FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2003

Rhode Island College Announces Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2003

Providence, RI—Rhode Island College will induct eight former student-athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2003 in conjunction with Homecoming.

Alex Butler ’98 was one of the most dominant basketball players in New England during the early 1990s. He starred for the Anchormen from 1993-97, earning All-American honors as a junior and senior in 1995-96 and 1996-97. During his career, Butler was the biggest impact player in the Little East Conference. He was named the Little East Player of the Year and was First Team All-Conference as a sophomore in 1994-95, a junior in 1995-96 and as a senior in 1996-97. Butler was the LEC’s Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 1993-94. In addition, he earned First Team All-Star kudos and Robbins Scholar-Athlete honors in 1995-96 and 1996-97 from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

He closed out his career as RIC’s second all-time leading scorer with 2,398 points. He received the John E. Hetherman Award, signifying him as RIC’s top male senior athlete, in 1998. He ranks in the top ten all-time in numerous career, single-season and game statistical categories at RIC.

Prior to coming to RIC, Butler was a standout in both basketball and volleyball while at East Providence High School.

Butler is a 1998 cum laude graduate of Rhode Island College and holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He is currently a physical education teacher at Martin Middle School in East Providence.

After graduation, Butler continued his involvement with RIC athletics, serving as an assistant men’s basketball coach from 1998-01. Butler is single and resides in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Scott Carlsten ’94 is perhaps the best wrestler in Rhode Island College history. Carlsten was undefeated in duals, won the Rhode Island State Championship three consecutive years and was named High School All-American during his career at Cranston East. After adding an undefeated year at Loomis-Chaffee Prep and another New England Championship, Carlsten became the most heralded wrestler ever to be recruited to RIC. His undefeated dual-meet winning streak continued for all four of his college years, along with his penchant for winning tournaments. Victorious in countless regional tourneys, Carlsten also added the 158 lbs. crown at four consecutive New England College Conference Wrestling Association (NECCWA) Championships.

Enjoying an ambitious and expanded schedule, along with an exceptional group of teammates, Carlsten and his mates saw Rhode Island College rise to an unprecedented reign of dominance, which included perennial national rankings and five consecutive NECCWA Championships from 1988-92.

Leading the team in scoring all four years, Carlsten owns marks in the RIC record book for best dual record (70-0-1), most career wins (163) and most career pins (34). He also holds single-season marks of 12 pins and 42 wins, established during his senior year when he was selected as NECCWA’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. In addition to being a four-time New England Champion, Carlsten twice was an NCAA All-American, finishing sixth and third in 1991 and 1992.

He is a 1994 graduate of Rhode Island College, earning a bachelor’s degree in education. Carlsten is currently a Rhode Island State Trooper. He resides in Cumberland, Rhode Island with his wife Cheryl and their children Ashley (11) and Maxwell (9).

Carlsten joins his father, Rusty, RIC’s legendary head wrestling coach, as the only father/son tandem in RIC’s Athletic Hall of Fame. They are both members of NECCWA’s Hall of Fame as well.

Mike Chapman ’84 was an outstanding basketball player for the Anchormen from 1980-1984. He closed out his collegiate career with 1,723 career points and 832 career rebounds. At the time of his graduation, he was Rhode Island College’s second all-time leading scorer. Chapman, who currently ranks fifth all-time in scoring, is one of only six former players who amassed 1,000 or more career points and 800 or more career rebounds. He ranks sixth all-time with a career field goal percentage of .571. Chapman helped the Anchormen to a 17-9 record as a senior in 1983-84, leading the squad in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.1 ppg and 8.1 rpg. He averaged 17.9 ppg and 7.7 rpg as a junior in 1982-83, leading RIC to an 18-8 record and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship.

A native of Queens, New York, Chapman was named Third Team All-City, was a three-time All-League selection and earned Ivy League MVP honors during his career at McBurney High School. McBurney captured the Ivy League Championship during Chapman’s junior year in 1978-79.

Chapman earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Rhode Island College in 1984. He is currently a youth coordinator with Church Avenue Merchants Block Association (C.A.M.B.A.) in New York.

He resides in Freeport, New York with his wife Bridgette. They have one son Brandon (20).

Christine Donilon ’85 was a standout on Rhode Island College’s women’s basketball team during the early 1980s. She was the first women’s player in RIC history to reach the 1,000-point milestone, closing out her career with 1,333 points. She currently ranks fourth all-time in career scoring at RIC . The women’s basketball team earned post-season berths in each of Donilon’s four seasons at RIC. As a senior in 1982-83, Donilon co-captained the team, averaged 12.3 ppg and 3.7 rpg as the Anchorwomen earned a berth in the NCAA Div. III Women’s Basketball Tournament. Donilon was part of the first-ever R.I. All-Star Team, made up of women’s players from Rhode Island, to travel to Ireland in 1979-80 where they faced competition from all over Europe.

She is a 1979 graduate of St. Francis Xavier High School where she starred in cross country, basketball, track and softball. She was an Honorable Mention All-American and a First Team All-State selection during her basketball career. She also earned All-State honors in track. Donilon was a part of three Rhode Island State Championship teams in basketball at St. Francis Xavier, where she played under Joe Conley who later coached her at RIC.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rhode Island College in 1985. A native and current resident of Providence, she worked for the city’s Recreation Department for 15 years from 1988-03, serving as a program administrator from 1995-03.

Kristen Norberg ’84 was a three-sport standout for Rhode Island College as a undergraduate, starring in volleyball, basketball and softball and later went on to an 18-year career as RIC’s head women’s volleyball coach, amassing 242 career victories. Norberg’s top sport was volleyball where she helped the team to a 36-14 record as a senior captain in 1982 when the Anchorwomen qualified for the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) volleyball championships. Norberg was selected to the All-Championship Team that season. The team posted an impressive 47-9 mark during Norberg’s junior year in 1981.

She was a two-year letterwinner on the women’s basketball team in 1981-82 and 1982-83. She was a reserve on the RIC team that qualified for the 1983 NCAA Div. III Women’s Basketball Tournament. The team qualified for post-season action both of Norberg’s years. She was a catcher/outfielder on the softball team in 1982 and 1983. She was a team captain, batted .306 with 17 runs, 22 hits, 15 RBI and five extra base hits as a senior in 1983. She is currently an assistant softball coach with the Anchorwomen softball team.

Norberg is a 1981 graduate of the Community College of Rhode Island. She is a member of CCRI’s Athletic Hall of Fame, having starred in volleyball, basketball and softball for the Lady Knights. She led the nation in batting during the 1981 season, posting a .630 average.

She is a 1984 graduate of Rhode Island College, earning a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. Norberg received her master’s degree in health education from RIC in 1992 and received the Physical Education Alumni Award in 2001. Norberg resides and is an elementary physical education and health teacher in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Paul Shaughnessy ’78 is one of Rhode Island College’s all-time greatest pitchers in the sport of baseball. Even though he hasn’t set foot on the diamond in over 25 years, many of his records still hold up today. He was RIC’s first-ever career 20-game winner, compiling a 21-9 record in 36 games. Shaughnessy is first all-time in complete games (14), second in games started (32), wins (21), innings pitched (228.2) and is tied for third in shutouts (three). He is second in career earned run average at 2.76 and with 154 strikeouts. Shaughnessy also ranks in the top-five in many single-season categories.

Shaughnessy was part of four consecutive Rhode Island College NESCAC Championship teams from 1975-78. As a senior in 1978, he helped the team to a 20-13 overall record and an NCAA Tournament berth by going 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA and 48 strikeouts. He was selected to play in the New England Collegiate All-Star Game as a sophomore in 1976, going 7-1 with a 2.85 ERA and 26 strikeouts.

A native of Cranston, Shaughnessy was a two-time All-State selection in baseball, earning First Team honors as a senior and Second Team kudos as a junior.

Shaughnessy earned a bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College in 1978. He is currently employed by Continental Airlines. Shaughnessy resides in Coventry, Rhode Island with his wife Bettyann and their children Paul Jr. (8) and Amanda (4).

Roger Vierra ’56 was a standout on Rhode Island College’s men’s basketball team from 1952-56. He led the team in rebounding in three of his four years. Vierra captained the team and led the squad in scoring, averaging 18.0 points per game as a senior in 1955-56. Vierra also lettered in soccer at RIC, playing four years from 1952-56. During his years at RIC, he was the Vice-President of the senior class, sports editor of the Ricoled Yearbook, Chairman of Cap and Gown Day and a member of the Charles Carroll Club, the Future Teachers of America and the Men’s Athletic Association.

He was the first interscholastic soccer coach in Rhode Island, guiding the J.F. Wilbur High School program beginning in 1958. He is credited, along with other coaches, for starting the Bi-State Soccer League in 1958.

He was a secondary English teacher at Portsmouth High School for 25 years, serving as the Chairman of the English Department from 1971-1990. Vierra was the athletic director and soccer coach, as well as the baseball and basketball coach at J.F. Wilbur High School from 1958-65. He began his teaching career in the Middletown School System.

He received a bachelor’s degree in education from Rhode Island College in 1956. He earned his M.A.T. at Brown University in 1965 and an M.A. from the University of Rhode Island in 1970. He was inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society for education while at URI. A native of Tiverton, Rhode Island, he is a 1952 graduate De La Salle Academy, where he played baseball.

He currently works in real estate. He resides in Hanover, Massachusetts with his wife Maureen. They have two children Roger Jr. and (41) and Scott (39) as well as five grandchildren.

Marisa Petrarca White ’85 was the top Rhode Island College women’s tennis player during her playing career, starring for the Anchorwomen from 1981-85. At the time of her graduation, she was RIC’s all-time leader in career singles victories, posting a 27-3 career record, as well as doubles victories, going 21-7 in her career. After 18 seasons, her .900 career singles winning percentage is second all-time at RIC and her .750 doubles winning percentage is sixth. As a junior in 1983 and 1984, Petrarca White was dominating, posting back-to-back 11-1 seasons. She was solid in doubles as well, posting an undefeated 6-0 mark as a junior in 1983 and was 9-3 as a freshman in 1981.

White received the Helen M. Murphy Award, signifying her as RIC’s top female, senior student-athlete as a senior in 1985.

A native of West Warwick, she was a standout in tennis, basketball and softball for the Wizards from 1978-81. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and management from Rhode Island College in 1985 and later earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Rhode Island in 1991.

Petrarca White presently serves as the Interim Executive Director of the Joint Committee on Legislative Services for the Rhode Island General Assembly. She resides in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island College Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2003 will be officially inducted at the Athletic Recognition and Hall of Fame Dinner, held in conjunction with Homecoming, on Saturday, Oct. 4. Tickets are $40 each. Please contact the Rhode Island College Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation at 401-456-8007 to purchase tickets or for additional information.

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