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Retired athletic director Sabrina Grant; former Pioneer standouts Vera Blazevska ‘17, MS ’19, women's swimming; Floriana Borova ’14, women's basketball; Morgan Dunlap ’04, softball; and Jack Lipari ’04, baseball; and the 1982-83 Pioneer women's tennis team became the newest inductees into the William Paterson University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 25 when they were enshrined during a ceremony on campus.
In addition, William Joosten ‘66, MA ’69, was honored as the University's first Pioneer of Distinction recipient at the Hall of Fame event. The honorees also were acknowledged at halftime of the women's basketball home game later that day against Stockton University.
More than 100 current and former University staff members, including President Emeritus Arnold Speert and his wife, Myrna, along with members of the Athletic Hall of Fame and family and friends of the inductees, were present to join in the celebration. Each inductee chose a personal introducer. Sean Connolly ’89, a former captain of the Pioneer Football Team, served as master of ceremonies.
“We celebrate all of our inductees for their enduring accomplishments as student-athletes, coaches, and support staff and their contributions to Pioneer Athletics on the field of play and beyond,” said University President Richard J. Helldobler. “The real beauty of Division III athletics is that our student-athletes are full members of our community. We root for them not just as athletes, but as friends, roommates, and classmates. Today’s inductees are proof that the genuine student-athlete model we have here at William Paterson works. I congratulate the inductees and their families for this well-earned recognition.”
Grant, who joined the WP Athletics staff in 1983, was named director of athletics in 2003, a position she held until her retirement in 2021. Her notable accomplishments include the establishment of the Faculty Athletic Support Team and the Student-Athlete Mentors program. Grant's impact on athletic facilities is among her lasting legacies. She spearheaded four construction projects between 2003 to 2021 that created brand-new practice/competition sites for the baseball, field hockey, football, tennis, and men's and women's soccer programs, and played a key role in important upgrades to sites used by WP's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, softball, and men's and women's swimming and diving teams. She was present for many exciting times at William Paterson, including the 1992 and 1996 baseball national championships and the 2001 men's basketball national runner-up finish. During her tenure, the Pioneers made 70 NCAA Tournament appearances and won 26 NJAC titles.
Blazevska, who swam for the Pioneers from 2013 to 2017, was named the 2016-17 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Women's Swimmer of the Year, the 2015-16 NJAC Co-Women's Swimmer of the Year, and the 2013-14 NJAC Co-Rookie of the Year. She earned seven first-team all-NJAC awards and three second-team all-conference awards, all in breaststroke and individual medley. When she graduated, Blazevska held six school records: 50-yard breaststroke, 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke, 100-yard individual medley (since broken), 200-yard individual medley, and 400-yard individual medley.
Borova, who played for the Pioneer women’s basketball team from 2010 to 2014, was an all-American point guard, finishing as the Pioneers' career assists and steals leader as well as the program's second-leading scorer. She earned spots on the 2013-14 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America Honorable Mention and D3hoops.com All-America Fourth Team and the 2013-14 WBCA All-America Honorable Mention, among other accolades. On the WP career lists, she ranks first in assists, steals, and field goals attempted; second in points, assists per game, and three-point field goals attempted; and third in field goals made and three-point field goals made, along with numerous other records. She played on teams that won the 2010-11 and 2011-12 NJAC Tournament titles and reached three NCAA Tournaments, including the 2010-11 Sweet Sixteen.
Dunlap, a catcher on the Pioneer softball team from 2000 to 2003, was twice named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Second Team (2001, 2002), and garnered spots on the 2001 and 2002 NFCA All-Region and All-NJAC First Teams, among other accolades. On the Pioneer career charts, she remains tied for fourth in games played and doubles, sixth in home runs, and eighth in runs scored. Dunlap also rates among the program's single-season leaders in games played, RBI, home runs, hits, and runs. While a Pioneer, she played on the team that won the 2001 NCAA Tournament East Regional to advance to the team's first Championship Finals (College World Series).
Lipari, an outfielder with the baseball team from 1998 to 2001, capped his career as a Pioneer by garnering bids to the 2001 All-America Second Team as well as the All-Region and All-NJAC First Teams after producing one of the greatest single-season efforts in WP baseball history with a .436 batting average, 65 hits, 17 doubles, five triples, six home runs, 49 RBI, and 54 runs scored. He remains tied for ninth in career triples and tied for 10th in doubles on the single-season chart. The Pioneers won the 1999 NCAA Tournament Mid-Atlantic Regional and finished third overall nationally at the College World Series.
The 1982-83 women's tennis team was the most dominant WP tennis team during a dominating stretch for the Pioneers, finishing 16-6 overall and fifth nationally. Led by Head Coach Dr. Ginny Overdorf and Assistant Coach Marla Zeller—both WP Hall of Famers—the team won the prestigious MALTA Tournament and the Division III Regional Tournament before finishing fifth at the national tournament. All-American Nancy Sharkey, also an individual WP Hall of Famer, was 13-4 at first singles, earning a national ranking of second. Other standouts included Adelita Bonet (18-5, second-fourth singles, second in MALTA Flight II singles), Lori Bulwith (9-0, sixth singles), Anne Galpern (18-3, fifth-sixth singles, first in MALTA Flight III singles, second in MALTA Flight II doubles), Pam Gomez (5-5, second singles; 5-7, first singles), Lisa Malloy (21-2 at fourth-fifth singles, second in MALTA Flight III singles, second in MALTA Flight II doubles), and Sue O'Malley (13-10, second-third singles).
Joosten is the first athlete to be honored as a Pioneer of Distinction. The award was created to honor individuals who were student-athletes at a time when the structure of WP athletics, and the awards available, were different (for instance, no conferences), and/or documentation was not readily available. Joosten was a three-sport student-athlete and eight-time letterwinner at Paterson State College (1962-66), playing four seasons of baseball, three of basketball, and one of soccer. He was a baseball co-captain and team MVP as a senior, playing every position except catcher and registering an 11-3 career record on the mound. A three-year basketball starter and a co-captain, he elected not to play as a senior due to his student teaching commitment. Joosten also joined the soccer team as a senior and was the team's second-leading scorer while playing the sport for the very first time.
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 all, 156 individuals and six teams have already been enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
For full bios on the honorees, click here.
