Staten Island, NY – Four former Wagner College athletes were formally inducted into the Seahawk Hall of Fame at a morning ceremony today. Comprising the Class of 2017 are: Gil Barkman (Class of 2000, Baseball), Elizabeth Hayes (Class of 2001, Volleyball), Meredith Kerns (Class of 2002, Women's Basketball), and Al Palladino (Class of 1961, Football).
 
These former Seahawk greats were selected on the merit of their athletic prowess and will be inducted on October 28, 2017 when the Green & White football team hosts Bryant at 12:00 pm. The Class of 2017 will be formally inducted at a morning ceremony in Spiro Sports Center's VIP room, before being publicly recognized at halftime.
 
The Hall of Fame, in 2017, will enjoy its 27th year of nominating, selecting and displaying those Wagner student-athletes who have distinguished themselves as extraordinary representatives of the Green & White. With the addition of these four individuals, the number of members in the Wagner Hall of Fame will grow to 170, each representing the best among the thousands of student-athletes who have dedicated themselves to competition in the name of Wagner College.
 
Gil Barkman
Baseball (1997-2000)
Gil Barkman was an extremely productive and versatile player who, while seeing action at several positions throughout his career, to this day ranks in the Wagner All-Time Top-10 in seven different career and six single-season categories. The Brooklyn, NY native, who starred at Midwood High School prior to arriving on Grymes Hill, led the Seahawks to the NEC title in 2000 while earning First-Team All-League honors as a designated hitter/outfielder. In his junior season of 1999, Barkman was named Second-Team All-NEC as a third baseman. In the Wagner all-time career record book, Barkman ranks third in home runs (31) and RBIs (146), tied for fourth in batting average (.349), fifth in runs scored (133), tied for ninth in doubles (35) and 10th in hits (188). Within the Seahawks' all-time Top-10 single-season list, Barkman is tied for second in runs scored (52 in 2000) and holds three different spots on the all-time RBI list, sitting in a tie for third (48 in 1999), fifth (47 in 2000), and eighth (45 in 1999). He is also tied for fourth in both home runs (11 in 1999) and triples (4 in 1999 & 2000). "Gil could play any number of positions, and the one thing we needed as a team was to have him in the batting lineup every time out," said his coach, Richie Vitaliano. "He was a dangerous hitter and certainly one of the finest baseball players in Wagner College history."
  
Elizabeth Hayes
Volleyball
(1997-2001)
Regarded by her coach, Lauris Murnieks, as "the greatest volleyball player ever at Wagner," Elizabeth Hayes hit the ground running as a freshman and never looked back. As an outside hitter in her rookie season of 1997, Hayes led Wagner to its first, and only, NEC Championship and subsequent NCAA Tournament Play-In Game appearance. During the Seahawks' three-match run to the 1997 NEC championship, Hayes tallied 52 kills, 63 digs, eight blocks and two aces, as the Green & White earned a pair of upset victories over top-seeded Saint Francis U. At the conclusion of the 1997 campaign, Hayes was named First-Team All-NEC, NEC Rookie of the Year and NEC Tournament MVP. In addition to setting a host of Wagner single-season records, the Oakdale, NY native, who starred at Connetquot High School before embarking on her collegiate career,  ranks No. 1 on the Seahawk all-time career list in Kills (1,246), Attempts (3,718), Kills Per Game (3.00), Digs (1,690), and Digs Per Game (4.06). She also ranks No. 2 all time in Matches Played (120) and Games Played (416), sixth all-time in Hitting Efficiency (.190) and ninth in All-Time Aces (107).
 
Meredith Kerns
Women's Basketball (1998-2002)
Meredith Kerns was a skilled and physical 6-3 center who scored 1,397 career points during her four-year Seahawk career, which ranks ninth on the Wagner all-time points list. The Harrisburg, PA native is also ranked No. 3 in career blocked shots (153) and No. 7 in career rebounds (834). She poured in a career-high 34 points on November 28, 2001 vs. Drexel and her 32-point outburst vs. LIU on March 3, 2001 remains a Seahawk record for most points scored in an NEC Tournament game. As a freshman in 1998-99, Kerns was named to the NEC All-Rookie team and as a senior in 2001-02, was named First-Team All-NEC. She led Wagner to an NEC Tournament in each of her four seasons, including the 2000 NEC Championship game as a sophomore in 1999-2000. Elected in her first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame, Kerns led Wagner to a winning NEC record in each of her four seasons. "There's no doubt that Meredith absolutely deserves to be in the Hall of Fame," said her coach, Tara Gallagher. "She had a tremendous career at Wagner, was both, a great scorer and rebounder. She was one of the best players in the conference during her time at Wagner and was not only a fantastic player, but also a very good student."
 
Al Palladino
Football (1958-1960)
Al Palladino played an integral role in helping lead the 1960 Seahawks to a perfect 9-0 record, their first-ever undefeated season, which kicked off one of the greatest eras in Wagner football history. While serving as a co-captain in 1959, he helped lead Wagner to a 6-2 record which was the Seahawks' first winning mark in nine seasons and began a stretch of six straight non-losing seasons. After transfering from Wake Forest, Palladino became a three-year starter who played both offense (guard) and defense (linebacker) on Grymes Hill. The physical 5'9" Palladino was regarded as a dominant and aggressive two-way player throughout his career. "Alfie was our leader, he was always in the bottom of the pile near the ball," said teammate John Campi ('62). "His play was not measured in flash and dash. He is more effectively measured in bams and thuds. He was a 6'3" fearless pulling guard stuffed into a 5'9" highly-motivated, tenacious body." A standout player at nearby Curtis High School, Palladino served as a member of the Wagner Board of Trustees for 24 years, co-chairing and participating in the Wagner College Investment Committee, as well as supporting the Touchdown Club and the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform. A past honoree of Wagner College's DaVinci Society, Palladino and his wife Christine, a Wagner alumna, were named John "Bunny" Barbes '39 and Lila T. Barbes '40 Wagner Alumni Laureates for their service to Wagner College in 2015. 

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