created and launched successful integrated sales programs for numerous high-profile clients. His extensive experience includes VP of Sales for AOL studios, Sales in Primetime, Sports, and Business Development with the CBS Television Network. Apodaca started his career in 1986 with Hubbard Broadcasting’s NBC stations in New Mexico. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico where he lettered in football and received his bachelor’s degree in Communication & Broadcast Management.
Apodaca grew up in Santa Fe where he still has family and friends, keeping very close ties. A cancer survivor, Apodaca spent 1983 as the American Cancer Societies National spokesperson and continues to work with children fighting cancer. In 1999, Apodaca founded the Jeff Apodaca Celebrations of Life Fund, which has raised over $1 million for cancer survivors and the Children’s Hospital of New Mexico. Apodaca was treated for his rare sarcoma from 1979-1980.
Jerry Apodaca Sr., Distinguished Service Award
Sport: Football (1954-56)
At UNM:
1955 Played halfback under Dick Clausen
1957-1989 Teacher, coach, businessman, entrepreneur, author and publisher, politician, State Senator and Governor of New Mexico
Political and Public Service Career:
1966 Elected to the New Mexico State Senate. Re-elected in 1970 and 1972.
1974 Elected New Mexico’s first Hispanic Governor since 1918
1976 Served as one of the Co-Chairs of the Democratic National Convention
1976 Elected National Chairman of the Education Commission of the States
1978-1980 Served as Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; appointed by President Carter
1985 UNM Board of Regents. Served as President of the Board of Regents for 2 years.
Recognition:
1974 Named “One of the Leaders of Tomorrow” by Time magazine
1976 Received Honorary Doctorates from Eastern New Mexico and Our Lady of the Lakes, San Antonio, Texas
1977 Received the Distinguished Service to Higher Education from CASE
1987 Named to the LULAC Hall of Fame
1988 Named Man of the Year by the Grand Council of Hispanic Societies in Public Service
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Ray Birmingham, 2007-08 Coach of the Year
34-25 record and 16-8 (2nd) in the Mountain West
34 wins ties for seventh on the all-time Lobo wins list
UNM began the season 7-0, the best start since 1973
UNM had eight players named to the All-Mountain West Conference teams, including the entire infield on the second team
OF Brian Cavazos-Galvez (1st team), C Rafael Neda (2nd team), 1B Kevin Atkinson (2nd team), 2B Mike Brownstein (2nd team), SS Scott Gracey (2nd team), 3B Ian Hollick (2nd team), SP Bobby LaFromboise (2nd team), RP Clinton Cox (2nd team)
Rafael Neda became the first Lobo to be named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year…Neda was also named to three Freshman All-America teams: Louisville Slugger, NCBWA, and Ping!Baseball
The Lobos appeared in the MWC tournament championship game for the first time in league history
Two Lobos were selected in the 2008 MLB Draft: P Bobby LaFromboise (8th/Seattle Mariners) and SS/P Scott Gracey (15/Toronto Blue Jays)
Katie Coronado (Track and Field), 2007-08 Female Athlete of the Year
Finished 2nd in the javelin at the NCAA Championships – the highest NCAA finish ever by a UNM woman and best by a Lobo (man or woman) at the NCAA meet since 1985…her 8 points were the most the New Mexico women had ever scored at the NCAA Championships
Placed 6th at the U.S. Olympic Trials
MWC javelin champion for the second straight year
NCAA Midwest Regional javelin champion – the first UNM woman and second Lobo (Matt Gonzales – 1,500m) to win a regional title
Posted a 9-1 head-to-head record vs. collegiate competition during the season with the NCAA Championships marking her first defeat…was the first UNM woman to win an event at the Texas Relays
Broke her own school record and moved into second on the MWC all-time list (179′ 6″) and became the first UNM woman to throw over 170 feet in the javelin
John Sullivan (Football), 2007-08 Male Athlete of the Year
1st team All-America from ESPN.com, the Walter Camp Football Foundation and The Sporting News
A former walk-on who turned in the most remarkable season by a kicker in UNM history in 2007…Sullivan went from a virtual unknown to the third consensus All-America honoree in program history in the span of one semester…suffered what many thought was a career-ending torn ACL in his left plant leg during spring ball, but made a stunning recovery without surgery
1st team all-MWC selection who became the third Lobo to be named to the consensus All-America team, joining WR Terance Mathis (1989) and S Brian Urlacher (1999)
Led the nation with 29 FGs, an average of 2.42 FGs per game – the best mark in the country since 1984…after a 1-3 start to his career, he hit a school record 18 consecutive field goals
Tied an NCAA record by making multiple FGs in 10 games