Posted: Sep 19, 2021

Former Seahawks - Adams, Birrell, Gonzalez, Harden - to join long-time broadcaster in Salve Regina Athletic Hall of Fame

Clare Adams '14, Ryan Birrell '11, Sergio Gonzalez '00, Meaghan Harden '16, Bobb Angel

NEWPORT, R.I. (updated: September 19, 2021) -- The Salve Regina University Department of Athletics, in conjunction with the Office of Alumni, Parent and Family Programs, has announced the Seahawk Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Comprising the Hall of Fame's 13th induction class are four athletes - Clare Adams '14 (volleyball), Ryan Birrell '11 (basketball), Sergio Gonzalez '00 (soccer), Meaghan Harden '16 (basketball) - and long-time local radio broadcaster, Bobb Angel (WADK).

The annual brunch will be hosted at noon at O'Hare Academic Building on the Salve Regina Newport campus. The 2021 Seahawk Athletic Hall of Fame Induction and Brunch will take place at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 3. Seats for this year's brunch are $25 per person (free for children under the age of five), and those interested in attending the ceremonies should register by Sept. 27 at https://bit.ly/SalveHOF2021 (registration fee includes a $5 gift to Friends of Seahawk Athletics; children 5 and under are free). Presentation ceremonies follow in Bazarsky Hall (1 p.m.) and are free to all.

"There is nothing more important to Salve Regina than the people who have built our strong foundation. The Hall of Fame is a time we recognize past and present. The whole Seahawk family comes together for this event, and we can't wait to gather and recognize this year's Hall of Fame Class." - Salve Regina Director of Athletics Jody Mooradian

Visit https://www.salveathletics.com/traditions/halloffame/index to learn more about the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Clare Adams '14 (volleyball) – first Seahawk women's volleyball player inducted into Salve Regina's Athletic Hall of Fame, Clare graduated with the most kills (990) and second-most services aces (129) all-time. She earned three major awards as a senior (Athlete of the Year, Distinguished Senior Scholar, Sister Philemon Banigan) while leading Seahawks to greatest single-season winning percentage and most wins (.839; 26-5). Salve Regina enjoyed its first three seasons above .500 in winning percentage after Clare's freshman campaign and reached the ECAC Tournament three straight times. Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) first team outside hitter (2013), NEWVA Senior All-Star (2013), CCC All-Academic Team (3x).

Ryan Birrell '11 (basketball) – Ryan is the school's all-time leader in games started (103) and assists (572) and the single-season record-holder in both categories (31 starts in 2011-12; 177 assists in 2010-11). He equaled the mark of free throws made in a season (156) with fellow Hall of Famer, Justin Hackley (1994-95). Birrell led the Seahawks to back-to-back conference title game appearances with Salve Regina winning three times on the road in 2010-11 to capture its first championship since 1994-95. As a graduate student in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), Birrell earned Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2011-12. Finished as the program's fifth all-time leading scorer (1,309 points).

Sergio Gonzalez '00 (soccer) – Sergio has held the school's career save percentage mark (.878; 59 GA, 425 saves) for over 20 years. His goalkeeper wins mark (32 from 1996-99) stood atop the all-time list for nearly 20 years. Gonzalez owns the school record for solo shutouts (22) and goals against average (1.04; 5087 minutes). As a freshman, his team established the single-season win percentage mark (.737; 13-4-2) which now ranks second at time of induction. Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) runners-up in 1997 and then champions in 1998, Gonzalez was named the 1999-2000 Salve Regina Male Athlete of the Year just before graduating. He boasts more than two decades of coaching experience, including eight years with both women's and men's Big 10 Conference programs.

Meaghan Harden '16 (basketball) – Meaghan earned back-to-back years with recognition as the Salve Regina Female Athlete of the Year (2015, 2016). She also earned First Team All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) honors all four years as a player. Harden set a school single-game record with 45 points against Regis (Mass.) at Brandeis (Nov. 15, 2015) and set another school record from the free-throw line in a single game (13-for-13) against Middlebury at the Rodgers Recreation Center (Nov. 22, 2015). She finished as the school's all-time leading scorer, women or men, with 1,945 points. The most prolific scorer in Seahawk history, Harden added All-Region team (d3hoops.com) to her honors as a senior captain.

Bobb Angel (broadcaster, WADK) – Since 1967, Bobb has reigned over the local airwaves from WADK, covering high school and Salve Regina University sports. Born and raised in Newport, Angel is a 2010 inductee into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame, one of the now seven (7) Halls-of-Fame for which he has been selected. A seven-time "Rhode Island Sportscaster of the Year," Angel co-anchors WADK's Morning Report every weekday. His legendary Seahawk broadcasts include women's basketball conference championship games at Rogers High School, Colby-Sawyer College (New London, N.H.), and Endicott College (Beverly, Mass.), the latter featuring a buzzer-beating, three-quarter-court basket from fellow Hall of Famer, Allegra Lovoy '09, just before halftime.