SUNY Brockport will welcome five individuals and one team as the latest inductees into the Golden Eagle Athletic Hall of Fame as the Class of 2026, to be honored during Homecoming & Family Weekend, September 17–19. The Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony will be held as part of the university's Alumni Awards and Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner on the evening of Friday, September 18, in the Seymour Union Ballroom on the SUNY Brockport campus.

Registration and ticket sales for the event will go on sale July 9^th. Please check https://engage.brockport.edu/e/brockport-homecoming-and-family-weekend-2026/ for registration and event details in July.

SUNY Brockport will celebrate the following inductees as the Golden Eagle Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026:
John Feeney – Gymnastics Head Coach
1973 Brockport Men's Soccer Team
Josh Dupuis '09 – Men's Track & Field
Sarah Brown '13 – Women's Lacrosse
Jake Giudice '17 – Men's Lacrosse
Candis Kowalik-Bell '19 – Gymnastics

These honorees join a distinguished group of Golden Eagles whose achievements have elevated Brockport Athletics on the conference, regional, and national stages.

Hall of Fame Class of 2026

John Feeney – Gymnastics Head Coach
Widely regarded as the "Father of Brockport Gymnastics," Feeney built one of the premier NCAA Division III gymnastics programs in the nation during his 22-year tenure as head coach from 1999 to 2021. He guided the Golden Eagles to two NCGA National Championships, nine regional championships, six ECAC team titles, and more than 130 All-American selections while amassing 212 career dual meet victories. A three-time NCGA Coach of the Year, Feeney also served as a dedicated educator in the Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies, and Physical Education, mentoring generations of students and helping produce numerous individual national champions and conference award winners. Feeney was also inducted into the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Hall of Fame at nationals this past March.

1973 Brockport Men's Soccer Team (Head Coach - Bill Hughes)
The 1973 Brockport men's soccer team posted a 10-1 regular season record and is widely considered one of the greatest teams in program history. The squad shared the 1973 SUNYAC Championship with Oneonta, went 6-0 in conference play, scored 42 goals while allowing only six all season, and recorded seven shutouts during a nine-game winning streak. Signature moments included a 4-2 victory over nationally-ranked Cornell in the season opener and a narrow 2-1 setback to perennial power Hartwick College before an estimated crowd of more than 5,000 fans. Five players from the 1973 team earned All-Conference recognition (Jim May, Derek Hilton, Mal Roche, Nelson Cupello, and Tom Gentile), with Cupello, Roche, May, and Gentile also garnering All-State honors. Several team members went on to notable careers, including eight who played professionally in the NASL, MISL, and/or ASL, and Cupello, who built a standout collegiate coaching career highlighted by NSCAA Coach of the Year honors in 2012.
1973 Men's Soccer Roster:
Nelson Cupello, Marcello Curi, Bill Doolittle, Kevin Gannon, Robert Garcia, Thomas Gentile, Golden Higgwe, Derek Hilton, Walter Kempka, Bob LeVasseur, Alain Maca, Jim May, John McCrudden, Robert McLean, Ben Meyers, Bill Mikolenko, John "Scotty" Moore, Mike Ochal, Ed Pagani, John Peers, Guy Pixley, Oscar Rendon, Craig Reynolds, Mal Roach, Peter Siegel, Jeff Stutzel, Terry Young.
Head Coach: Bill Hughes
Assistant Coach: George Burnett

Josh Dupuis '09 – Track & Field
Dupuis qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships seven times, six times in the shot put and once in the discus, establishing himself as one of Brockport's premier throwers. He is a five-time NCAA Division III All-American, earning top-six national finishes in the shot put at both indoor and outdoor championships from 2006 through 2008. His NCAA résumé includes third-place finishes at the 2007 and 2008 indoor championships and the 2008 outdoor championships, as well as additional top-12 national results in both shot put and discus. A Criminal Justice major at Brockport, Dupuis has continued to serve the State of New York as a Corrections Officer with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision following graduation.

Sarah Brown '13 – Women's Lacrosse
Brown earned national and regional recognition as one of the top Division III women's lacrosse student-athletes of her era. She was named a 2011 USA College Lacrosse Women's Division III First Team All-American and later selected to the 2013 IWLCA North/South Senior All-Star Game. A two-time SUNYAC First Team All-Conference honoree (2011, 2013) and 2013 IWLCA All-Region Second Team selection, Brown helped lead Brockport to NCAA Tourament appearances in both 2010 and 2011. Brown ranks third all-time at Brockport with 259 career points and is the program's all-time leader in assists with 143, while also earning SUNYAC All-Academic recognition during her career. She has continued to give back to the sport through teaching and coaching, including serving as a teacher in the Liverpool school district, while also coaching the JV women's lacrosse team.

Jake Giudice '17 – Men's Lacrosse Student-Athlete
A team captain who competed from 2014–2017, Giudice graduated as Brockport's all-time career leader in both points and goals and ranks second all-time in assists. He led the Golden Eagles in scoring in all four seasons, helping the program achieve milestones that included the most wins in a season, the longest winning streak in a season, and what was then the best record in program history at 12-4 (4-2 SUNYAC). During his tenure Brockport hosted its first-ever home SUNYAC Tournament game in 2016, and Head Coach Ben Wineberg was named SUNYAC Coach of the Year that same season. Giudice earned All-Conference Second Team honors in 2015, 2016, and 2017, while twice being selected to the SUNYAC All-Tournament Team (2016, 2017). A model student-athlete, he appeared on the SUNYAC All-Academic Team each year from 2014–2017 and on the Commissioner's List from 2015–2017, capping his career as Brockport's Offensive MVP in 2017.

Candis Kowalik-Bell '19
One of the most decorated gymnasts in program history, Kowalik-Bell is a three-time NCGA National Champion and 13-time All-American. She holds Brockport program records in the all-around and on balance beam, and consistently delivered on the national stage across four NCGA Championship appearances. Her national titles include balance beam crowns in 2016 and 2017, capped by an all-around national championship in 2019, along with multiple podium finishes on vault, floor exercise, and beam. Kowalik-Bell's dominance extended to ECAC Championship competition, where she captured numerous event titles, including all-around, balance beam, and vault championships in 2019. She was recognized as the 2016 East Regional Rookie of the Year and the 2019 East Regional Gymnast of the Year, underscoring her sustained excellence throughout her Brockport career.

About the Golden Eagle Athletic Hall of Fame
Established in 1985, the Golden Eagle Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes athletes, coaches, administrators, and contributors who have made outstanding contributions to Brockport's intercollegiate athletics program. In 2009, the Hall of Fame expanded to include a "contributors" category to honor individuals whose impact on Brockport Athletics and their professional fields extends beyond their time on campus. Inductees are selected based on superior athletic performance or professional service, positive citizenship, and their lasting impact on the Golden Eagle community. Nominations for future Hall of Fame classes are accepted on an ongoing basis, with submissions for a given year due by January 31 to be considered for that induction cycle. To nominate an individual for the Brockport Athletics Hall of Fame, please complete the online Nomination Form here: https://gobrockport.com/sb_output.aspx?form=67.