Acadia announces 2015 Sports Hall of Fame inductees

WOLFVILLE, N.S. - Acadia University will honour one builder, five teams and five individual athletes as newest members of the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include former hockey Axemen head coach Tom Coolen, retired faculty member and CIAU President Wendy Bedingfield, soccer Axette Dara (Moore) Ramirez, basketball’s Gordie West and football’s Ed Gataveckas, Brian Walling and Larry Jusdanis. Five teams will be inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies scheduled for Saturday, October 17th including the 1978 basketball team and 1977, 1980, 1986 and 1995 football teams.

The Acadia Sports Hall of Fame recognizes individuals and teams who have made a significant contribution to the athletic program at Acadia University and who, as a result of their contribution, have enhanced the image and reputation of the University.

For Tickets, visit http://attend.com/AcadiaHallFame

Former hockey Axemen head coach Tom Coolen was inducted into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame at the Annual Axemen Hockey Celebrity Dinner this past June 18, 2015.

Coolen’s stint at Acadia spanned 8 seasons. His 201 regular season games as the Axemen’s bench boss accumulated an astonishing 144 wins, 42 losses, and 15 ties. Coolen captured a 1992-93 C.I.A.U. national championship and three Atlantic Universities Athletic Association (A.U.A.A.) championships during his tenure at Acadia from 1987 to 1995. Coolen also received the Father George Kehoe Memorial Award for Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union (C.I.A.U.) Coach of the Year in 1993. He regained the award again after the 1994-1995 season.

Retired faculty member Wendy Bedingfield served as the School of Physical Education and Recreation Director from 1988 onward and was also the Dean of Management and Education while at Acadia. She was also named as the Acting Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. A champion of equity in sport, Bedingfield was the President of the C.I.A.U. (currently the C.I.S.) from 2000 to 2001.

From Hantsport, N.S., Dara (Moore) Ramirez was a member of the 1990 C.I.A.U. championship Axette team. During her four seasons at Acadia, Dara was named as a first team C.I.A.U. All-Canadian in 1989 and 1991 and was an A.U.A.A. All-Star from 1989 to 1991.

Basketball’s Gordie West will be the 21st basketball Axemen to be inducted into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame. West played with the Axemen from 1972 to 1974 and returned for the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons. A Liverpool, N.S. native, West was named as an A.U.A.A. All-Star in his senior year and the 1973-74 season.

A linebacker for the Axemen football team from 1977 to 1980 under head coaches Bob Vespaziani and John Huard, Ed Gataveckas was a member of the 1979 C.I.A.U. championship Axemen in 1979. Named as an A.U.A.A. All-Star each year from 1977 to 1980 and was named the AUAA Defensive player in his last season at Acadia. Gataveckas was a two-time C.I.A.U. All-Canadian in 1979 and 1980 and was a third round draft pick of the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos in 1980, but ended up signed as a free agent with Hamilton prior to the 1981 season. Gataveckas played ten seasons for Hamilton from 1981 to 1990.

Brian Walling shattered A.U.A.A. rushing records during his time as a running back with the Axemen from 1982 to 1987 playing five season for the red and blue. Walling’s career was highlighted in the 1986 season when the Axemen finished with an 8-0 record and crowned as the A.U.A.A. champions. Walling had a banner season by being named the A.U.A.A. MVP for a second year in a row. His personal achievements included shattering the A.U.A.A.and C.I.A.U. record for net yards gained in a season with 1122 yards along with net yards gained in a single game of 276 yards. Brian spent 11 seasons in the CFL beginning with Toronto, spending eight seasons in Edmonton before finishing up with Saskatchewan and Hamilton in 1996.

Senior pivot Larry Jusdanis had record breaking seasons in 1994 and 1995. Jusdanis, who was named as a C.I.A.U. All-Canadian in 1994, lived up to his reputation as one of Canada`s top quarterbacks by being named All-Canadian again in 1995. The 6`5, 235 lbs. quarterback carved his own niche in A.U.A.A. football history by the end 1995 as holder of ten A.U.A.A. records. He was one of only two quarterbacks to pass for over 2,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. In the A.U.A.A.. In 1995, Jusdanis passed for 2551 yards which was the third most yards in C.I.A.U. history at the time, only 72 yards short of the national record. Jusdanis was drafted by the BC Lions with the 47th pick in the 1995 CFL Draft. He was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in May 1996.

Teams to be inducted into this year`s Acadia Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies include four football teams and one basketball team.

For the third time in recent history, the 1977-78 Acadia basketball Axemen that gathered in the fall of 1977 as the defending national champions. The Axemen romped through the regular season with an 18-2 record, with both losses coming at the hands of the Saint Mary's Huskies in Halifax by scores of 76-74 and 93-83. The Axemen hosted the A.U.A.A. championship and claimed a 93-81 victory over StFX in the championship game - a second-straight conference crown. Vic Soares and Mike Hazard were both named first team All-Stars, while Gordie West was named to the second team. Defeating Laurentian and York in the C.I.A.U. Final 8 championship weekend, the Axemen fell short on a National title in a 99-91 loss to the Saint Mary`s Huskies.

The 1977 Axemen football team will join several other Bob Vespaziani coached teams in the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame. The `77 team completed the regular season with a 6-1 record, outscoring opponents 245 for to 64 points against. Defeating the StFX X-Men 32-1 in the A.U.A.A. championship, Acadia advanced to the Atlantic Bowl and dropped the Queen`s Golden Gaels 35-22. Eventually losing to the Western Mustangs 48-15 at the College Bowl, the Axemen had only one All-Canadian but 10 A.U.A.A. All-Stars including Bob Cameron who was named the A.U.A.A. most valuable player along with winning the National Hec Creighton Award winner as the Most Valuable Player in Canadian university football.

Following the 1979 C.I.A.U. football championship won by Acadia, the 1980 version of Axemen football team fell short in winning their second consecutive National title. Led by head coach John Huard, the Axemen finished the season with a 7-1 record after losing their opening game of the regular season to Saint Mary`s. Winning seven games in a row and the A.U.A.A. championship, the Axemen fell short in reaching the National championship College Bowl after a 28-8 loss to the eventual national champion Ottawa Gee Gees in the Atlantic Bowl. The Axemen had 10 A.U.A.A.  All-Stars and two All-Canadians including running back Larry Priestnall and linebacker Ed Gataveckas.

The 1986 Axemen football team captured their first A.U.A.A. championship under the leadership of head coach Sonny Wolfe. Riding an undefeated 7-0 regular season, the Axemen fell short in advancing to the C.I.A.U. Vanier Cup following a 29-22 loss to the Western Mustangs. The Axemen defeated the StFX X-Men 29-13 after landing 10 A.U.A.A. All-Stars and five major awards. Head coach Sonny Wolfe was named Coach of the Year, while Brian Walling was honoured as the conference`s Most Valuable Player. Brett Myles was named the Rookie of the Year and teammate Chuck Wust was named the Defensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year.

In 1995, the Axemen football team became the top ranked offensive team in the C.I.A.U. racking up 2551 yards passing 682 yards on the ground. Led by fifth year quarterback Larry Jusdanis, the Axemen completed the season with a 6-2 record – losing both games to a strong defensive minded StFX X-Men. Jusdanis had three receivers in the C.I.A.U. top 10 receiving statistics including Lee Barette, Grant Davy and Dave Stefnitz. Barette lead the receiving corp with 766 yards in receiving and nine touchdowns. Davy, Stefnitz and Jusdanis were named C.I.A.U. All-Canadians. Acadia had seven A.U.A.A. All-Stars and Jusdanis as the conference`s most valuable player. Topping the X-Men in the A.U.A.A. championship 13-8, the Axemen faced the Western Mustangs in what became and remains the highest scoring Bowl game. The Mustangs prevailed 55-45 in an exciting offensive showcase that had the Axemen climb back from a 45-17 deficit.