DUDLEY, Mass. (8/15/24) – The Nichols College Division of Athletics is proud to announce the newest class of inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The inductees include two standout student-athletes and one team to be recognized as the Class of 2024.
The College's 52
nd induction class includes Marcos Echevarria '19, Gaelyn Sibbald '98 and the 2018-19 Men's Basketball Team. Started in 1972, the Hall of Fame will now include 222 former student-athletes, 13 honorary members and 11 teams.
Marcos Echevarria '19 – Men's Basketball
Echevarria, the two-time Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Year, has his name all over the record book for the Bison. He graduated as the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,519 points. He also leads in games played in a season (31) and career (119), three pointers made (479), free throws made (512), highest free throw percentage (85.3), and steals (223). Echevarria graduated ranked first all-time in any division in consecutive games with a three-pointer made (105).
Echevarria was a three-time First Team selection as well as three-time D3Hoops.com All-Northeast Region First Team. He was named to the D3Hoops.com All-American Second Team his senior season.
Gaelyn Sibbald '98 – Field Hockey
Sibbald, a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) First Team selection, finished her career with the Bison with her name covering the record book. Sibbald holds the record for the most shut outs in a career with 22, recorded the most saves in a single season with 309 in 1995, finished with the most career saves (811), she capped her senior season with a 0.91 goals against average.
Sibbald posted 32 wins, with a career high 12 victories coming in 1996. She sits in seventh all-time in goals against average with a 1.37 with a minimum of 1,000 minutes played. Sibbald played 3,690 minutes in her career with a career high of 1,141 minutes in 1996.
2018-19 Men's Basketball Team
The 2018-19 Men's Basketball Team becomes the 11
th team to be inducted into the Nichols College Athletics Hall of Honor. The Bison won a program record 28 games on their way to the program's third straight Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Nichols, led by first year Head Coach Scott Faucher, rattled off 10 straight wins to start the season before falling to #22 Salisbury in the Springfield Naismith Classic. Nichols then won 13 of their next 14 games to close the regular season with a 23-2 record and the top spot in the CCC tournament.
Upon completion of the regular season four Bison earned CCC conference honors, Marcos Echevarria and DeAnte Bruton were named First Team selections, while Matt Morrow and Jerome Cunningham earned Second Team honors.
In the CCC Tournament, Nichols rolled past Western New England by a score of 87-79 and Gordon, 105-90, to secure its third straight CCC Title and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Nichols snuck past Middlebury College, 74-71 and clipped Rowan University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, by a final of 87-76, earning its first appearance to the NCAA Sweet 16. Behind 18 second half points from Marcos Echevarria, Nichols edged #7 Amherst 62-58 to continue the historic run and an appearance in the Elite Eight.
The Bison finished their season with a 28-3 record, a 15-1 conference record, and finished ranked 8
th in the National polls at season end, which was the highest in program history. It is still the only team to post a perfect 13-0 road record in a season.
The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Saturday, September 21, at 10:00 a.m. in Daniels Auditorium located on the campus of Nichols College.
