Trinity Inducts Inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame Class
The Trinity College Athletics Hall of Fame celebrates Trinity's rich history of athletic excellence that spans more than 160 years.
The Trinity Athletics Hall of Fame was founded in 2019 to commemorate the achievements of student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and staff who have distinguished themselves at Trinity through excellence in athletic performance and service. On October 25, 2019, 11 honorees were inducted into the hall of fame’s inaugural class in a ceremony during Homecoming Weekend. “Each of these 11 inductees is more than worthy of this honor and each of them reacted to the call with humility and the pride of representing Trinity,” said Drew Galbraith, Trinity College’s director of athletics.
Trinity College has a strong and storied athletic tradition that prides itself on a broad-based program that today sponsors 30 varsity sports—15 men’s and 15 women’s. Athletics have always been a part of the fabric of life at Trinity. In 1825, two years after the opening of Washington College, which would eventually become Trinity College, students in the college’s first classes were swimming and boating on the Hog River in Hartford. By 1856, they created the college’s first rowing club, the Minnehaha Club. Baseball became the college’s first varsity sport in 1867, and in 1971, after the college became a coeducational institution in 1969, Trinity expanded the coaching staff to increase access for women to intercollegiate sports.
Today, Trinity’s varsity teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Trinity teams have captured 26 national titles in eight different sports, including 24 titles in the last 20 years.
The 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame honorees are:
George Brickley ’79
Men’s Ice Hockey
Olivia Brown ’78
Field Hockey/Women’s Lacrosse
Amina Helal ’04
Women’s Squash
Ray Jones ’97
Football/Men’s Track & Field/Wrestling
Tim Kiely ’08
Baseball/Football
Roger Leclerc ’60
Baseball/Football
Don Miller
Football/Softball, Coach
Ellie Pierce ’88
Field Hockey/Women’s Lacrosse/Women’s Squash
Joe Shield ’85
Baseball/Football
B.J. Toolan ’95
Women’s Basketball/Softball
Visit the media gallery below to learn more about each honoree and watch a video about their accomplishments.
Meet the 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame Class
Meet the 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame Class
George Brickley ’79 (men’s ice hockey) was the 1978 ECAC Men’s Hockey Player of the Year and remains the most prolific goal scorer in Trinity hockey history with 113 goals and 82 assists for 195 points.
Olivia Brown ’78 (field hockey/women’s lacrosse) was the first-ever recipient of the Trinity Club of Hartford trophy and was also a Susan E. Martin Award winner as the college's top senior female scholar-athlete.
Amina Helal ’04 (women's squash) was a four-time All-American and two-time National Champion, both individually and as part of Trinity’s 2002 and 2003 Howe Cup title teams. She was inducted into the College Squash Association (CSA) Hall of Fame in 2019.
Ray Jones ’97 (football/men’s track and field/wrestling) is a former NESCAC Football Offensive Player of the Year. He set numerous records on the gridiron and was also a New England Champion, an All-American wrestler, and a record-holding triple-jumper for the Bantams.
Tim Kiely ’08 (baseball/football) was the ace of Trinity’s 2008 National Championship team that set an NCAA record with a 45-1 overall record. The only pitcher in Trinity's history to throw a perfect game, Kiely was an All-American and was drafted by the Anaheim Angels.
Roger LeClerc ’60 (baseball/football, pre-NESCAC) was named a football Little All-American and was also the Dan Webster Team MVP award winner for Trinity’s baseball team before going on to play in the NFL for the Chicago Bears.
Don Miller (football/softball, coach) is a five-time NESCAC Coach of the Year and was one of division III football’s most elite coaches during his time. Miller retired as the all-time winningest division III coach in New England history.
Ellie Pierce ’88 (field hockey/women’s lacrosse/women’s squash) was a three-sport All-American and became Trinity’s all-time women’s lacrosse leader in career goals, assists, and points in 1988.
Amanda Rival ’01 (women’s track and field) was a division III National Champion and two-time All-American in the heptathlon. She still holds college records in the heptathlon, pentathlon, high jump and long jump.
Joe Shield ’85 (football) threw for 6,646 yards before going on to be drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1985. He is considered one of the best football players to ever come out of the state of Vermont.
B.J. Toolan ’95 (women’s basketball/softball) was a New England and ECAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, and ranks second in team history with 1,245 points. She was also a Team Kodak First Team All-American as a senior.
