Hartwick College announces
2021 athletic Hall of Fame class
STAFF REPORT • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
Hartwick College Athletics will induct seven of its former top athletes into its Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 2, as a part of “True Blue Weekend.”
The list includes Steve Long, class of 1979 (men’s soccer), Dick Cartwright, class of 1979 (men’s cross country/track and field), Jennifer Brassell, class of 1993, (field hockey/women’s lacrosse), Jay Kalbach class of 1997 (men’s swimming and diving), Greg Balcavage 2001 (football), Jemma Dendy Young 2014 (water polo) and Jade Woodend 2015 (women’s swimming and diving).
The ceremony will take place in the Celebration Room of Shineman Chapel House beginning at 6 p.m. The cost of the dinner is $50 per person and $10 for children 10 and younger.
With the addition of this year’s class, Hartwick will have inducted 162 former student-athletes, coaches, teams, and supporters into its Hall of Fame.
The following are bios for the seven inductees:
Steve Long, class of 1979, scored perhaps the biggest goal in the history of Hartwick men’s soccer when he netted the game-winner in the 1977 national championship game against San Francisco. He was a part of four NCAA Tournament teams and a pair of Final Fours, helping ’Wick to a record of 51-9-5 over his four years. Long has the fourth-highest assist total in a single season (12 in 1976) and still ranks 7th in career assists (20), 10th in career points (80), and 12th in career goals (30).
Dick Cartwright class of 1979, is Hartwick cross country’s first and only All-American, a feat he accomplished in his senior season. He qualified for the NCAA Championships in three of his four seasons at ’Wick, finishing in the top 14 at the NCAA Division II Championship meet in 1978. Cartwright was also a standout track and field athlete, competing in the 1,500 and 5,000 during the outdoor season.
Jennifer Brassell, class of 1993, starred in both lacrosse and field hockey at ’Wick. She was a United States Women’s Lacrosse Association Honorable Mention All-American attacker in 1993. She scored 124 goals and assisted 55 others while leading her team to the postseason in all four years, including the NCAA Tournament in 1992. Brassell was also selected to the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association Second Team in field hockey, helping Hartwick to the NCAA quarterfinals in 1990 and the Final Four in 1991.
Jay Kalbach, class of 1997, earned All-America or Honorable Mention All-America honors 11 times in his four years of competition, which ties for second in the history of the program. He helped his teams to a dual meet record of 32-10 and four appearances at the NCAA Championships, including a pair of top 20 team finishes in 1994 and 1995. Kalbach combined with his teammates for an All-America finish in the 400 medley relay at the 1995 championships, and he teamed up for Honorable Mention All-America performances in the 200 medley relay three times, the 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, and 400 free relay twice each and the 800 free relay once.
Greg Balcavage, 2001, was an All-American tight end for the Hartwick football team, competing from 1997-2000. He amassed 153 catches for 2,151 yards to go along with 14 touchdowns in his career, while helping Hartwick to a 29-12 record and a pair of ECAC Bowl Games. In his senior season, Balcavage made 63 receptions for 840 yards and five scores and he was named a D3football.com, Football Gazette, and Hewlett-Packard All-American. Balcavage still ranks 1st in program history in career two-point conversions and 7th in career receptions. He was also a member of the Hartwick men’s basketball team, playing in 91 games in four seasons.
Jemma Dendy Young, class of 2014, was a two-time Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-America pick. She helped the Hawks to a 104-51 record from 2011-2014, contributing 237 goals and 111 assists for 348 points. She is the program’s all-time leader in steals with 322, and holds the single game record with 11. Dendy Young also sits 6th in career points and 7th in career goals in the ’Wick record books. In her final two seasons with the Hawks, Dendy Young was a CWPA Western Division First Team and CWPA Eastern Championships First Team selection to go along with her All-America accolades.
Jade Woodend class of 2015, is the Hartwick women’s swimming and diving program record holder in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, and 400 free relay. In 2013, she finished 9th in the 50 free at the NCAA Division III Championships, to earn Honorable Mention All-America honors. She also competed in the 100 free (31st) and 200 free (35th) events at the championships. Woodend registered 1,057 points, 34 individual wins, and 26 relay victories in her two seasons of competition. In addition to her four college records, she also ranks in the top 10 in five other events in program history.