WILKES-BARRE – Wilkes University has announced this year's inductees into its Athletics Hall of Fame including five individuals and a team.
 
The 28^th class of inductees includes Hassan Shah '05 (Men's Tennis), Rick Mahonski '77 (Wrestling), Stacey Boyer '95 (Women's Basketball), Melisa Bracone O'Connor '10 (Softball), Frank Sheptock (Football Head Coach), and the 2006 Football Team.
 
Hassan Shah '05 (Men's Tennis)
Shah paved the way for success of the Wilkes men's tennis program as the team went 28-6 over his final two years starting a run of fourteen winning seasons. He earned First Team All-Conference honors three times from 2002-2005 while being named conference Rookie of the Year in 2001-2002 and conference Player of the Year in 2004-2005.
 
His best year came as a senior where he finished 19-2 overall from the No. 1 position while posting a 12-2 mark in No. 2 doubles play. Shah captured the 2003 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) singles title as well as the 2005 No. 1 doubles crown.

Rick Mahonski '77 (Wrestling)
Mahonski was part of John Reese's 1974 Wilkes wrestling National Championship team where he finished in second place at 118-pounds.
 
As a junior in 1976, Mahonski and the Colonels became the first and only program in Wilkes history to compete at the Division I level where the squad took home first place at the Binghamton Open and second place at the Wilkes Open. Mahonski again shined where he captured second place at the EIWA Tournament at 126-pounds.
 
As a senior in 1977, Mahonski led the Colonels in their second season at the DI ranks serving as a quad-captain while placing fifth at the EIWA Tournament.

Stacey Boyer '95 (Women's Basketball)
Boyer starred on the court and the diamond for Wilkes earning three letters in each sport.
 
In basketball, Boyer earned Second Team All-Conference honors her senior season finishing her career 12^th all-time on the school's scoring list with 1,019 points. Boyer remains one of five players in program history to reach the 1,000-point and 500-rebound plateau in a career.
 
Boyer posted career ranks of 12^th in field goals made (418), 11^th in field goals attempted (1,003), 11^th in field goal percentage (42.5), 12^th in rebounds (529) and 11^th in free throw percentage (71.6).
 
A standout at shortstop for the Wilkes softball team, Boyer also collected First Team All-MAC honors in 1994.
 
Melisa Bracone O'Connor '10 (Softball)
A standout defensive player at third base, O'Connor earned all-conference honors three times from 2007 through 2009. She helped lead the team to a 96-63 record including a Freedom Conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2006 in her first season.
 
She also earned Second Team NFCA All-Region honors her junior season when she batted .427 with 10 doubles, nine home runs and 46 runs batted in.
 
O'Connor owns the school record in walks for a career with 47 and is scattered throughout the Colonels record books including 4^th in at-bats (428), 4^th in games played (143), 9^th in batting average (.346), 9^th in runs scored (78), 3^rd in hits (148), 3^rd in home runs (18), 3^rd in doubles (33), 4^th In RBI's (94) and 7^th in slugging percentage (.554).
 
Frank Sheptock (Football)
During his time roaming the sidelines at Wilkes, Sheptock led the Colonels to a 107-81 (.578) record, the most wins by any coach in the program's history. During his tenure Sheptock led the program to two NCAA and seven ECAC postseason berths with a Middle Atlantic Conference championship coming in 2006.
 
Sheptock coached 113 players named to the All-MAC teams, including 66 first team selections. He also coached 34 All-ECAC honorees, including two players of the year, and four All-Americans.
In 2006 Sheptock was named the MAC and AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year after leading Wilkes to an 11-1 record, a conference title, and a berth in the NCAA Division III Championship. The 2005 season saw Sheptock guide the squad to an overall record of 8-3 and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. For his efforts he was named the Middle Atlantic Conference's Coach of the Year.
 
Under Sheptock's guidance the Colonels earned a berth in the ECAC Playoffs seven times, including a 31-7 win over the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the 2002 South Atlantic title game. Wilkes also claimed an ECAC Southeast championship in 1999.
 
Coming to Wilkes with former head man Joe DeMelfi in 1990, Sheptock was the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Colonels from 1992 to 1995. During his tenure as defensive coordinator, Sheptock turned the Colonels into one of the top defensive teams in the Middle Atlantic Conference.
 
A graduate of Bloomsburg University with a degree in Business Administration/Accounting, Sheptock played linebacker under legendary coach George Landis while a member of the Huskies football team.
 
A member of the NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter Century (1973-97), Sheptock holds the school records for tackles in a career (537), single season (159) and single game (23), and career fumble recoveries (12). The four-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) first team pick helped Bloomsburg win the PSAC championship title and earn a berth in the NCAA Division II semifinals in 1985.
 
Sheptock, a three-time All-American and All-East honoree for the Huskies, was inducted into the Bloomsburg Sports Hall of Fame in October of 1997 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in July of 2007. He also was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 while being awarded the John Chwalek Award in 1995, Wilkes Alumni Association Award in 2008 and Wilkes Ancestral Colonel Award in 2010.
 
2006 Football Team
Remembered as one of the best teams in Wilkes' storied history, the 2006 squad finished a perfect 10-0 during the regular season capturing the MAC Championship while earning an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament. There the Colonels captured the program's first NCAA victory and finished 11-1 overall, the most wins in a single season.

The squad entered the season ranked 9^th in the Street and Smith Division III pre-season top-25 poll and finished ranked 12^th in the final poll. The defense led the way and was among the best in the nation surrendering a mere 205.6 yards per-game including only 61.0 yards rushing per-game and 8.7 points per-game both first in the MAC.
 
The squad also had its share of individual honors as four players were named All-American, five All-East Region, five All-ECAC and 14 All-MAC selections.
Team members included: Jason Acquaye, Tom Andreopoulos, Chris Applegate, Matt Archey, Stephon Burgette, Joseph Cahill, Joe Caputo, Corey Carter, Anthony Carvale, Keith Cavallotti, John Chesko, Sam Ciardi, Philip Cimilluca, James Crenshaw, Rocky D'Aconti, Ryan Dailey, John Darrah, Mario Della Fortuna, Nick Dipaolo, Randy Donato, Matt Dowling, Kevin Drakes, Kurt Dunbar, Ken Edwards, Don Fahringer, Kyle Faye, Mike Ferriero, Gil Flores, Kyle Follweiler, Anthony Fortunato, Justin Friedel, B.J. Fusco, Ryan Gallagher, Nick Genuardi, Josh George, Tim Giacomini, Frank Giammarino, Eban Gibson, Corey Gilroy, Joe Gorton, Jake Grande, Joe Graziano, David Grega, Rex Harris, Danny Haugh, William Heard, Shane Heberling, Tyler Henninger, Casey Herring, Jesse Hobbs, Eli Hollock, Ryan Holmes, John Hunt, Josh Hurlbutt, Matt Jackoskym, Rob Johnson, Jim Jordan, Al Karaffa, David Kehler, Kevin Keller, James Koutch, Kyle Kutney, Brett Lagenderfer, Brian Lang, Zack Latourette, Tom Lavelle, Jonathon Lazarchik, Drew Letcavage, Mark Liberski, Augusto Lombana, Tom Lombreglia, Danny Luskin, Shawn Manwarning, Angelo Marocco, Matt Mauro, Mike Mcaloon, Geoff Michalesko, Jason Nabba, Preston Nelson, John Noon, Sean Nunn, Sean O'Neill, Maximo Ortega, Tim Partridge, Anthony Phillips, Rob Pietrucha, Matt Pizzaro, Zach Pizzaro, Jason Prushinsky, Jordan Purdy, Ken Quazza, Kyle Regner, Luke Reidenauer, Michael Reyes, Bryan Rodriguez, Mike Rollman, Paul Savner, Joe Scala, Jordan Schreffler, Anthony Serafin, Paul Signora, Brock Snyder, Zachary Sobota, Tim Stone, Matt Strausser, Jonathan Stroup, Bob Sutjak, Brian Switay, Steve Thomas, Corey Tucker, Erik Vangilst, Bryan Vivaldo, James Waddilove, Dave Went, Eriq Wisdom-Harley, Tim Yeagley, Ryan Yurewicz