James Madison Announces 2016 & 2017 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison University on Friday announced its inductees for the 2016 and 2017 classes of its Athletics Hall of Fame. The classes feature seven former student-athletes and one team of distinction.

The 2016 Hall of Fame class features the 1983 College World Series baseball team, former football lineman Carlo Bianchini (1984-87), volleyball's Karla Gessler (1997-2000) and former men's cross country runner Pete Weilenmann (1986-1990). The 2017 class includes Meredith Alexis (2003-07) of women's basketball, Dana Allison (1986-89) of baseball, Kelly (Berger) Rabil (2004-07) of lacrosse and Kellen Kulbacki (2005-07) of baseball.

The induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, January 28 at noon in JMU's Festival Conference and Student Center with a buffet lunch, formal ceremony and dessert reception to follow. Tickets for the event are on sale now at JMUSports.com. The ceremony will feature two classes this year due to moving the event from the previous fall time frame to early spring, meaning that a ceremony would not be held during the 2016 calendar year.

2016 JMU Athletics Hall of Fame Class

1983 Baseball

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1983 Baseball Roster

In 1983, JMU won the NCAA Division I Eastern Regional to become the first team in program history and in the Commonwealth of Virginia to advance to baseball's College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. JMU remained the only school in the state to reach the CWS until Virginia advanced in 2009. JMU went 37-13 overall and received an at-large bid to the championship. In the regional in Chapel Hill, the Dukes defeated Delaware 6-5, The Citadel 5-2, William & Mary 13-8 and South Carolina 9-4 to advance to Omaha. At the CWS, in a field that included future Major Leaguers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Barry Larkin, Pete Incaviglia, Dave Magadan and Chris Sabo, the Dukes faced two of the nation's top three teams, falling 12-0 to eventual champion Texas and 3-1 to Stanford.

Carlo Bianchini (1984-87) – Football

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The first offensive lineman to earn selection to JMU's Hall of Fame, Carlo Bianchini was a two-time All-American for the Dukes, including three seasons playing under Head Coach Joe Purzycki. Paving the way in a run-oriented, wing-T offense, Bianchini helped the Dukes average 24.6 points per game and 261.6 rushing yards per game as part of an offense that averaged 365.3 yards per game total in his senior season. The junior year numbers in 1986 were similar with 27.2 points and 251.9 rushing yards out of 285.5 total yards. JMU advanced to the NCAA I-AA playoffs for the first time in his senior season as part of a 9-3 campaign. He was an Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association First Team All-American in 1987 as well as honorable mention AP in 1986.

Karla (Gessler) Holmes (1997-2000) – Volleyball

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The only four-time, First Team All-CAA selection in JMU volleyball history, Karla Gessler led the Dukes to two CAA Championships and two NCAA appearances in her four years. Prior to the 2016 JMU volleyball campaign, she ranked first in career hitting percentage at .342, seventh in kills (1,157), eighth in kills per set (2.70), ninth in career sets (428), second in solo blocks (112), seventh in block assists (275), fifth in total blocks (387), eighth in blocks per set (0.90) and 10^th in aces (115). Her career hitting mark is 24 percentage points ahead of second place as she owns three of the top nine single-season attack percentages in program history, including the program record of .384. As a senior, she was MVP of the CAA Championship as part of a 21-10 season. Her junior squad also won the CAA at 26-7 overall with the squad setting a program record with 24 consecutive sets won.

Pete Weilenmann (1986-1990) – Men's Cross Country

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One of the top cross country runners in program history, Pete Weilenmann was named CAA Athlete of the Year three times. In an era dominated in the team championships by Navy, Weilenmann captured the CAA individual championship three times from 1987 through 1989. His 23:38 time as a sophomore is the best five-mile time in CAA Championship history and was followed by 24.11 in 1988 and 25:15 in 1989. Weilenmann was a five-time NCAA qualifier, including three times in cross country, to go along with the 1990 indoor 300-meter and 1990 outdoor 500 meter. He went on to participate in the 1991 US Olympic Festival in the 1,500-meter run. He holds JMU records in the outdoor 1,500 and the indoor 3,000.

2017 JMU Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Meredith Alexis (2003-07) – Women's Basketball

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A dominant inside player, Meredith Alexis was a key piece to the modern growth of JMU women's basketball as part of former coach Kenny Brooks' building-block class. In her four years, JMU posted 13, 18, 24 and 27 wins, and the program has progressed from that foundation to record at least 24 wins every year since her junior season of 2005-06. As a senior, she helped JMU receive votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll while earning AP honorable mention All-America honors to go along with CAA, VaSID and Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year laurels. The team went 27-6 to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship, the program's first appearance in 11 years. At the time of her graduation, she owned JMU records for career points (1,760), rebounds (1,313), field goals (700), starts (124), double-figure rebound games (75) and double-doubles (63). She is one of only two players in program history with at least 1,000 career points and rebounds.

Dana Allison (1986-89) – Baseball

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One of the top arms in program history, Allison etched his name in the JMU record books with one of the most dominant single seasons posted by a JMU baseball player in 1988. That year, he set a school record with 12 victories and a 1.53 earned run average in 100 innings on the mound. His 12 victories came in 12 consecutive starts and all were complete games, both of which also stand as program records. Allison was named a Third Team All-American by Baseball America and the American Baseball Coaches Association as well as the CAA and VaSID Player of the Year. For his career, he ranks third with 40 starts, fifth with 220 strikeouts, third with 273 innings pitched, fourth with a .233 opponent average, third with 25 victories and holds the JMU career record for complete games with 23 while sharing the top mark for fewest walks allowed per nine innings at 2.14. He was drafted by the Oakland A's in 1989 and appeared in 11 Major League games in 1991.

Kelly (Berger) Rabil (2004-07) – Lacrosse

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A two-time All-American, Berger etched her name all over the JMU record book and is a member of the 2017 U.S. Women's National Team Roster, having previously won a world championship with U.S. Lacrosse in 2009. Berger played in 73 games in her JMU career with 184 goals and 78 assists for 262 total points. She also had 149 ground balls, 73 caused turnovers and 67 draw controls. She currently ranks second in JMU history in goals, third in assists, second in points, fifth with 34 free-position goals, second with 458 shots, sixth in ground balls and 10^th in caused turnovers. In her four years, JMU went 51-23 with two CAA Championships and NCAA appearances. Her 59 goals as a junior rank third in JMU history while her 93 points rank second as she was named CAA Player of the Year in 2006 and a First Team All-American.

Kellen Kulbacki (2005-07) – Baseball

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In three seasons, Kellen Kulbacki posted one of the most dominant offensive careers in CAA baseball history. He was a two-time, First Team All-American and was named national Co-Player of the Year in 2006 by Collegiate Baseball. As a sophomore, he led the nation with 24 home runs and a .943 slugging percentage, marks that still stand as JMU records. He also set school single-season records that year with a .464 batting average and a .568 on-base percentage. All four of those marks also stand as CAA records and contributed to him also setting a JMU single-season record for walks the following year in 2007 with 56. In just three seasons, Kulbacki owns JMU career records for home runs (51), extra-base hits (105), slugging percentage (.764) and on-base percentage (.505). In addition to the records, for his career Kulbacki sits second at JMU in batting average (.400) and second in total bases (446). He became the third-highest draft pick in JMU history in 2007 when he was selected 40^th overall by the San Diego Padres, reaching as high as Double-A in six seasons before injuries derailed his professional career.

The inductees will be profiled in more detail in feature pieces scheduled to be released weekly leading up to the induction ceremony.

Nominations for the JMU Athletics Hall of Fame are accepted at any time via the online nomination form. Selection criteria is also available on the JMUSports.com Athletics Hall of Fame home page.

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