Albany, NY — Russell Sage College's Department of Athletics inducted the latest class into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy.
This year's inductees included former Director of Athletics, Dani Drews (Oswego, NY), former women's volleyball and track standout performer Helen Putriment (Cobleskill, NY), Russell Sage College softball performer Kimberly (Fredenburgh) Costa (Grahamville, NY), as well as former Junior College of Albany men's basketball player Willie Wall (Johnstown, NY), who was a member of the 1983-1985 teams.
With this year's induction, the Hall of Fame which started in 1993, boasts 44 members.
Dani Drews (Oswego, NY)
(Athletic Director Sandy Augstein-Collins (l), Dani Drews (m) and Vice President for Student Life Trish Cellemme)
Hired at Russell Sage in July of 2005, Dani Drews oversaw the tremendous growth in the Athletics Department at the college during her distinguished career as Director of Athletics. She was the guiding force behind the development of the program from a single-gender, NCAA Division III independent competitor with just five programs to one that had expanded to sponsor 17 varsity programs when she departed in 2017.
Under her direction, the athletic department continued to develop and expand. Sage joined the Skyline Conference in 2007 and immediately began to thrive. Sage's women's volleyball team captured the conference championship in both 2007 and 2008, which resulted in the college's first NCAA Tournament appearances in any sport. During the 2012-2013 academic year, Sage won the College's first ECAC Championship title as the men's soccer team won the 2012 ECAC Upstate Title and in the Spring of 2013, Sage's men's volleyball team captured the 2013 ECAC Division III North Championship after being tapped to serve as the host for the tournament. Sage teams also captured the Skyline Conference Championships in women's basketball in 2014, women's volleyball in 2014, men's basketball in 2015, men's soccer in 2015, as well as women's basketball in 2017, all resulting in NCAA Division III Tournament appearances for those programs.
Under her direction, Sage moved from the Skyline Conference to the Empire 8, commencing play in the new league with the start of the 2017-2018 academic year.
Drews also undertook the redesign of the Gator logo in 2008 and an official brand for the athletic teams and department. In addition, Drews was instrumental in the launch of the Gator Golf Classic, which has played a major role in the financial support of Sage's student-athletes, coaches and the development of the department as a whole. The 2022 Gator Golf Classic marks the 17th year of the department's largest fund-raising event.
While Sage continued to grow and succeed on the playing courts and fields during her tenure, so did the impressive number of academic awards and acclaim bestowed upon several Gators, another tribute to her lasting legacy upon the department.
Prior to her arrival at Sage, Drews was the head women's volleyball coach at Oswego State from 1991-2005, where she was named the 1991 and 1994 SUNYAC Coach of the Year. She was also named the 1994 NYSWCAA Coach of the Year in volleyball after leading the team to a 42-3 record, a mark that stands today for most wins in a season at Oswego State. She also served as Assistant Athletic Director at Oswego State from 2000-2005. She was the Senior Woman Administrator and President of the SUNY Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) before arriving at Sage.
As an undergraduate at Hamilton College, she was a three-time captain and four-year competitor in volleyball and softball. She helped the volleyball team to three-straight NYSWCAA tournament appearances during her playing career. As a pitcher on the 1988 softball squad, she established a school record, which still stands today as she was undefeated and helped the team to their second-most wins in a season in program history. She earned a bachelor's degree from Hamilton in 1988. Following graduation from Hamilton, she pursued and earned a masters' degree from the University of Connecticut in 1989.
She is extremely active professionally as she is a member of NADIIIAA, NACDA, and NACWAA, now known as Women Leaders in College Sports, having served on the nominating committee. She was appointed to NACWAA's Education and Professional Development Committee in 2012. She also served as a member of the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Committee from 2013-2016 and wrapped her service to the committee as the chair in her final year.
Since departing Sage in the summer of 2017, Drews joined the Brockport Athletics staff as the Assistant Director of Athletics and she was promoted to Associate Athletic Director in the winter of 2022.
Drews is married to Mary Powell and the couple are the proud parents of two daughters, Hunter and Rylee, both accomplished student-athletes.
Helen Putriment (Cobleskill, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville)
(Helen Putriment (l) and Director of Athletics and Head Women's Volleyball Coach Sandy Augstein-Collins (r)
During her outstanding time as a Gator student-athlete, Helen Putriment, excelled. She capped her stellar career garnering the department's highest honor as she was named the 2014-2015 Sage Co-Female Athlete of the Year. Named the Gator of the Year in both women's volleyball and women's track and field, she defied the odds as a non-traditional student-athlete.
In volleyball, she distinguished herself throughout her career, becoming the program's first four-time Skyline Conference All-Star, while also wrapping the year with a selection to the 2014 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) New York Regional Honorable Mention Team.
Her list of accomplishments in volleyball is extensive. The Gator tri-captain was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2014 Skyline Conference Women's Volleyball Championship, after collecting her fourth straight Skyline Conference Women's Volleyball All-Star First Team pick. Among her numerous awards in 2014, she was chosen as both the Skyline Player of the Week and Eastern College Athletic Conference Corvais Division III Metro/Upstate Player of the Week twice. She opened the season garnering All-Tournament Team honors at the University of Rochester in early September as well as a spot on the All-Tournament Team at the Plattsburgh State Invitational. In late September, she was honored with a selection as the Tournament Most Valuable Player as she helped lead the Sage team to the championship at the Skidmore College Classic.
During her 2014 season, she led the team with her impressive 13 double-doubles. She tallied 310 kills with 371 digs and added 17 total blocks with 30 aces and a .908 reception percentage. Overall as a Gator, Putriment ranks No. 2 all-time in career kills (1,354), while standing No. 3 in career digs with 1,700. She is one of just three players in the history of Sage women's volleyball with 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. She finished her career ranked No. 2 in kills per game average (3.04), No. 5 in attack percentage (.244), No. 5 in digs per set average (3.81), and No. 13 in aces (119).
After winning the 2014 Skyline Conference Championship, Sage earned a spot in the 2014 NCAA Division III Tournament and wrapped the campaign with a 25-7 record after a perfect campaign in the league for the second straight year.
In women's track and field, Putriment was hampered by an injury at the start of the season. She opened the season in mid-April at the Wesleyan Classic. She took second in the 100 meter hurdles in 17.47, while adding a second in the shot put (9.72 meters), and a third in the high jump (1.52 meters).
In April of 2015, she competed for the Gators at the Capital District Championship at RPI. In the high jump, she won the event with a school record performance of 1.59 meters. She won the event, marking the first victory by a Sage female track and field performer in the two-year history of the team. She was in a jump off and won with her ECAC Division III qualifying mark of 1.59 meters, another Sage program first. She added a ninth place finish in the javelin with her throw of 25.56 meters, while also taking 12th in the 100 meter hurdles (20.67).
The next week, she was a winner once again in the high jump at the Matthew Vassar Twighlight Meet. She won the event with a school-record performance, bettering her previous mark as she posted a performance of 1.62 meters, improving upon her ECAC qualifying leap. She became Sage's first two-time event winner for the young Gator program. She added a second place in the javelin with a throw of 30.51 meters and a second in the shot put (9.72 meters). She capped the regular-season competing at the UAlbany's Purple and Gold Last Chance Meet before making the trip to Springfield College to compete in the 2015 ECAC Division III Championships becoming the first Sage competitor at the event.
She was seeded seventh entering the championship with her qualifying effort of 1.62 meters, a Sage school record. She tallied a jump of 1.55 meters in the first round, but did not qualify for the finals and finished tied for 14th place with her efforts.
Since graduating from Russell Sage, she has enjoyed a highly successful career as a registered nurse, specializing in hemodialysis at Bassett Medical Center. Since arriving there in 2017, she has excelled and developed standardized operating procedures for the care of intravenous infusion patients. She has since obtained her RN II promotion and is working towards achieving her RN accreditation at Bassett Medical Center.
Together with her husband Ronnie Romeyn, she is the proud parent of two daughters, Bridgette and Fiona.
Kimberly (Fredenburgh) Costa (Grahamsville, NY)
Director of Athletics Sandy Augstein-Collins (l), Kimberly (Fredenburgh) Costa (m) and former RSC Softball Coach Mike Dinova (r)
In her time with the Russell Sage College softball team, Kim helped the program thrive over her four years as a pitcher. An ace for the Gators, she led the team to the 1991 and 1992 New York State Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament. Along the way, she racked up nine wins as a member of the 1991 team and backed it up with 10 wins the next spring, both accomplishments still rank in the Top 15 in single-season records.
In 1992, she combined for a 1.81 ERA, which still ranks third among single-season performances. She helped the 1981 team rack up 18 wins on the season, at the time the most of any RSC intercollegiate program. Under the guidance of head coach Michael Dinova, the Gators posted a record of 18-6 in 1991 and finished in fifth place at the NYSWCAA, while Fredenburgh went 9-2 in the circle. A 12-game starter in 1992, she was 10-6 for the Gators as they combined for a 13-8 mark and finished in sixth place in the NYSWCAA. As a junior, she was 3-3 in 45 innings of work and closed her career with a 5-8 record as a senior in 1994 having made 14 starts in 15 outings with a 2.96 ERA.
Over the course of her career, she was honored as a Scholar-Athlete by the National Softball Coaches Association in 1993, while also being recognized during the National Women in Sports Celebration. After her time with the program, she most certainly left her mark as she is among the top in numerous categories. She boasts a 2.64 career ERA, which is second best, while her 27 career wins was tops during her time with the program, but now ranks third all-time. She amassed 38 career complete games (No. 4), while adding 95 strikeouts (No. 13) in 268 innings of work (No. 9) in 52 appearances (No. 7).
In the classroom, she excelled earning a selection to the Russell Sage Athenian Honor Society and graduated from RSC in 1994 Cum Laude. She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Utica College in 2007 and has spent her career specializing in pediatric physical therapy for over 25 years. She holds her NDT and SIPT certifications and owns her own business specializing in pediatric therapy.
Active in her community, she has coached Little League, AYSO Soccer, Bear Club Basketball, as well as the Little League All-Star Team and has served on the board of directors for both AYSO Soccer and Little League. She has also donated her time to assisting with training and development with Early Intervention Programs for local daycare providers and the Head Start staff. In addition, she has also served as a member of the coaching staff for both the softball and soccer programs for over the last five years at the Tri-Valley Central School.
A standout performer in high school, she was the 1990 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as a WSL First-Team All-League performer as a senior. She pitched three no-hitters as a senior with 101 strikeouts to go with her 1.36 ERA.
Willie Wall (Johnstown, NY)
Director of Athletics, Sandy Augstein-Collins (l), Willie Wall (m), former JCA Men's Basketball Coach Bill Toomey
A member of the men's basketball team at Junior College of Albany, Wall played for the squad from 1983-1985. He capped his time with the program having tallied 1,034 points and is one of just three players in the team's history to have eclipsed the 1,000 point plateau. He finished his time with the Sabres ranking third all-time in scoring.
As a newcomer, he racked up 502 points, good enough for a 16.7 point per game average. In his second season with the team, he was honored with a selection to the NJCAA Region III Second Team after scoring a team-best 532 points. He averaged 17.2 points per game and tallied a career-best 32 points in a single game along the way. He capped his time with JCA having also averaged 4.1 rebounds per game.
A quiet leader, he earned the respect from his teammates and coaches during his time on the hardwood. A two-year starter, and a team co-captain, he helped the team excel. During his career, the Sabres combined for a 43-19 record advancing to the finals of the NJCAA Region III East both seasons. The 1983-1984 team went 22-9 on the year and backed up their success with a 21-10 record the following year under the guidance of head coach Bill Toomey.
After finishing his time at JCA, Walls attended Fredonia State University, where he earned his degree. After graduation, he worked for the Pizza Hut Corporation, where he was employed for over 20 years, serving as a manager and a district manager. More recently, he now works for the Stewart's Corporation, where he is a district manager and is currently serving as a district food safety inspector.
He has also served as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve for the past 36 years. He holds the rank of E-8 Master Sergeant. He and his unit were deployed to Kuwait in 2012 and the Middle East in 2019 where his unit oversaw logistic mission activities in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Jordan.
He is a proud parent of three adult children, Lavonia Wall, Christian Wall, and Logan Wall.
