FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11 Inductees from 10 Institutions in this Year's Class.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Northeast-10 Conference officially unveiled its Hall of Fame Class of 2024 on Wednesday, as the league recognized a class of 11 inductees for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions during their time in the NE10.
The Class of 2024 consists of 10 different NE10 institutions, which includes five former conference members, and nine different sports. It consists of nine individuals and two teams, with one institution represented by multiple inductees, and is tied for the fifth-largest class ever inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame, trailing only the classes of 2006 (25), 2007 (17), 2021 (14) and 2022 (12).
Started in 2006, the NE10 Hall of Fame honors those who have made significant contributions to the Conference, while preserving and promoting the history of the league since its inception in 1980. As of 2024, the Hall has 145 individuals and 27 teams that have been inducted.
"The NE10 Hall of Fame Class of 2024 is comprised of a remarkable collection of individuals and teams that achieved at the highest levels and proudly represented the conference during their storied tenures," said NE10 Commissioner Julie Ruppert. "This Class consists of six outstanding student-athletes, two coaches, two national championship-winning programs and one administrator. We could not be more excited to celebrate these 11 inductees for their incredible accomplishments – which now include the NE10 Hall of Fame, an accolade that is reserved for the best of the best from amongst the tens of thousands that have donned uniforms in our impressive history. This class will always be remembered for their hard work, commitment and contributions to the NE10."
For a full list of inductees in this year's class, please see below.
Congratulations to all members of the NE10 Hall of Fame Class of 2024!
Jeff Veiga, UMass Lowell Cross Country/Track & Field
Jeff Veiga was a three-time All-American in cross country and track & field at UMass Lowell. He ran his entire career in the NE10, graduating in 2013. Veiga was named the NE10 Men's Athlete/Runner of the Year in 2010 after leading UMass Lowell to a conference championship title, while helping the River Hawks to three runner-up finishes during his career - one in each for cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field. Veiga had 20 top-five finishes, including a first place finish in the 10k at the 2012 NCAA Division II East Region Cross Country Championship and a third place finish at the 2010 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship. Veiga is the second men's cross country and track & field athlete to be inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame from UMass Lowell – joining Patrick Morasse.
James Foster, Saint Anselm Men's Soccer
James Foster helped lead the Saint Anselm men's soccer program to historic success in the mid-1980s, which included three consecutive Northeast-8 titles. In four years, Foster led the Hawks to a 43-23-6 record, while earning NE-8 Player of the Year in 1987. He was a two-time NE-8 Championship Most Valuable Player and a three-time First Team All-Conference selection. Foster was also a three-time NSCAA All-New England Team selection. He accounted for 98 points in his career, including 39 goals and 20 assists, in just 70 games played. His head coach, Ed Cannon, was inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame in 2008. Foster is the sixth men's soccer athlete to be inducted and is the first from Saint Anselm.
Leakey Kipkosgei, American International Cross Country/Track & Field
Leakey Kipkosgei was a standout cross country and track & field athlete at American International College. Among many career highlights, his biggest came when he won the 2019 NCAA Division II National Championship in the 3000m Steeplechase at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas. He finished in a time of 8:52.86 – three seconds faster than the runner-up finisher – to earn the third national title in the history of AIC athletics at that time. Kipkosgei (Kip-kos-gay) becomes a two-time NE10 Hall of Fame inductee – this time as an individual – as his previous induction was as part of the 2016 AIC Men's Distance Medley Relay which won the national title at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship.
Ali Maloof, Southern New Hampshire Softball
Ali Maloof was at the center of Southern New Hampshire's dominant softball run from 2012 to 2015. Maloof helped the Penmen to its most successful season in program history in 2015 – as they went 35-9 and secured SNHU's first-ever trip to the NCAA East Super Regional. During her career, the Penmen won a pair of NE10 Softball Championship titles and three regular season titles. Maloof won NE10 Pitcher of the Year on three occasions – and was so dominant in her senior season that she also won NE10 Player of the Year honors. She was a two-time All-America selection and a two-time Daktronics East Region Pitcher of the Year. In four seasons, Maloof was 74-29 in the circle while pitching nearly 700 innings. Her career batting average was .379. Maloof is the first softball athlete from SNHU to be inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame.
Alie (Fitzsimmons) Phillipson, American International Women's Soccer
Alie (Fitzsimmons) Phillipson is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of American International College. During her three seasons with the Yellow Jackets, she helped the program win the 2012 NE10 regular season championship – its first since 1998 – and in 2013, she led the team in making its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II semifinals after winning the East Region Championship. Phillipson was a two-time NSCAA All-American, in addition to being the 2012 NE10 Player of the Year, a two-time NE10 Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time First Team All-Conference selection. She also performed well in the classroom, becoming a two-time NSCAA Academic All-American. Phillipson joins Kristen Hutchison as the only other AIC women's soccer player to be inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame.
Sacha Solomon, Bryant Women's Tennis
Sacha Solomon led the Bryant women's tennis program to four consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Championship titles as part of her dominant run in the league. A three-time NE10 Player of the Year, Barrera was also named NE10 Rookie of the Year in her freshman campaign. She is one of only two athletes in NE10 women's tennis history to earn three selections as Player of the Year. Her overall career record was 61-16 – including a remarkable 41-3 mark in NE10 play – and was a six-time selection on First Team All-Conference between both singles and doubles. She is the third women's tennis athlete to be inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame.
Rita Castagna, Assumption
Rita Castagna was an influential figure in the NE10 from the early days of the league's founding – as she served in the roles of Assistant Director of Athletics and head coach for women's basketball and softball at Assumption from 1974-85. From 1986 to 2003, she was Director of Athletics at Assumption, the first woman to hold that position. She was a member of the NCAA Division II Basketball Committee, the NCAA Selection Study Committee and served as President of the MAIAW – the Massachusetts Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Over her tenure with Assumption, she also served as head coach of field hockey and volleyball. Castagna was the first head coach of field hockey and softball in school history. Outside of the NE10's founding fathers, Castagna becomes the fifth administrator inducted into the league's Hall of Fame.
Bryan Collins, LIU Post Football
Bryan Collins was a legendary figure in NE10 football, as he led LIU Post's program beginning in 1998 as a member of the Eastern Football Conference, before the NE10 began sponsoring the sport. LIU Post, originally known as C.W. Post, was an NE10 associate member and it became a national contender under Collins. He accumulated a 110-29 record in NE10 play – good for a .791 winning percentage, which is the best among all NE10 head coaches with at least 100 games coached. He ranks second in all-time NE10 wins. Collins is also a seven-time EFC/NE10 Coach of the Year and led LIU Post to at least a share of nine conference titles. His program's best NCAA finish was in the quarterfinals in 2005, matching the best finish of any NE10 football team in history. Collins is the first football coach to be inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame.
James Barber, Southern Connecticut State
James Barber gave 58 years of dedicated service to Southern Connecticut in a variety of roles, but first started as a student-athlete in the 1960s – playing both football and track & field. He went on to coach SCSU track & field for 25 years, training 75 All-Americans. He also coached both the men's and women's USA track teams at national and international championships. Barber launched the Southern Educational Opportunity Program (SEOP) in 1971, which opened the door to a college degree for many minority students. He founded New Haven's track & field outreach program for young people, working with more than 4,000 children and youth over the years. He received the Service Award for Colleges and Universities from the U.S. Women's Track Coaches Association in 2000. Barber received the President's Medal of Distinction in 2022 from Southern Connecticut and was voted the NE10's male finalist for the NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Gold Award for his many contributions over the years as a coach, administrator and as an advocate for the Southern Connecticut community.
2018 Merrimack Men's Lacrosse Team
The 2018 Merrimack Men's Lacrosse Team won the program's first-ever national championship when it dominated Saint Leo, 23-6, on May 27 at Gillette Stadium. Christian Thomas led the Warriors with 10 points – three goals and seven assists – while teammate Sean Black added seven points of his own. Eight different players had multiple points that day, helping Merrimack to cap-off an 18-1 season – which included its third NE10 title and a school record for wins in a single season. The 2018 Merrimack team is the sixth men's lacrosse program to be inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame.
2018 Le Moyne Women's Lacrosse Team
The 2018 Le Moyne Women's Lacrosse Team brought home the program's first national championship when it defeated Florida Southern, 16-11, on May 20 on the campus of the University of Tampa. Bryanna Fazio led the Dolphins with seven points, including six goals, on the way to Le Moyne's 22nd win of the season under head coach Kathy Taylor - tying the NCAA Division II record for single-season wins. Fazio was named the Championship's Most Outstanding Player. It is the eighth women's lacrosse team to be inducted into the NE10 Hall of Fame, joining seven other national championship-winning programs.
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