STANDISH, Maine - The 13th class of the Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame was enshrined with a ceremony at the Mercy Dining Hall on the evening of Saturday, September 12th. Stephen Chase ’93 (Basketball), Robert Doyle (Baseball), Billie L’Heureux ’91 (Basketball) and Joe Manganaro ’05 (Golf) are the latest to enter the Monks’ hallowed hall.
The addition of this year’s class brings the Athletics Hall of Fame membership to a total of 77 accomplished individuals and teams.
The evening began with a reception in the Harold Alfond Center, which included an unveiling of the plaques for each of the newest members in the Hall of Fame Room, which was constructed in 2014. President Dr. James Dlugos kicked off the evening with a brief introductory address in the Hall of Fame Room.
The ceremony followed in Mercy Dining Hall with Athletics Director Brian Curtin welcoming the crowd and Father John McHugh, the College’s Chaplain, providing the Invocation. Dinner and dessert followed.
The first individual to be inducted was Billie L’Heureux ’91, who was presented by Women’s Basketball Head Coach Mike McDevitt ’83. A South Portland native, L’Heureux helped lead the Monks to four Western Maine Athletic Conference Championships, three NAIA National Tournament appearances, two NAIA Northeast titles and a pair of NAIA New England crowns during her four seasons and tallied 1,195 points, 671 rebounds and 130 steals over 104 career games.
Up next was former men’s basketball standout Stephen Chase ’93, who was presented by former teammate John Maloney ’92. From Walpole, Massachusetts, Chase scored 1,538 career points with 448 rebounds, 137 assists and 111 steals and helped lead Saint Joseph’s to a pair of NAIA National Championship Tournament appearances during his time on the hardwood.
Joe Manganaro ’05, the first golfer to enter the Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame, was the third inductee of the evening and was presented by Golf Head Coach Jamie Smyth ‘92. A Gorham native, Manganaro remains as the only player in St. Joe’s golf history to earn All-New England acclaim and recorded three medalist honors and finished in the top 10 in 16 of 18 tournaments overall during his career.
Robert "Bobby" Doyle, a North Yarmouth native, was the final inductee for this year’s class and was presented by Baseball Head Coach Will Sanborn ’86. An assistant coach for the Saint Joseph's College baseball program for 12 seasons (1993-04), Doyle helped lead St. Joe's to five NAIA New England championships, four Maine Athletic Conference (MAC) crowns and an NAIA New England Regional championship and subsequent NAIA Super Regional Tournament appearance in 2002. His wife, Lynn Doyle, accepted the plaque and spoke on behalf of Coach Doyle, who passed away in 2005.
Randy Henry '98, a 2011 SJC Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, also spoke and shared fond memories of his time spent with Coach Doyle.
Current SJC student-athletes – Morgan Cahill ’16, Brianne Maloney ’18, Michael Caron ’17 and Taylor Reuillard ’16 - introduced each presenter at the podium.
Founded in 2000, the Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame honors past athletes, faculty, staff and friends who, through their actions, have brought distinction through athletics to themselves and to Saint Joseph’s College. With the combination of the committee and members who have associations with the college and/or athletics department, the Saint Joseph’s College Hall of Fame has continued to make strides toward the future while honoring the past.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.