Baseball team, Brennan inducted into Mercy's new hall of fame
3 comments below
Former basketball star Paul Brennan, right, with Bishop McGann-Mercy High School's principal, Dr. Steven Cheeseman, during Saturday night's induction class.
That is how Athletic Director Paula Nickerson phrased it at the school's annual principal's dinner, where the induction ceremony for the inaugural class of the school's athletic hall of fame took place.
"It's a significant step for our athletic program," Nickerson said in an interview. "[The inductees] will become a part of school athletic history."
Mercy's 2003 baseball team won the only state championship in school history.
The inaugural class includes the Monarchs' 2003 New York State Class D champion baseball team and Paul Brennan, a star basketball player who graduated from the school in 1971.
The baseball team, coached by current physical education teacher and Class of 1992 graduate Jeff Doroski, was an obvious selection. "Nobody else has ever won one," Nickerson said of the only state title in school history.
"They do a great job representing what Mercy's all about," said Doroski, whose assistant coach was Brian Failla, a 1998 Mercy graduate.
The second nominee, and first individual athlete nominated, was Brennan, who is now a regional manager at Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Bridgehampton.
"Although well-known today on the East End as a successful real-estate broker, back in the day Paul Brennan was the pride of the Mercy basketball program," Nickerson told the audience.
Brennan said it was flattering to be included, and that he was happy to see the school reach out to its alumni and "bring them back into the fold."
In three varsity seasons, Brennan averaged a double-double -- 24.5 points and 13 rebounds -- per game. He also averaged seven assists. Brennan finished his high school career with 1,183 points, which is still a school record.
"It's a case of the older I got, the better I was," Brennan said, adding, "It makes me feel a little like Babe Ruth."
Brennan's high school capstone came when he helped lead the Monarchs to a Suffolk County championship in his senior season.
Brennan went on to play at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., where he graduated in 1975 before heading to Australia for a two-year stint playing professional basketball for the Bankstown Bruins.
In addition to presenting Brennan with a trophy, similar to one the baseball team received, Nickerson also gave him a basketball. "Interestingly enough, the ball that was in the trophy case somehow disappeared before my time here," Nickerson said.
So Nickerson had a new ball designed to present to Brennan. She said that was probably as much a highlight for Brennan as his induction. But it was also a highlight for his alma mater.
"It exemplifies how a good sports program can help an entire school," Brennan said of the hall of fame.
The inaugural class was selected, Nickerson said, but nominations for future classes will be put to a selection committee. Those nominees can be an individual athlete, coach, team or contributor.
Athletes must have attended Mercy for at least two years and cannot be nominated until at least five years after graduation. Coaches must have coached for at least five years and have been retired from varsity coaching for at least five years. Teams can be nominated five years after "a significant performance" and contributors can be selected by committee prerogative.
The hall of fame sets a standard for future athletes to try to achieve, Doroski said, adding that it will be fun to watch it continue to grow.
jwilliams@northshoresun.com
The Riverhead News-Review is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Riverhead News-Review does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Riverhead News-Review. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Service and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
3 comments found
Mercy Basketball Coach circa 1970 : 7/19/2010
Mercy's basketball coach in 1969/70 was a guy by the name of Pete Tepper.
basketball team : 3/10/2010
Who was the coach of that team?
mercy basketball : 3/9/2010
merch hs first class should have had Dennis McBride and Jim Pendlick, whithout the two of them Brennen would not have had a basketball team to play on. They gave Mercy the rep of a great basketball school
