Sept. 25, 2004
Baseball standout Tim Christman and football great Reggie Greene, members of the Siena Class of 1998, are the latest inductees into the College's Sports Hall of Fame. The pair was enshrined formally following a cocktail reception held in the Marcelle Athletic Complex Saturday afternoon. In addition, a commemorative plaque was presented to members of the 1979 men's lacrosse team in recognition of the 25th anniversary of their undefeated 12-0 season.
Christman was one of the top strikeout pitchers in program history before being drafted by the Colorado Rockies following his junior season (1996--11th Round). As a freshman he was named MAAC North Rookie of the Year after posting a 2.59 ERA and striking out 61 batters in just over 41 innings of work. That season, he also tossed the first no-hitter in program history (4/9/94 vs. Niagara), and was selected MAAC Pitcher of the Week on two occasions. He earned a trip to the NYSCBCA All-Star game as a freshman as well. For his career he registered 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings, ranking in the top-10 nationally as both a freshman and sophomore in that category. Christman had an 11-8 record for his three-year career, and helped Siena capture the MAAC Championship and advance to the NCAA play-in round in 1995 and 1996. He has enjoyed a successful professional career since leaving Siena, as he became just the third player in school history to appear in the major leagues in 2001 pitching for the Rockies. Christman spent this past summer as a member of the Seattle Mariners Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, Washington.
Head Baseball Coach Tony Rossi introduced Christman to a crowd that included old teammates and current members of the baseball team. "Tim is a great player and an even better person," Rossi said. "We recruited him to Siena as a hitter, but he evolved into one of the great pitchers in program history. The success he has enjoyed professionally since his graduation is a result of a tireless work ethic and genuine passion for the game. We all wish him the best of luck in returning to the major leagues."
Arguably the greatest football player in the history of the MAAC Football League, Greene, a three-time Associated Press All-American (1995-97), was selected MAAC Player of the Year three times (1995, 1996, 1997). He rushed for 5,415 yards (NCAA I-AA career leader following his senior season) during his career and became only the second player in NCAA I-AA history to win three consecutive rushing titles (1995, 1996, 1997). Greene also became the only player in NCAA-IAA history with three consecutive all-purpose yard titles (1995, 1996, 1997) and finished his career with 6,975 all-purpose yards and 50 TD. Greene set the NCAA I-AA record for most yards rushing in a game as a junior (1996) when he rushed for 379 yards vs. St. John's (NY). He finished in the top-10 of the Walter Payton Award voting (NCAA I-AA Player of the Year) on three different occasions during his career (1995-97) and received the Walter Camp Merit Award in 1998. He also received three Heisman Trophy Award votes (Nation's top player) in 1997.
Athletic Director John D'Argenio spoke on behalf of Greene Saturday. "Reggie's individual accomplishments rank among the all-time greats in any sport in Siena's athletic history," D'Argenio said. "One need only look in (our athletic department) trophy cases to see the tremendous legacy he left behind. But as competitive and unstoppable as he was on the playing field, he was equally humble and personable off."
The reception and ceremony capped off a day in which sports alumni and hall of fame members were invited back to the College to participate in Alumni Games and tour the ever-changing Siena campus.
Dr. Joseph Marotta was selected to accept the plaque for the 1979 men's lacrosse team. "Nearly all of my teammates (from the '79 team) still remain in close contact," Marotta said. "We have all gone on to do different things with our lives, but the way we came together that season had a lasting impact on the men we all became."
The Siena Hall of Fame was established in 1964 and now consists of 94 members. The selection process is based on the module used by Major League Baseball, with all student-athletes becoming initially eligible five years after they have graduated from the College. The voting panel, chaired this year by Gary HolleSr. '77, is made up of athletic administrators, hall of fame members and coaches.
