WAYNE, N.J. – BriAnna Lucas '13 (women's basketball), Robert Matthew '54 (posthumous, men's basketball), Joel Rivera '13 (football), Ali Ruddy '13 (women's soccer), Joe Strawman '11, MBA '13 (men's soccer) and the 1994-95 Pioneer women's basketball team became the newest members of the William Paterson University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame when they were enshrined Oct. 6 at an event held in the University Commons Ballroom on campus.
 
Also this weekend, a new touch-screen Hall of Fame display was unveiled in the Sports and Recreation Center on campus. The kiosk includes information for all 151 individuals and five teams inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

One of the most decorated athletes in program history, Lucas (2008-12) was named to the 10-member 2010-11 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America Team, the 2010-11 D3hoops.com All-America Third Team, and the 2011-12 WBCA All-America Honorable Mention. The 2010-11 and 2011-12 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Defensive Player of the Year, as well as the 2010-11 ECAC Metro Region Player of the Year and NJAC Co-Player of the Year, Lucas was a three-time first-team all-NJAC honoree (2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12). Also the 2008-09 ECAC Metro and NJAC Rookie of the Year when she garnered second-team all-conference honors, the 5-4 guard was twice named to the D3hoops.com All-Region First Team (2010-11, 2011-12) after securing second-team accolades from the group in 2009-10. Selected to the 2009-10 and 2010-11 ECAC All-Region First Teams, she finished her career ranked first at WP in steals (308) and field goals attempted (1,405), second in both points (1,702) and free throws made (388), and third in free throws attempted (489), three-pointers made (178) and three-pointers attempted (501).
 
A native of Hamilton, N.J., Lucas helped lead the Pioneers to a four-year record of 96-18 (.842) overall and 45-7 (.865) in NJAC play, winning the 2011 and 2012 NJAC Tournament titles. Advancing to the 2011 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen, 2012 NCAA second round and 2010 NCAA first round, WP also competed in the 2010 NJAC Tournament championship game.
 
Matthew (1950-54) managed to pour in more than 1,000 career points from 1950-54, an era that did not feature a three-point line, shot clock or expanded game schedule. A team captain, he was an intimidating interior defender for Paterson State Teachers College.

 
Rivera (2006-09) owns every single Pioneer receiving record – career receptions (159) and yards (2,209), single-season catches (74, 2008) and yards (965, 2008), and single-game receptions (16, 9/27/08) and yards (226, 9/27/08). Named to the 2008 D3football.com All-East Region Second Team and the 2008 and 2009 All-NJAC First Teams, the 6-1 standout from Hoboken, N.J., also closed his time on the gridiron second in WP history in career scoring (138) and touchdowns (23).
 
A dominant force in the center of WP's back line, Ruddy (2007-10) was awarded second-team all-America certificates by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and D3soccer.com after being named the 2010 NJAC Defensive Player of the Year. A member of the NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region and All-NJAC First Teams as a senior, she also picked up second-team all-conference laurels in 2008 and 2009. A starter in 70 of 73 career appearances, the 5-9 native of Wayne, N.J., collected 12 goals and 10 assists for 34 career points while leading the Pioneers to the 2010 NCAA Tournament first round and NJAC Tournament final, as well as the 2009 ECAC Metro Tournament title.
 
Strawman (2007-11) was the Pioneers' leader on and off the pitch, fighting through injuries to start 53 times in 64 appearances. A 6-3 center back from Ringoes, N.J., he was the 2009 NJAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time member of the NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region First Team (2008, 2009), and a selection to the 2008 and 2009 All-NJAC First Teams. Tallying 13 goals and five assists for 31 points, Strawman helped the Pioneers win the 2008 ECAC Metro Tournament championship and reach the 2011 ECAC final and 2008 and 2011 NJAC Tournament semifinals.
 
Reeling off victories during 18 of its final 19 regular-season games, the 1994-95 women's basketball team used that momentum to help propel the program to its first NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearance. Named the New Jersey College Basketball Association (NJCBA) Team of the Year, WP finished 24-5 overall and 16-2 in league play to establish a program record for wins. Led by third-year head coach Erin Shaughnessy Monahan '91, the Lady Pioneers were paced by senior 1,000-point scorers and all-conference selections Maureen Marz and Keira Haines.
1994-95 Women's Basketball Team Members
Keira Haines
Maureen Marz
Joanne Mabes
Alison Vetterl
Bridget Brennan
Kathleen Sinram
Eileen Sharkey
Lawana Mays
Carolyn Rom
Alyson Yonkowski
Coaches: Erin Monahan (head), Keith Woods (assistant), Mary Dean (assistant)
 

Founded in 1978, the William Paterson University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame honors student-athletes, coaches and support persons who have made outstanding contributions to Pioneer Athletics. In order to be considered for induction, former student-athletes must be at least five years removed from competition at William Paterson. Teams become eligible for induction five years after the completion of that season.