On Saturday morning, two alums were inducted into the Stony Brook School Athletic Hall of Fame. Here is the induction address given by Dan Hickey ’04, Director of Athletics.

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Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the 22nd induction ceremonies of the Stony Brook School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Today I have the honor of welcoming two new members into an exclusive club that represents the very best student-athletes from the 95-year history of Blue and White Athletics.

This summer, ten members of our Hall of Fame voted on a list of ten nominees spanning six decades. Today’s two inductees received the highest number total from that vote. I was pleased with the committee’s selections, not only because of the remarkable careers of these two Brookers, but because of their love of and loyalty to the school from the time they were students until now. Both have been active members of our alumni community, supporting events like Alumni Basketball Weekend, the Jeff Adams Memorial Softball game, and others. Their pride in Stony Brook runs deep and it is a pleasure to honor them here today.

Our first inductee is Peter Carmel from the Class of 2007. Unfortunately, Peter could not be with us as he is attending a fellow alum’s wedding in Ireland today, but he is nevertheless worthy of our taking time to remember his career this afternoon. His father, Ken, will accept the award on his behalf.

Peter distinguished himself in three different sports over his six years at the Brook, evidenced by his pair of Swanson Best All-Around Athlete awards. He is one of only four males to win the award multiple times since it was first instituted in 1937.

During his sophomore soccer season, he was thrust into the starting goalkeeper position after my brother, Mike, dislocated his shoulder while making a save. He proved an able replacement as he led the Bears to the League Championship, making key stops in huge wins over Mattituck and in the clincher over Greenport. A year later he would earn All-State and All-County honors while leading the Bears to a berth in the Suffolk County Championship.

During his three years on the basketball team, the Bears won two League titles and the 2007 Suffolk County Championship, the first in program history. In the historic win over Mercy, Peter led the Bears with 12 points and played a key role in limiting the Monarchs to just one point over the final five minutes of the 43-32 win. My father, Mike Hickey, coached Peter during his varsity career and fondly remembers his sheer strength that overpowered larger opponents, his leaping ability which made him a tremendous shot blocker and rebounder, and his offensive versatility which made him, “a nightmare to guard.”

Yet his greatest impact may be felt in the sport where he spent the least amount of time. Peter joined the track team for the first time his senior year and quickly distinguished himself as the fastest man in a deep sprinting unit. In coach Jake Morley’s opinion he was also one of the best shot putters he coached during his 11-year tenure. Astonishingly, despite having never sprinted prior to the season, Peter defeated a reigning All-State runner in the 100 meter County Championship to earn a place in the State Championship where he earned a trip to the finals and an All-State recognition of his own. He also anchored the 4×100 meter relay team and, along with Mike Cox, Terrance Anderson, and Jon Bute, broke the school record by a full second and raced to a silver medal at the State Championships.

I asked Peter’s coach, Jake Morley, to reflect on Peter’s contribution to the track program. He said, “Peter inaugurated what would be a dominant decade of Stony Brook 100 meter runners. He was the first of five SBS sprinters over the next eight years who would advance to the state meet, and a young seventh-grader named Taylor Colucci was unquestionably influenced and emboldened by the strong success of Peter and his classmates in 2007.” Taylor would go on to win a State and New Balance National Championship in the 200 meters.

After Stony Brook, Peter was a two-sport athlete at SUNY New Paltz where he started at keeper, racking up 140 career saves. On the basketball court he was a key reserve for the Hawks, playing in all but one game over his junior and senior seasons and earning a place on the SUNYAC Conference All-Academic Team.

When I asked Peter what his most meaningful memories of his career were, he mentioned both the basketball County title and the 4×100 meter performance at States, but in the context of the lifelong bonds that were formed with his teammates through those experiences, not the trophies and titles. He closed our conversation by saying, “It was great to grow with such a close knit group of people who shared similar ideals, beliefs, and the desire to win.”

Please join me in honoring, Peter Carmel.

Also from the Class of 2007, Kristyn Dunleavy joins her friend and classmate in the Hall of Fame this afternoon.

Kristyn excelled on two different courts at the Brook during her six-year career. She was the Most Valuable Player of the volleyball team her senior year, in leading the team to its best season in five years. Her coach, Stan Winston, remembers her as an athletic hitter who led by example during her three seasons on the varsity.

But her true calling was on the basketball court. She was a four-time Most Valuable Player for the team, scored a school record 39 points on two occasions, was only the second player in program history to reach the 1,000 point plateau, and garnered All-County, Long Island, and State honors. Her coach, Keith Singer, remembers her as a player who excelled in every facet of the game from defense, to rebounding, to passing, and, of course, scoring. Keith reflected on Kristyn this past week and shared the following thoughts: “When your leading scorer and best player willingly buys into every aspect of the game and is always one of your hardest workers, the stage is set for outstanding team success and our teams certainly thrived.”

Kristyn’s leadership and work ethic helped lead the Bears to the program’s first Suffolk County Championship in 2006, igniting a run of six straight titles that established the Brook as a basketball power on Long Island. In the closing moments of the title game, her three-point play capped a furious comeback as the Bears clipped Port Jeff, 48-44, in the historic win. The following year, after leading Suffolk County in scoring with 24.1 points per game, she would again take her team into uncharted waters as her 20 points and 15 rebounds propelled the Bears to their first Long Island title. As if the victory was not sweet enough, she surpassed the 1,500-point milestone during the win to cement her place as one of the best basketball players in Stony Brook history.

After Stony Brook, Kristyn attended Amherst College where she helped the Lord Jeffs to three straight Final Four appearances. In the 2011 National Semifinal, her 10 points in the final eight minutes vaulted Amherst into the title game where they would top Washington University for the crown.

Kristyn’s list of accomplishments is lengthy, but the legacy she left at Stony Brook is more than trophies won and banners hung. Keith Singer reflected on her by saying, “What truly made her special was her leadership in our program, her willingness and desire to be a great teammate to others, and her commitment to Stony Brook girls’ basketball.” He closed our conversation by saying, “She truly is a hall of fame athlete, but also a hall of fame person that I am proud to say I had the privilege to coach. She has been, and I am confident will always be, an outstanding representative of Stony Brook and its motto, “Character Before Career.”“

When I asked Kristyn what was most meaningful about her time at Stony Brook, she, like Peter, focused more on her relationships than accomplishments, saying “I have such a poor memory when it comes to individual games, but I remember vividly the times I spent with the girls on my team and our coaches who were so incredible and supportive. Bus rides out to Shelter Island, long practices over winter break when no one else was on campus, and celebrating with my best friend Joanna after we won the County Championship on her last minute shot.” She closed our conversation by saying, “What I valued most were my friendships and the example Mr. Singer, Ms. Helm, and Mr. Ross set for me and how much they cared about everyone on our team far beyond our roles just as players.”

Please join me in honoring, Kristyn Dunleavy.

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