Albertus Magnus College to Induct Four Honorees into Athletics Hall of Fame
Albertus Magnus College will induct four individuals into its Athletic Hall of Fame, Saturday, November 8.
Honorees are Michael Abbey ’04, a four-time GNAC (Great Northeast Athletic Conference) All-Conference First Team soccer player; Sr. Charles Marie Brantl, O.P., Ph.D.,’51, former professor of economics and vice president of academic affairs, and a devoted fan of athletics at Albertus (awarded posthumously); Brian Puzycki ’92, three-year captain of the basketball team in the early years of the program; and Frank Raio, longtime assistant and associate head coach of the men’s soccer team (awarded posthumously).
“Our commitment to athletics and the student-athlete experience here is reflected and reinforced in Albertus 2020: A Strategic Path for the 21st Century, the College’s strategic plan,” said President Julia M. McNamara. “Our athletic programs and our student-athletes enrich the entire Albertus community and, indeed, the Greater New Haven community.”
Abbey, a resident of Arverne, New York, is the only player in Albertus men’s soccer program history to earn All-Conference First Team honors in four-straight years. He led the Falcons to four consecutive GNAC tournaments and to their first-ever appearance in an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament in 2002. In 2003, the Falcons finished the GNAC regular season with an 8-0 record before a 1-0 loss in the GNAC final. He received an M.B.A. from Long Island University.
Sr. Charles Marie Brantl was a professor of economics, the vice president for academic affairs and, in the decade prior to her retirement in 2011, director of assessment and institutional research. “Sister Chuck” to countless Albertus students, she was an avid supporter of all Albertus teams and athletic programs. An award in her honor is presented annually to the varsity team with the highest cumulative G.P.A. from the previous academic year.
Puzycki was a member of the men’s basketball team when it transitioned from club sport to varsity level, and served as captain for three years. Named Albertus Student-Athlete of the Year for the 1989-1990 season, he finished his career as the all-time leader in steals, assists and rebounds. He also ran cross country for the Falcons. A business and economics major, he graduated cum laude in 1992. He is a resident of Wallingford.
Raio was associated with the men’s soccer team since the program’s inception in 1990. He began his Albertus coaching career under former head coach George Bedocs and remained with the program for more than 20 years. He was part of both GNAC Championship titles for the Falcons in 1996 and 2012, as well as the Falcons’ first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2012. Over the years Raio was an inspiration and mentor to hundreds of players. A lecturer at Albertus, he was also an attorney in Hamden.
Details of the induction ceremony will be announced soon.
