Five more to join Athletic Hall of Fame

Salve Regina will induct five individuals into its Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday, Sept. 28 as part of Fall Festival Weekend. The seventh hall of fame class includes Christine Linski Keller ’92 (tennis), Scott Kopecky ’98 (football, baseball and basketball), Alyssa Ricci ’99 (basketball and softball), Mark DeBiasio ’01 (football) and Paul Cardoza (administrator and coach).

The annual induction ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. with a reception in Ochre Court, followed by dinner and inductions. Click here for more information.

Christine Linski Keller ’92

The school’s female athlete of the year in 1991-1992, Keller still holds the record for career singles wins with 60 and graduated as the record-holder for doubles victories. She also shares the record for most singles wins in a season with 20. Keller and her Salve Regina teammates captured the first three conference championships in women’s tennis.

Scott W. Kopecky ’98

A three-sport standout, Kopecky played on the first Salve Regina football team in 1992, excelling at linebacker for three seasons. When he finished his three-year basketball career in 1995, he was the school’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,184 points and top 3-point shooter (200). Kopecky was the first Salve Regina baseball player to be chosen all-New England, which earned him a spot at second base in the college all-star game at Fenway Park in 1995. He left Salve Regina as the school record holder for home runs, triples and career batting average.

Alyssa Ricci ’99

A two-sport standout, Ricci still holds the scoring record for women’s basketball (1,578 points) and was the first women’s basketball player to reach the 1,000-point milestone by her junior season. She earned Commonwealth Coast Conference player of the year honors in softball while leading the Seahawks to the league championship and set the single-season record for assists (112) in 1998. Ricci was an all-conference player in both sports all four years and was the school’s female athlete of the year in 1998 and 1999.

Mark DeBiasio ’01

A two-time Academic All-America, DeBiasio ranks second all-time for rushing yardage (3,679) and touchdowns (35). In 1998, he set a school record for rushing yardage in a season (1,461), and on Nov. 21, 1998, he rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns to lead Salve Regina to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Northeast Division III championship. DeBiasio and classmate Lucas Arnold comprised the “backfield with brains” as both record-setting rushers carried Salve Regina into its first New England Football Conference championship game in 2000 while also earning Academic All-America honors.

Paul Cardoza

In 1976, Cardoza became the first full-time director of athletics at Salve Regina. As head coach of women’s tennis, he established an annual tournament at the Tennis Hall of Fame and, along with Sister Esther Whalen, established the roots of the sailing program. Other sports added during Cardoza’s tenure include baseball, soccer and softball. After leaving in 1989 to head a health and physical education department for a public school system, he continued to teach elementary education at Salve Regina and other institutions. Returning in 2007, Cardoza now coordinates the University’s health and wellness education program.