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    UIC Athletics Hall of Fame Welcomes Newest Members

    Six new members were inducted at the UIC Forum last Friday

    Jan. 31, 2011

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    CHICAGO - It was a memorable two-day stretch for the UIC Athletic Department last weekend, as six new members were inducted into the UIC Athletics Hall of Fame, the annual Alumni Basketball game has held at the UIC Pavilion and first-year head coach Howard Moore secured his first Horizon League victory.

    The 2011 UIC Athletics Hall of Fame Class included current Chicago Blackhawks athletic trainer Mike Gapski, who earned the Lifetime Achievement Award; former UIC hockey head coach Val Belmonte (1969-73, 1982-90), Michael Costa, who starred for the men's gymnastics team from 1986-89; Angela Gilbert from women's basketball (1989-93), former softball standout Edel Leyden (1999-2003) and Paul Torres, a men's swimmer from 1998-2002.

    In the annual Alumni Game, the likes of coach Tom Russo, Bill Merchantz (1975-79), Kenny Williams (1990-94), John Ellis (1981-83), Brian Wilson (1981-85) and JT Wilson (1997-98), among others, all participated in the game. Anthony Coomes (1996-98) was also scheduled to play, but his wife Shannon gave birth to a baby girl, Gabriel Therese. The Red Team overcame an 18-point deficit to post a 107-103 win.

    In the afternoon matinee, behind Brad Birton's second-straight double-double and a convincing 53-26 rebounding advantage, the UIC men's basketball team recorded an 83-61 win over visiting Youngstown State.