FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GNAC Hall of Fame Dinner
set for August 7 in Boston

WINTHROP, Mass. – In preparation for the 2019 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Hall of Fame Induction on Wednesday, August 7, the GNAC is set to feature each of the eight inductees leading up to the event at the Hilton Garden Inn Logan Airport in East Boston, Mass. For the complete spotlight schedule, please see below. 

From the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball program, 2012 graduate Ray Askew was a four-time All-GNAC selection, averaging an impressive 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in 113 career games for the Falcons. The 6-6, 190-lb. forward bookended his career by earning 2009 GNAC Rookie of the Year honors and both the GNAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 as a senior.

Askew ended his career leading as Albertus' all-time leader with 2,316 points and 1,192 rebounds. Enshrined in the Albertus Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018, he became the second player to record over 1,000 rebounds in the GNAC, was the league's all-time rebounding leader and was the second Falcons player in school history to register 2,000+ points.

As a senior, he helped lead the Falcons to a GNAC Champonship and its second-ever NCAA Tournament victory. That year, he averaged 24.2 points and 9.7 rebounds while shooting 55.1% from the floor, and became the program's first-ever All-American – the second All-American in Albertus Magnus history – and earned NABC All-District honors as well as D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region honors. Also that season, he went for 30-plus points nine times, including a 52-point outburst against GNAC foe Lasell College on February 11, 2012. 

That same year in the 2012 GNAC Tournament, the Falcons breezed through the playoffs, winning all three tourney games by an average of 26.6 points, with Askew averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in just 24.0 minutes a contest. He went off for 28 points (8-13 FG, 12-17 FT) and 12 boards in an 87-84 NCAA Tournament win over St. Joseph's (L.I.), as Mitch Oliver's Falcons scored 57 points in the second half. Askew closed out his career with 26 points and 11 rebounds as Albertus' run came to an end against Middlebury that March. 

As a junior, he was named to the D3hoops.com All-Region Second Team after averaging 21.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. In the 2011 GNAC Tournament, Askew went off for 26 points and 16 rebounds in the quarterfinals, but was limited to just three minutes of action due to illness in a GNAC Semifinals loss to Johnson & Wales University.

As a sophomore, he averaged 21.5 points and 12.2 rebounds en route to 2010 GNAC Player of the Year honors, and led the Falcons to their second-ever GNAC Championship and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance, which saw the Falcons upset No. 7 William Paterson with a 57-55 win at the buzzer to give Albertus its first-ever NCAA Tourney win. In that NCAA victory, Askew had 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists after averaging an impressive 20.0 points and 9.6 rebounds during the GNAC Tournament. 

The festivities on August 7 will begin at 6:00 PM with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner at 6:30 PM and the induction ceremony presentations running from approximately 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn. All eight inductees are expected to be in attendance. 

Info Provided by Albertus Athletics Communications.

Throughout the month of July, the GNAC will further spotlight eight Hall inductees on the following dates:
Tues 7/9: Ray Askew, Albertus Magnus College Men's Basketball
Thurs 7/11: Iman (Davis) Barbosa, Emmanuel College Women's Basketball
Tues 7/16: Lamonte Thomas, Johnson & Wales University (RI) Men's Basketball
Thurs 7/18: Jose Guitian, Lasell College Men's Basketball
Tues 7/23: Josh McElroy, Norwich University Men's Soccer
Thurs 7/25: Aaron Dufoe, Rivier University Men's Basketball/Men's Soccer
Tues 7/30: Michael Maguire, Suffolk University Baseball
Thurs 8/1: Jackie (Shedlock) Kapusta, Western New England University Softball

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

– #TheGNAC –

2019 HALL of FAME INDUCTEE: Ray Askew, Albertus Magnus Men's Basketball