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Hall of fame, 2019 helding on April 26 flyer.

CALDWELL, N.J.- The Caldwell University Athletics Department, in conjunction with Cougar Pride, will host “A Night of Cougar Pride” on Friday, April 26 at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, New Jersey. The Caldwell Athletics “Night of Cougar Pride” dinner, honoring the 2019 Hall of Fame inductees, will begin with a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and induction ceremony at 7:30 p.m.

The Caldwell University Hall of Fame committee elected four honorees and a team for the 2019 class. Softball Head Coach Dean Johnson will be honored along with softball’s Danielle Guerra ’04, men’s basketball’s Shawn McCray ’89 and baseball’s Ryan McGee ’05. In addition to the four inductees, the 2004 softball team will be inducted for their outstanding success on the field.

Cost is $125 per person with tables of 10 people available for $1,100. All proceeds will go to the Cougar Pride General Fund, which supports the degree completion program and enhancements for the 16 intercollegiate athletic programs. Tickets are available for the Caldwell Athletics “Night of Cougar Pride” ceremony by calling Caldwell University Athletics at (973) 618-3260. The online registration link for the event and journal ad items is at the top of the page.

Hotel rooms are available at the Marriott Courtyard in West Orange, New Jersey for $139 for the night of Friday, April 26 only. Hotel rooms must be booked by Friday, April 12 in order to secure the group rate and can be booked online by using the link at the top of the page. For additional nights or information, please call the hotel at 973-669-4725 and request pricing for the Caldwell University Hall of Fame.

The Caldwell University Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 2010 to honor student-athletes, coaches and contributors who have played significant roles in the success of the intercollegiate athletic programs at Caldwell University. With this year’s class, there are now 44 members in the Hall of Fame. The Caldwell Athletics Hall of Fame room is located on the first floor of the George R. Newman Center. The April 26 ceremony is the main fundraising event for Cougar Pride, the official booster club of Caldwell University Athletics.

Johnson has developed the Cougar softball team into one of the top programs in the region and in the nation. He had guided the Cougars to a 796-358-3 record in 24 seasons. Johnson has been selected as the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year nine times during his two decades at the helm of the Cougars. Since transitioning to the NCAA in the 2003 season, Johnson has guided Caldwell to 16 seasons with 30+ wins, including six 40+ win seasons. The Cougars have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 14 times during Johnson’s era and they won the NCAA Division II Northeast Region in 2004.

McGee played for the Caldwell baseball team from 2002-2005. He was a two-time CACC First Team All-Conference selection at second base. McGee ranks among the all-time leaders in program history in hits, runs scored and RBI. He was a key part of the team that won their first CACC Tournament Championship in 2004, batting .346 with 12 doubles that season. McGee was selected to the CACC All-Tournament Team as Caldwell earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

McCray was a standout player for the men’s basketball team and was part of the inaugural season of the program in 1987-88. In two seasons for the Cougars, McCray made an immediate impact on the program. He was the program’s first 1,000-point scorer as he finished with 1,059 in just two seasons. He scored 586 points in his 1987-88, the program’s first season, which is the second highest single season total in its history.

Guerra played for the Caldwell softball team from 2001-2004 and is one of the program’s top catchers in its history. She was a three-time CACC First Team All-Conference selection. Guerra was selected to the NFCA All-Region Second Team as a junior and earned first team honors as a senior. She was also a key member of 2004 CACC and Northeast Region championship team. Guerra ranks among the all-time leader in program history in doubles, RBI, hits and batting average.

The 2004 softball team ranks among the best in the program’s history. They hold the best record in softball history with a 45-7 mark. The Cougars won their first CACC regular season and tournament championship that season. Caldwell went 3-0 in the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional to claim the region title and advance to their first-ever DII Women’s College World Series Elite 8. The Cougars were ranked #7 in the final NFCA Top-25 poll, their highest final ranking in school history.