Mastic Beach, NY - January 23, 2017 - The William Floyd School District along with the William Floyd Alumni Association recently inducted its 11th class of Hall of Fame recipients, which include five former standout athletes, a playoff team and a coach’s award recipient. Inductees were enshrined at a ceremony attended by more than 140 people – among the largest events in the history of the event. Following the ceremony, the honorees – spanning more than three decades of William Floyd athletics – toured the building to see many of the new facilities and programs, visited the Rita Rech Museum of William Floyd School District History and were introduced to attendees at the 33rd annual Kujan Brothers Memorial Wrestling Tournament.
The outstanding individual athletes enshrined into the William Floyd Athletic Hall of Fame are John Liselli (Class of 1981), an All-League baseball player who lettered in four varsity sports (baseball, basketball, football and soccer); Peter Agelis (Class of 1990), former All-League captain of the soccer team, who, at that time, led the Colonials back to the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade; Robert Feise (Class of 1995), former standout on the wrestling mat and the football field who earned selections as All-League (football and wrestling), All-County (football and wrestling), All-Long Island (football) and All-State Second Team in football. He was also the first student-athlete from William Floyd to earn the Collotta Award for the “Most Outstanding Linebacker” in Suffolk County; Jacquelyn Ardolino (Class of 2009), a six-year varsity starter for the varsity lacrosse team who amassed 369 goals during her high school career. She was also a four-year captain and five-time member of the All-County lacrosse team; and Octavia (Williams) Richardson (Class of 2011), a three-year starter for the varsity lacrosse team who was a three-time All-County selection and a member of the 2011 Newsday All-Long Island team.
Members of the 1982 William Floyd Colonials varsity football team gathered together for the team induction. Photo Credit: William Floyd School District
Also gaining induction were the 1982 varsity football team, the first team in history to earn a trip to the playoffs with a 7-2 record; and their coach, Nick Schroder, who led the turnaround after taking over in 1981 and leading the team to a 4-4 record before earning that postseason berth with an unforgettable season in 1982. Coach Schroeder also humbly credits his assistant coaches Al Schroeder, Lou Schiavetta and Martin Ferris. Coach Schroeder coached the Colonials until 1985 before taking over as athletic director in 1986.
After this year’s ceremony, the William Floyd Athletic Hall of Fame includes 68 individual athletes, six coaches, three honorary recipients, three community recipients, 11 team award recipients and one recipient in the category “Floyd Fanatic.” Plaques for the 11th class of inductees will join the previous 10 classes and be memorialized and affixed to the Hall of Fame wall outside the John Pidgeon Gymnasium at the high school for future generations of students to see.