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Yeshiva University Athletic Department Holds Inaugural Hall of Fame Ceremony

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Yeshiva University Department of Athletics held its Inaugural Hall of Fame Dinner and Ceremony on Monday evening, in the Weissberg Commons on the Wilf campus. The first class of Hall of Famers were inducted in front of 125 people which included YU student-athletes, coaches, staff, families, alumni, and friends of the program.

"It was an honor for all of us here to have the opportunity to pay homage to these legends," Yeshiva University assistant director for athletic recruiting and alumni relations, Josh Pransky said. "For us, this was a passion project to make sure these people were marked for posterity. To see how much this meant for the families of the honorees drove home the importance."

Yeshiva University director of athletics, Joe Bednarsh served as the master of ceremonies and began the evening with opening remarks.

After dinner was served, the induction ceremony began. Eleven inductees were honored by receiving a Hall of Fame Plaque and a Yeshiva University Athletics' Hall of Fame jacket. For the inductees not able to attend the ceremony, they were represented by family members, teammates, friends, etc.
After the induction ceremony concluded, all the inductees and attendees walked over to the Max Stern Athletic Center. In the area adjacent to the gymnasium on the ground floor, everyone gathered around the newly installed Yeshiva University Athletics' Hall of Fame wall. After Mr. Bednarsh delivered a few more remarks, the Hall of Fame lit up with plaques that explained the accomplishments of each inductee.

"This was one of the best nights of my professional career," Mr. Bednarsh said. "The heartfelt and funny stories, the memories, and the history we were exposed to tonight will stay with me forever."

Pransky also felt that this was a special night. "Aside from the sentimentality that was part and parcel of an event like this, there was an added feeling of family because many of our Hall of Famers have family scattered around the world," Pransky said. "It was really something special to see them unite, on our campus, to honor their own family.  We had cousins meeting for the very first time, families seeing each other for the first time in years and even some family members surprising the honoree  by flying in from out of state just for the night.  To see all of that was extremely heartwarming and for Yeshiva Athletics to be the reason for these family reunions was beyond special."

Yeshiva will hold its second annual Hall of Fame Ceremony and Dinner in the spring of 2019.

To nominate someone for next year's Hall of Fame class, click here.

The Department of Athletics believes that the inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony was a success. "A very special thanks to so many people who did hard work for this event.  It is very necessary to call out one person by name, Jessica Sonders," Pranksy said. "She was integral in making sure this event had the look and feel our honorees deserved. We owe her a debt of gratitude for enabling this event to feel so special."
 
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