New Members Inducted into Athletics Hall of Fame

The newly inducted members (L to R): Dr. Harvey Perlow, Jonathan Rojas, Desirae Ross, Ivelisse Rosario, Freddy Sanchez, and Dr. Lorenzo Gonzalez.

Six exceptional alumni from the sports of basketball, track and field, and swimming—Dr. Lorenzo Gonzalez, Dr. Harvey Perlow, Jonathan Rojas, Ivelisse Rosario, Desirae Ross, and Freddy Sanchez—were inducted into the Lehman Athletics Hall of Fame on May 16. It marked the first time an induction ceremony had been held since 2005.

Members of other Hall of Fame classes attended the ceremony, including former Lehman College men's basketball star Nick McNickle (played from 1970-1974, was inducted in 1999), men's swimmer Serge Pilipczuk (swam from 1971-1975, inducted in 2000), men's basketball player Ray Rankis (played from 1971-1975, inducted in 2000), and softball player Hillary Peart (played in 1997 and 1998, inducted in 2005).

"The six members of this year's induction class truly exemplify the words sacrifice, dedication, and heart," said Lehman Director of Athletics Dr. Martin Zwiren.

Dr. Lorenzo Gonzalez (Men's Basketball, 1989-1993) won the MVP award in 1993, as well as Lehman's Athlete of the Year award. He also earned the College's Scholar-Athlete designation all four years. He went on to earn a master's in sports medicine and a doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Miami School of Medicine and has become one of the nation's leading physical therapists.

Dr. Harvey Perlow (Men's Basketball & Track and Field, 1969-1971) demonstrated his skill on the court by averaging more than 16 points per game and serving as team captain during his final two seasons. In track and field, he broke the Lehman record in the High Jump as a sophomore, captured first place in that same event at the CUNYAC championship meet in both his junior and senior years, and medaled in the Junior National Championship. After graduating from Lehman, he earned his D.D.S. degree from Columbia Dental School and completed his residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital. He has been selected by the Consumers Research Council as one of the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

Jonathan Rojas (Men's Basketball, 1999-2004) was a three-time CUNYAC All Star and accumulated 1,358 points, while pulling down more than 500 records and making more than 250 assists. In his final season, he was named an All-Atlantic Region All-Star as he led the Lightning in scoring and rebounding and also helped his team win a CUNYAC championship and earn a berth in the NCAA National Tournament. During his years at Lehman, the Lightning won two CUNYAC North Division crowns and one CUNYAC title and also qualified during one season for the ECAC Metro NY/NJ Men's Basketball Tournament.

Ivelisse Rosario (Women's Basketball, 1998-2002), who is currently associate head coach of the women's basketball team, was captain of that team for four years, sinking 183 three-point baskets and making 358 assists—which placed her second in Lehman's history in both those categories. During her playing career, she started in an amazing 110 games, not missing a single contest, and was key to Lehman qualifying for the 2002 CUNY championship game.

Desirae Ross (Women's Basketball, 1998-2002), who played alongside Rosario, currently ranks second on Lehman's all-time scoring list, with a total of 1,275 points, and third in three-point shots, with 115. She was named a Second Team CUNYAC All-Star in three of her four seasons and twice was selected as a Hudson Valley First Team All-Star. She also was a key reason why Lehman qualified for the 2002 CUNYAC championship game.

Freddy Sanchez (Swimming & Water Polo, 1996-2000) holds four individual Lehman records in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke and the 200 and 400 individual medley. He also holds four Lehman relay records in the 200- and 400-medley relays and the 200- and 400-freestyle relays. Voted Rookie of the Year and MVP in his freshman year, he went on to become a four-year finalist at the ECAC and Metropolitan Championships and a four-year All-Metropolitan Conference selection. As team captain, he was a four-year MVP, and in his senior year, he was voted Lehman's Most Outstanding Athlete. He also was a member of the water polo, cross country, track, and tennis teams. Since his graduation, he has been a member of Lehman's coaching staff and has been instrumental in helping the men's swim team win four consecutive CUNYAC Conference Championships from 2006-2009.