BIDDEFORD — University of New England Vice President of Student Engagement and Director of Athletics Jack McDonald Thursday (May 18) announced the UNE Varsity Club Hall of Fame class for 2017. 

Three former student-athletes, one head coach, one administrator and one team will be inducted at the October 20, 2017 ceremony to be held at the Harold Alfond Forum. The Class of 2017 will be comprised of former student-athletes Richard Herlihy SFC ‘78, Lizzie Wareham UNE ‘12, and Kelley Paradis UNE ‘12; current head cross country coach Ron Ouellette; current senior associate director of athletics Curt Smyth; and the 1993 women’s volleyball team.

A 1978 graduate of St. Francis College, Herlihy played four years of varsity ice hockey, four years of varsity baseball and ran cross country for one season. A three-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) First Team All-Star in ice hockey, Herlihy totaled 95 goals and 81 assists over his four-year career. He was voted team Most Valuable Player in 1978 and league MVP that same season. Herlihy led the Red Knights in goals (30) his senior season.

Wareham, who graduated in 2012, will become the first UNE swimmer to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Seven times during her career she earned All-New England status at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships, and she was the first UNE swimmer to qualify for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship. Wareham currently holds four individual team records and is part of four record-holding relay entries. UNE posted a dual meet record of 34-11 during her career.

The catalyst for some of the most successful UNE women’s basketball teams in program history, Paradis graduated in 2012. She finished her career with 1,467 points (6th all-time), 278 steals (2nd) and 118 blocked shots (2nd). Paradis was a three-time first team all-conference selection, while being voted Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Defensive Player of the Year her junior and senior seasons. During her career the Nor’easters had an overall record of 89-27 and made two appearances at the NCAA Division III Championship.

A Biddeford native, Ouellette has guided the Nor’easters’ men’s and women’s cross country teams for 17 seasons. He is an eight-time CCC Coach of the Year (7 women; 1 men) and has led the women’s team to five consecutive conference titles. Between the men’s and women’s programs, the Nor’easters have also finished runners-up at the conference meet a total of eight times. Ouellette is a member of the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honor.

Smyth, UNE’s Sports Information Director since 1997, served as the head coach of three different sports (women’s basketball, golf and softball) prior to moving to solely an administrative role in 2007. Under his direction, the women’s basketball program won a total of 142 games over a 10-year period, including the Nor’easters’ first CCC title and NCAA Championship appearance. Smyth has held the position of interim director of athletics on two occasions.

The 1993 women’s volleyball team posted a 22-12 record en route to the NAIA District 5 championship. After winning its district title, UNE went on to take the NAIA Bi/Tri-District 13 title to earn a trip to the NAIA National Championship held in San Diego.