Mater Dei Prep Hosts Annual Hall of Fame Induction

MIDDLETOWN – On Friday, Oct. 18, Mater Dei Prep held its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Navesink Country Club in Rumson. The Mater Dei Prep Hall of Fame honors members of the Seraph community for their extraordinary co-curricular accomplishments, distinguished achievement in their respective fields, extraordinary service in support of their alma mater, and team state championships. All nominations are reviewed by the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and final honoree selections are made by the Mater Dei Prep Hall of Fame Committee. James Keating, class of ‘76, was the emcee for the evening. Keating, in his own right, has distinguished himself throughout the years and is regarded as the embodiment of the “Spirit” of the Mater Dei Prep Alumni Association.

The Mater Dei Prep Hall of Fame Committee is proud to announce the distinguished members of its 2019 induction class:

 

The 1983-84 boys varsity basketball team, is one of the winningest and most extraordinary teams in Mater Dei history. The team, coached by Larry Hennessy, and led by Bill Stefanski and Matt Yetman, was a four-time Shore Conference C division champion. From 1980-84 they won 85 games and, at the time, held the longest winning streak of 50+ straight wins in the conference. These players also appeared twice in the South Jersey state championship sectional final and Shore Conference Tournament final.

 

Shannon Hoadley - Class of 1989, is inducted for his extraordinary service to Mater Dei Prep. Whether it be as a coach, mentor, or friend, Hoadley has been a loyal Seraph for over 34 years. He is the head of Security and Maintenance Department at MDP and is a current member of the football coaching staff –  a team that has been to the state finals for the past three years. His motto is "What is best for the school is most important." He, along with his family, are dedicated to the betterment of Mater Dei Prep and the future of the school.

 

Daniel D'Alessandro - Class of 1998, is inducted for football, basketball, and baseball. D’Alessandro was named All-County defensive end in football, as well as an All-County pitcher and two-time team MVP. He served as a Mater Dei Prep baseball pitching instructor after graduation. D’Alessandro is a partner at McCarter and English, New Jersey's largest law firm.

 

Eric D'Alessandro - Class of 2000, is inducted for football, basketball, and baseball. In baseball, he was named two-time All-Shore and named All-Conference all four years at MDP. In football he was named All-Conference linebacker and team captain with 100 yards rushing in the state semifinal win over St. Mary High School of Rutherford. He also served as Mater Dei baseball instructor after graduation. D’Alessandro is an Institutional EM Bond Salesman at Citigroup.

 

Laura Catanzaro - Class of 2012, is inducted for track and field. Often called a "triple threat" by her coaches because of her ability to score points and place in all three throwing categories – shot put, discus, and javelin – and was central to the MDP track teams’ first-place finish in the division. Some of her accomplishments include a six-time NJ Meet of Champions qualifier and was distinguished as a six-time state champion. Catanzaro graduated third in her class and was a member of the National Honor Society. She is now a Doctor of Physical Therapy at Kessler Rehabilitation Center.

 

Taylor Curti - Class of 2012, is inducted for basketball, softball and field hockey. Curti scored over 1,300 points in her basketball career, making All-Division all four years as well first-team All-Division from 2010 - 2012, and a Shore All-Star Selection in 2012. Curti currently works for Merrill Lynch in New York as a client associate.

 

Fallon Quigley - Class of 2014, is inducted for track and field. Quigley won two division championships, two Monmouth County championships, two state sectional championships and two Shore Conference championships in the high jump. This has never before or since been accomplished by a track athlete at either Mater Dei or the Shore Conference level. Quigley is pursuing a career in physical therapy.

 

The Reverend Paul Gluth Award is presented posthumously to teacher and coach Kevin W. Attridge, who died in December 2018. The Gluth Award, named for Mater Dei’s first athletic director, is presented periodically to recognize outstanding contributions to Mater Dei Prep. Kevin’s brother, Richard Attridge, accepted the award on his behalf.

 

Over Attridge's nearly five decades within the Mater Dei Prep community, he touched the lives of thousands of students, and impacted generations of families, as the children of alumni enrolled and came of age as Seraphs.

As a religion teacher, Attridge valued every student. He recognized the spirit of their individuality and inspired his students to embrace their Catholic faith as a source of joy, always encouraging them to see God everywhere and in everyone.

As a coach, he led his teams to excellence not only through skill development and hard work but by positively promoting sportsmanship and teamwork at every turn. Under his leadership, from 1971-2015, Mater Dei became a force in girls athletics throughout the state in cross country, basketball, and track. His Seraphs teams collectively won 12 state championships, 10 state sectional titles, 40 Shore Conference titles and six Monmouth County crowns. In addition, he coached over 30 individual state champions in cross country and track.

Steven Andersen, Mater Dei Prep’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Institutional Advancement said, “We are thrilled with this year’s group of inductees. The men and women were exceptional students during their time at MDP and have excelled in their current fields through their character and dedication. All of our inductees are outstanding examples of what a Seraph represents.”

Photo courtesy of Paul Molicky

(Left to right) Shannon Hoadley '89, John Kilbride '85, Scott Misson '84, Glenn Misson '84, Fallon Quigley '14, Taylor Curti '12, Laura Catanzaro '12, Matthew Yetman '84, Daniel D'Alessandro '98, John Anderson, Richard Attridge, and Eric D'Alessandro '00.