The 2004-2005 Mount Saint Mary College women’s basketball team.
Mount Saint Mary College’s Athletics department inducted a beloved coach, an exceptional administrator, and a pair of outstanding teams into the Hall of Fame Class of 2025 during a ceremony on Saturday, May 3.
The Class of 2025 joins 68 former Mount athletes in the Hall of Fame. The inductees have left an indelible mark on their respective sports or leadership roles, and have exemplified the highest standards of athletic achievement, sportsmanship, and academic excellence during their time at the Mount.
The 2025 ceremony marked the first time in Mount history where an entire team has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Dan Twomey was a long-tenured member of Mount Athletics, working with the college from 1992 to 2017. Twomey began his career as an assistant women’s basketball coach, helping to maintain athletics stats while also being a member of the New York Fire Department. During his five seasons as an assistant coach, the Knights went 109-29 and were the first team in program history to qualify for the NCAA Division III Tournament. Once he retired from the FDNY, Twomey moved into athletic administration as the assistant, then associate Athletic Director from 2000 to 2013. Twomey then became the department’s Athletic Director from 2013 to 2017. While in administration at the Mount, he oversaw the installation of the turf at Kaplan Field, a new baseball/softball complex, scoreboards in the Kaplan Center gymnasium, and immense overall growth of the athletic department as a whole.
Ellen Walsh was a staple in the Mount Saint Mary College Department of Athletics for nearly 30 years as the administrative assistant to the Athletic Director. Ellen was the glue that held the department together through the years. She helped manage the day-to-day operations while working with five athletic directors during her career. Ellen retired in June 2024, but she has forever left her mark in the department.
The 2003 Mount Saint Mary College baseball team compiled a 32-8 overall record, with an 18-4 conference record. This is the most wins in program history, both overall and in conference play. They would finish the season as Skyline Conference Champions, Knickerbocker Champions, the #21 ranked team in the nation, and an NCAA Tournament berth. At the NCAA Tournament in the New York Region, the Mount team would upset Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 7-3 in the first round, and made it all the way to the third round. The 23 members of the 2003 squad are: #4 Jerry Puccio, #5 Joe Costello, #6 Mike Napoli, #7 Chris Narewski, #8 Brian Denisar, #8 Vinny Critelli, #9 Joe Bell, #10 Paul Basdekis, #11 Mike Cooper, #12 Mike Way, #13 Glenn Visconti, #14 Maynard Schmidt, #17 Marco Marcelo, #21 Kevin Rall, #24 Jason Mires, #25 Jared D'Aleo, #28 Shane Bell, #31 Jim Pomeisl, #32 Bill Bloom, #43 Erik Eltz, Assistant Coach Mike Burke, Assistant Coach Matt Canino, and Head Coach Matt Dembinsky.
The 2004-2005 Mount Saint Mary College women’s basketball team is one of the most decorated teams in Mount history. The team finished 27-2 overall and a perfect 13-0 in conference play. This is not only the most wins in program history, but is also the fewest losses in program history as well. They won the Skyline Conference Championship 75-60 over Farmingdale State College and clinched an NCAA Tournament bid. The team was ranked #1 in the Atlantic Region and received a first-round bye in the tournament. They had the #1 average scoring margin in the nation, outsourcing their opponents by 29.8 points per game, and the #1 scoring defense in the nation, only allowing their opponents to score 44.6 points per game. The 14 members of the 2004-05 roster are: #10 Annie Cossolini, #11 Megan Kimmey, #12 Kellie Stuart, #21 Aisha Harriott, #23 Meghan Karcher, #24 Vanessa Lawson, #25 Shavonne Bronston, #30 Jackie Markert, #32 Nneka Cruse, #33 Stacy Schultz, #42 Lasheena Brown, #43 Selena McGillivary, #45 Oneisha Staples, Assistant Coach Mary Kurnat, and Head Coach J. Randall Ognibene.
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