General | 11/11/2008 12:47:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY - Eight new members were inducted into the RIT Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 8 at the Student Athletic Union.  The Class of 2008 included: Marie (McKee) Benson '80, Sean Bratches '84 (lacrosse/distinguished service), Tim Hern '00 (baseball), Krissy Mamon '01 (softball), Tom Masaschi '92 (hockey/lacrosse), Dave Mick '74 (football), Doug Murdock '90 (basketball) and Tony Wallace '03 (wrestling).

Marie McKee Benson excelled as a singles tennis player during her three seasons at RIT. She was named the RIT Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 1980. She was also a finalist for the Rochester College Athlete of the Year Award and won the NTID Female Athlete of the Year honor in 1978.  McKee finished her RIT career with a 29-2 mark. In 1977, she went 8-1.  The follwing season, McKee Benson was 10-1.  The native of Gross Pointe, Mich., capped off her stellar career by recording a perfect 11-0 mark as a senior.  McKee, an applied computer technology major, held school marks for wins in a season (11), career (29) and consecutive wins (15).

Sean Bratches was a hard-nosed lacrosse midfielder who helped lead the Tigers to their first ever NCAA appearance in 1983.  The native of White Plains, N.Y. tallied 15 goals to go along with five assists in 37 career games.  He racked up 107 ground balls in three seasons as well.  Bratches, who earned his degree in business administration, currently serves as executive vice president, sales and marketing for ESPN.  Formerly president of Disney and ESPN Networks affiliate sales and marketing, Bratches now oversees all affiliate sales, advertising sales, and research, marketing and special events.  He was the driving force to bring the ESPN Zone to RIT, as they were the first college to have an ESPN Zone on campus.  Bratches has been an advocate for hiring RIT alumni and students to full time and co-op positions at ESPN. 

Tim Hern, a native of Rochester, did not miss a game in four seasons with the Tigers and was one of the best all-around baseball players in the history of the program.  As a senior in 2000, Hern, a second baseman, did not make an error in 114 chances.  He hit .358 with 43 hits, 27 runs scored and 14 stolen bases. That season, Hern earned All-Empire first team and All-Region third team honors. He led the Tigers to the Empire 8 Championship game and received the conference's Sportsmanship Award.  When Hern graduated in 2000 with a degree in business administration and accounting, he ranked first all-time in hits (138), runs scored (104), at-bats (447), games played (135), assists (267) and double plays turned (62) and was second in stolen bases (41). Tim's career record as a player was 72-63 and he led RIT to the ECAC Playoffs in 1999 and 2000.

Krissy Mamon was one of the most prolific pitchers in RIT softball history. She set a slew of season and career records and compiled a 43-21 won-lost record, leading the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament Appearance in 2001.  In 2001, Mamon finished 18-3 with a miniscule 1.31 earned run average.  She tossed three no-hitters and struck out 17 batters in a seven-inning game that year.  Mamon, a native of Lewiston, N.Y., was the 2001 RIT Senior Female Athlete of the Year.  She earned GTE Academic All-American honors in 2000 and 2001, with a 3.45 grade-point average in imaging technology.  When she graduated in 2001, Mamon held school single-season records for wins (19), shutouts (7) and strikeouts (171), along with career records in appearances (82), shutouts (14) and strikeouts (386). After graduation, she returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach and took over as head coach of the Tigers in 2007.

Originally from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, Tom Masaschi was a two-sport standout in hockey and lacrosse.  Masaschi was a three-time All-American midfielder in lacrosse.  He garnered second team All-American honors in 1990 and 1991 while earning third team accolades in 1992.  Masaschi is the single season leader in ground balls, with 168 in 1991, and is currently fourth all-time at the institute with 386.  He recorded 123 points (80 goals, 43 assists). Masaschi, a two-year captain, led the Tigers to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1990.  Masaschi shined on the ice as well, recording 132 career points (48 goals and 84 assists) in 116 games, leading the Tigers to an ECAC West title and NCAA Championship game appearance in 1989.  He served as assistant captain during the 1990-91 season and captain the next year.  Masaschi led his team to a 74-41-8 record and earned All-ECAC West second team honors in 1992.

Doug Murdock enjoyed a tremendous three-year stint with the RIT men's basketball team, averaging 13.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in 76 career contests.  Murdock, a native of Cortland, N.Y., was the RIT Male Senior Athlete of the Year in 1990, averaging 16.4, points and 8.7 boards per game.  He was an All-Empire Athletic Association second team selection in 1989 and a first team pick in 1990.  Murdock was the 1990 Stephen King Award winner for sportsmanship, as well a team captain.  A mechanical engineering major, Murdock held the school record for best field goal percentage in a season (54.4 percent).  He finished with 1,027 points.

Dave Mick, a native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, emerged as a tremendous football player for the Tigers, who played on both sides of the ball.  Defensively, Mick was a feared defensive end, who set the school single-season record with six fumbles recovered in 1972.  He was named the RIT Defensive Player of the Year that season.  As a senior, Mick recorded 74 tackles.  He averaged eight tackles per game during his career during his three-year varsity stint (1972-74).  Mick, a printing major, played for both Tom Coughlin, Super Bowl winning coach of the New York Giants and Lou Spiotti, current Director for the Center of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation at RIT.

Tony Wallace, a native of Franklin, Ohio, recorded 108 wins, second most in the history of RIT wrestling.  Wallace is just the third member in the history of RIT wrestling to earn three All-American honors.  He finished his career with a 108-27 record.  As a freshman, Wallace competed at the NCAA Championships and finished seventh in the 174-pound weight class, earning All-American honors.  Two years later, Wallace continued his success placing seventh at nationals in the 174-pound weight class.  In 2002, Wallace, bulked up to the 184-pound weight class and placed eighth at nationals, giving him his third All-American honor in four years.  As a senior captain, Wallace finished the season with a 27-5 record.  He was a two-time champion at the RIT Invitational in 1998 and 2001, and won several other tournaments.  After finishing his wrestling career at RIT, Wallace, a business administration major, was an assistant coach for the Tigers from 2003-05.