1985 Hall of Fame Inductees

Joseph J. DeSantis '79, men's basketball: Joe DeSantis is more than Fairfield University's greatest basketball player ... he's one of the finest guards in New England collegiate history, ranking with Jimmy Walker, Bob Cousy, Johnny Egan, Ernie DiGregorio, and other illustrious backcourt men of the region. Known as Fairfield's "Mr. Outside," DeSantis' shooting, passing, and dribbling skills delighted Fairfield partisans for four seasons (1975-1979) and earned him a multitude of awards and honors. All-East, All-New England, Honorable Mention All-American, and New England Rookie of the Year. Indeed, he won no fewer than three Most Valuable Player awards during in-season tournaments as a senior co-captain. The 6-foot-2 native of the Bronx was consistency personified at Fairfield, averaging 16.8, 18.2, 20.1, and 18.5 points and amassing 120, 177, 187, and 183 assists. Not surprisingly, many of the University's major scoring records are his, including most career points (1,916), field goals (727) and lifetime free throw percentage (.849, a record of 462-544). His lifetime scoring average is 18.4. As a junior, "Joey D." was the driving force behind the Stags' 22-3 regular-season record - remember that landmark 123-103 victory over nationally ranked Holy Cross which resulted in bids to the ECAC New England Tournament and the National Invitation Tournament. Joe also holds the single season free throw percentage record of .892 for the 1976-77 season which left him ranked as the fifth leading free throw shooter in the country. He scored 30 or more points in 7 games, and was twice selected to the First Team All New England in 1978-79. He also received the AP's Honorable Mention All American Award in 1979 and was selected to the UPJ's First Team All New England in 1979. Even a broken ankle, incurred in a Labor Day weekend auto accident, couldn't put a damper on DeSantis' remarkable senior season which was capped by a 30-point performance in a win over Boston College. Although drafted in the second round by the Washington Bullets, Joe opted to play with Canon of Venice in the Italian Basketball Federation in 1979-80, where he achieved all-star status.

Robert (Bob) J. Kownacki '78, baseball: If hitting two home runs in a single game is a significant feat, what does that make two home runs in ONE inning? Bob Kownacki walloped a pair of home runs in the sixth inning against the University of Connecticut on April 17, 1976, an accomplishment which propelled Fairfield to a 17-3 triumph. Kownacki produced some notable batting feats during his three seasons (1974-76) as the Stags' all-star shortstop. Two seasons earlier, also on April 17, the Bridgeport native exploded for two home runs, five hits and seven runs batted in - all of which tied or set school records. Southern Connecticut went down for a 13-3 count that afternoon. There was another five-hit game for Bob, also against Southern, in 1976, and he established a stolen base record with four in a game against St. Peter's that same year. As a junior, Bob was voted the All-Northeast shortstop, thanks to a .382 batting average, a school-record 49 hits, four homers, 28 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. Bob was also selected to the First Team All-North East in 1976 and holds most of Fairfield's single game records including stolen bases (4), home runs (2), runs batted in (7), runs scored (5), and hits (5). The Los Angeles Dodgers obviously were impressed as they selected Bob in the eighth round of the June 1976 Major League Baseball draft. After a season in the Dodger farm system, Kownacki returned to Fairfield to earn a B.A. in sociology in 1978. Employment at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford enabled Bob to continue his first-class play with the company's perennial national championship slow-pitch softball team. He was selected to the Amateur Softball Association's All-American team in 1983 and 1984.

James D. Monahan '72, men's ice hockey: Jim Monahan was, and is, a pioneer at Fairfield. In the late 1960s, he was a founder of the University's ice hockey program and the brightest of the Stags' early stars. He is the first Fairfield skater to be inducted into the Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame. The native of Dedham, Massachusetts led Fairfield to a 58-27-1 record in his four seasons, which included two runner-up finishes in the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Hockey League playoffs. During his freshman year, Monahan scored a record 50 goals and 24 assists. Remarkably, he exploded for a pair of seven-goal games, against Columbia and Quinnipiac, and a total of eight hat tricks - both school records. Monahan, a winger who played on a high-scoring line with Ted Sybertz and Jean Guy Laflamme, completed his playing career with 117 goals, 83 assists, 13 hat tricks, and 200 points scored. Both his goals and point production remain unchallenged in Fairfield annals. Jim, who was an assistant captain for three seasons, earned a multitude of all-star honors and helped establish a rich tradition of club hockey which resulted in the program achieving varsity status.

Mark Young '79, men's basketball: Few people would dispute Mark Young's place as the center on any mythical all-time Fairfield basketball team. Known as Fairfield's "Mr. Inside," Mark's imposing size (6-foot-10, 235 pounds), strength, and a shooting touch generally found in players of more conventional stature made him a force with which few opponents could contend. Even Iona's All-American, massive Jeff Ruland, held no upper hand against Young. Mark Young's development into one of the East's outstanding centers was reflected by a steady climb in productivity, as his scoring average rose step-like from 11.0 as a freshman to 13.0, 17.1, and 20.9. That senior season, which included 543 points, a .587 field goal percentage, and 9 rebounds per game, earned the Bethesda, Maryland born, Newton, Massachusetts raised Young a place on the 1978-79 U.S. Basketball Writers' and First Team UPI All-New England and Basketball Weekly's All-East selections. Mark's four-year field goal percentage of .558 and a New England-record .629 field goal percentage (149-237) in 1997-78 as a junior wasn't built on lay-ups and dunks; his shooting range extended to 15 feet and beyond. His marksmanship at the foul line produced a .779 career percentage, and earned him most of Fairfield's records, including most free throws in a game (15), season (193), and career (543). His 1,643 points are second only to Joe DeSantis, teammate, friend, and fellow co-captain. The Los Angeles Lakers selected Young in the second round of the 1979 NBA draft, but he played professionally in Spain and Israel from 1979-80.