July 30, 2008

The University of New Mexico Alumni Lettermen's Association has announced the 2008 inductees into the UNM Athletic Hall of Honor. The Class of 2008 includes Jack Abendschan (football 1962-64), Jim Hulsman, Maria Gurreri (volleyball 1987-90) and Leanne Palmisano (tennis 1982-85).

This is the 22nd class since the inaugural inductions in 1986.

The posthumous inductees are Joe Behl (rhymes with meal) (baseball, football, track 1939-42) and George Heard (football, 1960-62).

Additional awards:

Distinguished Service: Jerry Apodaca (football) and Jeff Apodaca (football)

2007-08 Coach of the Year: Ray Birmingham (baseball)

2007-08 Female Athlete of the Year: Katie Coronado (track and field)

2007-08 Male Athlete of the Year: John Sullivan (football)

The annual banquet and dinner will be held Friday, Sept. 12, at the UNM Student Union Ballroom. Tickets are $45 each or $450 for a table of 10. Call the UNM Alumni Office at 277-2593 for more information.

Biographies

Jack Abendschan, Inductee

Sport: Football

At UNM (1962-64): 1962 Honorable mention offensive guard - Western Athletic Conference

1963 1st team offensive guard - Western Athletic Conference

1964 2nd team Associated Press All American at offensive guard

Professional Football:

Saskatchewan Roughriders, Regina Saskatchewan Canada

Offensive guard and placekicker

1967-1975 All-Western Conference 8 years

All-Pro Canadian 5 years

2 All-Star Game appearances

Maria Gurreri

Sport: Volleyball

At UNM (1987-90):

1987-1990 Four-year starter at outside hitter

1989 U.S. Olympic Festival South Team (gold medal) and team captain

1991 U.S. Olympic Festival South Team

1987-1989 Empire State Games (gold medal)

1990 Captain of Volleyball Team

WAC All-Academic, Second Team

1991 State winner, NCAA Woman of the Year

Athletic Awards: 1988 Honorable mention All-High Country Athletic Conference

1989 1st team all-High Country Athletic Conference

1990 2nd team All-American and 1st team all-WAC

Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame, Co-Female Athlete of the Year

Jim Hulsman, Inductee

Sport: Basketball, Football, Track & Field Coach

APS Career:

1954-1958 Part time Coach

1959-2002 Head Boy's Basketball coach, Albuquerque High School

Career record: 660-223

State championships: 1971,1977,1984,1990,1993,1995,1998

State tournament appearances: 24

District titles: 18 regular season and 12 district tournaments

Honors: National Federation High School Hall of Fame

Albuquerque/New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame

New Mexico Activities Association Hall of Fame

New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame

Leanne Palmisano

Sport: Women's Tennis

At UNM (1982-85):

Played No. 1 in singles and doubles, every year for the Lobos

1985 First UNM women's tennis player to qualify for the NCAA Championships

Two-time winner in singles and doubles, Intermountain Conference

High Country all-conference, 1984-85

Lobos' MVP

Nationally ranked in singles and doubles

Coaching: Head men's and women's tennis coach, University of Denver

Won 3 Conference titles in 4 years of coaching

Twice Named Continental Divide Conference Coach of the Year

NAIA Regional Coach of the Year, 1990

Crestmoor Community Association Tennis Coach, Teacher, Leader

19 years as Program Director

Coach representing the State of Colorado and the six-state Intermountain Section in regional and national tournaments

Team Colorado Coach - 10 years

Advocate for Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation and Colorado Tennis Association

Joe Behl, Posthumous Inductee

1939-1942 UNM baseball, football and track letterman

Backup quarterback and punter under Ted Shipkey

Compiled a 7-2 pitching record and ran hurdles in track

1941 1st UNM pitcher to beat Arizona

1942 Joined the Naval Reserve and flew Torpedo missions over the Pacific.

1946 Awarded the Navy Cross, the nation's second highest military honor for achievement in action

1946 Received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 5 clusters

1946 Signed with the Albuquerque Dukes as pitcher

1946-1948 Had three 10-win seasons with the Dukes

Owned and operated Joe Behl's Sporting Goods and the Red Lion Inn in Albuquerque

1965-1972 Albuquerque Dukes first base coach

Los Angeles Dodgers area scout

George Heard, Posthumous Inductee

Sport: Football

At UNM:

1961 Member of the Aviation Bowl championship team

2nd place in the 100-yard dash (9.7) at the Skyline Conference championships

1962 Selected to play in the All-American Bowl

2nd team All-WAC tight end

Professional Career: 1963 Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles

Played tight end for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders

Professional: Worked as a Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for 30 years

Jeff Apodaca, Distinguished Service Award

Sport: Football (1983-85)

Jeff Apodaca is Vice President, Integrated Sales and Marketing (2002-present), with Univision Communications UVN, the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States.

Prior to joining Univision, Apodaca served as Vice President of Sales and Operations Southwest/West Coast for the Excite Network where he created and launched successful integrated sales programs for numerous high-profile clients. His extensive experience includes VP of Sales for AOL studios, Sales in Primetime, Sports, and Business Development with the CBS Television Network. Apodaca started his career in 1986 with Hubbard Broadcasting's NBC stations in New Mexico. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico where he lettered in football and received his bachelor's degree in Communication & Broadcast Management.

Apodaca grew up in Santa Fe where he still has family and friends, keeping very close ties. A cancer survivor, Apodaca spent 1983 as the American Cancer Societies National spokesperson and continues to work with children fighting cancer. In 1999, Apodaca founded the Jeff Apodaca Celebrations of Life Fund, which has raised over $1 million for cancer survivors and the Children's Hospital of New Mexico. Apodaca was treated for his rare sarcoma from 1979-1980.

Jerry Apodaca Sr., Distinguished Service Award

Sport: Football (1954-56)

At UNM:

1955 Played halfback under Dick Clausen

1957-1989 Teacher, coach, businessman, entrepreneur, author and publisher, politician, State Senator and Governor of New Mexico

Political and Public Service Career:

1966 Elected to the New Mexico State Senate. Re-elected in 1970 and 1972.

1974 Elected New Mexico's first Hispanic Governor since 1918

1976 Served as one of the Co-Chairs of the Democratic National Convention

1976 Elected National Chairman of the Education Commission of the States

1978-1980 Served as Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; appointed by President Carter

1985 UNM Board of Regents. Served as President of the Board of Regents for 2 years.

Recognition:

1974 Named "One of the Leaders of Tomorrow" by Time magazine

1976 Received Honorary Doctorates from Eastern New Mexico and Our Lady of the Lakes, San Antonio, Texas

1977 Received the Distinguished Service to Higher Education from CASE

1987 Named to the LULAC Hall of Fame

1988 Named Man of the Year by the Grand Council of Hispanic Societies in Public Service

Ray Birmingham

• 34-25 record and 16-8 (2nd) in the Mountain West

• 34 wins ties for seventh on the all-time Lobo wins list

• UNM began the season 7-0, the best start since 1973

• UNM had eight players named to the All-Mountain West Conference teams, including the entire infield on the second team

• OF Brian Cavazos-Galvez (1st team), C Rafael Neda (2nd team), 1B Kevin Atkinson (2nd team), 2B Mike Brownstein (2nd team), SS Scott Gracey (2nd team), 3B Ian Hollick (2nd team), SP Bobby LaFromboise (2nd team), RP Clinton Cox (2nd team)

• Rafael Neda became the first Lobo to be named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year...Neda was also named to three Freshman All-America teams: Louisville Slugger, NCBWA, and Ping!Baseball

• The Lobos appeared in the MWC tournament championship game for the first time in league history

• Two Lobos were selected in the 2008 MLB Draft: P Bobby LaFromboise (8th/Seattle Mariners) and SS/P Scott Gracey (15/Toronto Blue Jays)

Katie Coronado (Track and Field), 2007-08 Female Athlete of the Year

• Finished 2nd in the javelin at the NCAA Championships - the highest NCAA finish ever by a UNM woman and best by a Lobo (man or woman) at the NCAA meet since 1985...her 8 points were the most the New Mexico women had ever scored at the NCAA Championships

• Placed 6th at the U.S. Olympic Trials

• MWC javelin champion for the second straight year

• NCAA Midwest Regional javelin champion - the first UNM woman and second Lobo (Matt Gonzales - 1,500m) to win a regional title

• Posted a 9-1 head-to-head record vs. collegiate competition during the season with the NCAA Championships marking her first defeat...was the first UNM woman to win an event at the Texas Relays

• Broke her own school record and moved into second on the MWC all-time list (179' 6") and became the first UNM woman to throw over 170 feet in the javelin

John Sullivan (Football), 2007-08 Male Athlete of the Year

• 1st team All-America from ESPN.com, the Walter Camp Football Foundation and The Sporting News

• A former walk-on who turned in the most remarkable season by a kicker in UNM history in 2007...Sullivan went from a virtual unknown to the third consensus All-America honoree in program history in the span of one semester...suffered what many thought was a career-ending torn ACL in his left plant leg during spring ball, but made a stunning recovery without surgery

• 1st team all-MWC selection who became the third Lobo to be named to the consensus All-America team, joining WR Terance Mathis (1989) and S Brian Urlacher (1999)

• Led the nation with 29 FGs, an average of 2.42 FGs per game - the best mark in the country since 1984...after a 1-3 start to his career, he hit a school record 18 consecutive field goals

• Tied an NCAA record by making multiple FGs in 10 games

Lobos Athletics

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