Endicott Set to Induct Savitske and Jean-Paul into Hall of Fame

Endicott Athletics Hall of Fame

BEVERLY, Mass. – On Saturday, October 5^th, the 16^th class to the Endicott Athletics Hall of Fame will be officially inducted in front of family and friends, alumni, current student-athletes, administrators, faculty, and supporters of the Blue and Green on Homecoming Weekend.  This year’s class consists of All-American softball pitcher Robyn Savitske-Crosby ’07 and gridiron great Pego Jean-Paul ’08. 

On the evening prior to the induction, Endicott’s Gull Club will host a Hall of Fame and Donor Dinner in the Post Center where both Savistke and Jean-Paul will be presented to kick off Homecoming Weekend. The induction ceremony will begin at 9:00 am on Saturday morning in MacDonald Gymnasium prior to the start of a full slate of athletic events on campus in Beverly. 

Savitske will be the ninth Endicott softball player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and the first since 2003 graduates Renee Kelly and Adrienne Leone were immortalized back in 2010. 

“Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is one of my biggest accomplishments as an athlete,” said Savitske.  “It means the world to me to even have been considered for this honor.  As an athlete at Endicott, my goal was to always be a great teammate and best player I could be.  Being inducted into the Hall of Fame exceeds the bar that I set for myself.”

Savitske was an integral part of four Endicott softball conference championships in the CCC from 2004-07 with four appearances in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament.  In 2005, Savitske went 23-1 in the circle with a 0.72 ERA, 199 strikeouts, 14 shutouts, and six saves.  Her standout performance that season resulted in the first NFCA All-American nod in program history. 

Savitske collected numerous postseason accolades throughout her career including NFCA Second Team All-American in 2005, three NFCA All-New England awards from 2004-06, two CCC Pitcher of the Year nods in 2004 and 2005, CCC Rookie of the Year in 2003, three All-CCC plaques from 2003-06, and a special CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 2007.

Beside her outstanding production on the field for Gulls softball for four years, Savitske is always reminded of her days at Endicott as being memorable.

“Most of the memories that I took away from Endicott were my fellow players as well as coaches; the fun times, the laughing, the spring break trips to Florida, the long bus rides, and the celebrations.  The players are who really make a team memorable and I was fortunate enough to play with not only a talented number of softball players, but also a great group of girls.”

“Coach (Mark) Veilleux and Coach (Mark) Kulakowski were always fantastic motivators.  They were the type of coaches that you did not want to disappoint and do everything to please.  They know how to push athletes and make them better players as well as better character people.  They are the type of coaches that you will never forget.”

Savitske also recognized the motivation and support that came from her family throughout the years.

“My parents and sister have always been my number one fans.  They have seen it all; all of the heartaches and all of the triumphs.  My parents throughout my four years of college would make the drive from Pennsylvania to see almost every game.  They always supported me through my year-round commitment to athletics, including traveling every weekend for summer softball.  My dad has always been my coach since I was little and would be my practicing catcher as the years went on.  Not all athletes have that, but I did and was very lucky.”

Jean-Paul is the first Endicott football student-athlete to be voted into the Hall of Fame as one of the program’s first high-impact four-year players and dedicated students.  Jean-Paul’s was a key factor in the growth of the football program as the Gulls went 22-17 overall and 18-8 in-conference during his career.  In 2006, the Endicott defense finished number one among all NCAA Division III programs in turnover margin due in part to Jean-Paul’s five interceptions that season.  He finished with 12 interceptions, 23 break ups, and 154.5 tackles for his career.

A two-time captain, Jean-Paul collected postseason accolades for both his athletic and academic accomplishments including All-Region in 2005 and 2007, NEFC All-Division from 2005-07, and the winner of the NEFC’s Hal Chalmers Award for Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 

“Being inducted as the first Endicott football player in the Hall of Fame really shows how the program has growth over the past 10 years,” said Jean-Paul.  “Starting as a club team and transitioning to a fully supported program, Endicott has earned an image as great competitors and contenders.  I played with some of the best athletes that attended Endicott and I am honored to take football’s first steps into the Hall of Fame.  This honor highlights my individual accomplishments but begins to set in stone the legacy of Endicott football players in school history.”

Jean-Paul’s football career prior to Endicott mainly included some highly skilled athletes but unsuccessful teams.  It wasn’t until his first start in a Gulls uniform when Jean-Paul learned about what it meant to be a part of a team effort that could win.

“We were playing UMass Dartmouth and it was a tight game throughout.  Both teams played tough to the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime with no winner.  In the second overtime, we struck first with a 19-yard run from Matt Thompson.  In my previous experiences, I had been in these situations watching the victor prevail but this team was different.  The defense did not budge as we gave up zero yards on the first three downs and on fourth down, with no other option but to pass, I had a great jump on the quarterback and got my first interception.  As we celebrated, there was no longer any doubt of what I could do to contribute to the team and what how this program could impact the league standings.”

From 2003-07, Jean-Paul was a part of a very intimidating Endicott defensive core. 

“The defense always knew it had to be resilient for the team to be successful.  A great defense is always the best offense and great defenses require strong leaders.  There were many teammates that pushed me to my limits but players such as Joe Leaver, Orlando Johnson, and Jay Monroe have always stuck out to me.  Their athleticism, football intelligence, determination, and leadership put them in a class of their own.”

“Personally, one individual that has always believed in me and my abilities was Kyle Sweeney.  He saw something special in me and persisted to get me to Endicott during my recruitment.  From day one at my stay at Endicott, he was a coach, a motivator and a friend that mentored me to help me improve my game.  I am grateful for all his supervision and guidance.”