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Albertus Magnus College Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2026

Albertus Magnus College Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2026
Posted: Feb 03, 2026

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Albertus Magnus College has announced the selection of nine individuals and two teams for induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2026. The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 28, 2026 in the Behan Community Room.

 

All nine individuals selected for induction are former student-athletes. The group includes Denise (Brace) Bachiochi '98, '01 M.S. (women's basketball), Diana Burroughs '98 (women's basketball, softball, volleyball and tennis), Jason Criscio '99 (baseball), Joel Dorsett '96 (men's basketball), Gillian Fortier '18 (softball), Jason Hunter '96 (men's soccer), Ryan Johnson '03 (baseball), Victor Ljuljdjuraj '15 (men's basketball) and Danielle Polvan '17 (women's soccer).

 

In addition, the 1995-96 men's basketball team and the 1997 softball team will also be inducted. Both of those teams were Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship squads.

 

The event will kick off with registration and breakfast at 9 a.m. The induction ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Tickets are $50 per person. Tables are also available for purchase at a cost of $500.

 

Tickets can be purchased here: https://cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/albertushof26

 

Click here for Sponsorship and Event Program Advertising Opportunities: 2026 Albertus Magnus Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony 

 

Here's a look at this year's inductees.

 

  • Denise (Brace) Bachiochi established herself as one of the most formidable post players in New England during her basketball career with the Falcons. Brace was the first student-athlete in Albertus basketball history - for either gender - to amass both 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Brace, who finished her career with 1,269 points and 1,090 rebounds, earned First-Team All-Conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. Brace was also named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team twice and was a member of 1994-95 NEWAC Championship squad that reached the ECAC Tournament finals. Brace's 380 rebounds in 1995-96 remain a single-season program record as of her induction. 
  • Diana Burroughs holds the distinction of being the only student-athlete in the College's history to earn Conference Player of the Year honors in two different sports - she was named as the GNAC Player of the Year in both women's basketball and softball in 1997. Burroughs collected All-Conference honors in three different sports (basketball, softball and volleyball) and in total, played four sports as a Falcon inclusive of a stint on the women's tennis team. An Honorable Mention All-American in basketball, Burroughs finished her basketball career with 1,210 points. On the softball diamond, she posted a .403 career batting average and graduated as the career leader in hits (126), runs (101), home runs (11), RBI (75), stolen bases (26), doubles (30) and triples (18). Burroughs was also the MVP of the 1997 GNAC Softball Tournament, which was won by the Falcons. She was also a part of the 1994-95 NEWAC Champion women's basketball team and the 1996 volleyball team that reached the GNAC Tournament finals.
  • Jason Criscio was the first student-athlete in the history of the baseball program to earn Conference Player of the Year honors, as he captured GNAC laurels in 1997. Criscio was a three-time First-Team All-GNAC performer and helped Albertus win the 1999 GNAC Tournament title. Named All-New England as a junior, he finished his career as the Falcons all-time leader in home runs (21), batting average (.398), RBI (138) and doubles (40). As of his induction, he still holds the career and single-season records for home runs.
  • Joel Dorsett left an indelible mark on the men's basketball program over his career, culminating with GNAC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors in helping the Falcons win the 1995-96 conference championship. Enrolled in the College's trimester academic program that resulted in graduation in three years, Dorsett amassed 1,182 points and ranked second in school history in that category upon the conclusion of his career. Dorsett served as a two-year team captain and earned First-Team All-GNAC honors in 1995-96. As a junior, he averaged a double-double with 20.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
  • Gillian Fortier rewrote the softball record books during her time as a Falcon and twice captured GNAC Player of the Year honors (2015, 2017). Fortier graduated as the program's career leader in at-bats (516), hits (225), runs (151), RBIs (124) and home runs (20), records that all still stand at the time of her induction. She also held the Falcons' single-season high marks in all five of those categories at the conclusion of her career. Fortier was a four-time First-Team All-GNAC selection and a two-time All-Region performer. She was also named GNAC Rookie of the Year in 2015 and was the first student-athlete in GNAC softball history to earn Rookie and Player of the Year honors in the same year.
  • The first men's soccer student-athlete in program history to eclipse the 100-point plateau, Jason Hunter played a pivotal role in the Falcons early successes. He capped his career with 105 points (42 goals, 21 assists) and led the team in goals and points as a sophomore, junior and senior. Hunter was selected to participate in the New England All-Star Game following his senior season. He graduated as the program's all-time leader in goals, assists and points. Hunter also held the program record with two goals in 12.8 seconds. He also participated in tennis while at Albertus.
  • Ryan Johnson made an immediate and lasting impact on the baseball program, as he was selected as the GNAC Player of the Year in both 2001 and 2002. As a junior, he batted .382 with nine home runs and 49 runs batted in to help the Falcons qualify for the ECAC Tournament for the first time in program history. The 2001 team also set a new program single-season win total that still stands as of Johnson's induction. The following year, Johnson batted .382 with nine home runs and 49 RBI. He was also a team captain and a two-time All-Region performer.
  • Victor Ljuljdjuraj was a driving force behind the most successful two-year stretch in Albertus men's basketball history. Ljuljdjuraj earned All-America honors as a senior in 2014-15 on the heels of a season in which he was named both GNAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year and earned GNAC Tournament MVP honors. During that season, he also led all of NCAA Division III in blocked shots/game and ranked second nationally in double-doubles as the Falcons reached as high as No. 6 in the national polls. He was a two-time GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, also having captured the award in 2013-14, and a two-time All-Region pick. Ljuljdjuraj helped the Falcons achieve a 56-5 (.918) record during his two seasons, which included two GNAC Tournament titles, one NCAA Sweet 16 appearance and a second trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He was also selected to the NABC Senior All-Star Game and was named Team MVP. Ljuljdjuraj scored 1,053 points in his two years with the Falcons.
  • Danielle Polvan staked a claim as one of the most prolific scorers in Albertus women's soccer history during her time as a Falcon. A four-time All-Conference selection, she led the team in scoring as a sophomore, junior and senior and capped her career as the program's all-time leader in goals (37) and points (85). Polvan also collected All-New England honors as a sophomore, a season in which she was also named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team. She also netted the game-winning golden goal as the Falcons defeated nationally ranked Roger Williams in the 2013 ECAC Tournament. Polvan was also a member of the 2016 team that reached the GNAC Tournament final for the first time in program history.
  • The 1995-96 Albertus men's basketball team was the first men's program to win a conference title, and the first program for either gender to win a GNAC title. The Falcons defeated Emerson in the GNAC Tournament Final in a game played at the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center. The team closed the year with a 14-12 record and had three student-athletes on the roster who eclipsed 1,000 career points.
  • The 1997 softball team was the first women's team to win a GNAC title. The Falcons posted an overall record of 15-8, including a 7-2 mark in GNAC play. Albertus defeated Daniel Webster College to claim the GNAC Tournament title. The 1997 softball team is the only Albertus women's team to claim a GNAC title as of its induction.


Individuals seeking more information about this year's Hall of Fame ceremony can contact Director of Athletics Michael Kobylanski at mkobylanski@albertus.edu or via phone at 203-773-8578.