The select few individuals with Fordham sports immortality are set to welcome new members to their community, as the Rams are inducting eight new athletes to the Fordham University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday Feb. 25.

The ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. with mass at the University Church and will end with the introduction of the inductees at halftime of the basketball game between the Fordham Rams and the La Salle Explorers. New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’82, will serve as the Master of Ceremony for the formal introduction ceremony in the McGinley Center Ballroom. The highlight of the event will be the New York Giants 2012 Lombardi Trophy, which will be on display at the ceremony.

The new members of the Hall of Fame include Bob Cooney, FCRH ’29 (baseball), Bob Cole, Gabelli School of Business (GSB) ’78 (baseball), Maik Wiedenbach, FCRH ’01 (swimming), Deric Zaphire, FCRH ’03 (track & field), Dan Wolleben, FCRH ’04 (rowing), Maureen Zivic, GSB ’05 (track & field), Erika Newell, FCRH ’05 (swimming) and Kate Davis Barrick, FCRH ’06 (softball).

Cooney was a pitcher for the Rams during the late 1920s. He is near the top of many of Fordham’s all-time pitching stats, ranking tied for first in shutouts (six), third in complete games (15) and 15 in wins. Cooney finished his Fordham career with a great 64-18 record. He went on to play two seasons for the St. Louis Browns (now Baltimore Orioles) in 1931 and 1932.

Cole was a pitcher for the Rams who originally walked on the team. Cole ranks fifth on Fordham’s career saves list (13) and sixth on the all time ERA list (2.63). During the 1978 season Cole had a record of 5-0, with seven saves and 2.11 ERA, as he helped the Rams capture the Met title.

Wiedenbach was one of the best swimmers for the Rams in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Wiedenbach’s best season was his 1999-2000 campaign, in which he won the Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham’s top male athlete. That season he broke the 50 meter and 100 meter freestyle record at the Atlantic 10 (A-10) championships. Widenbach would finish second in both events at the meet to garner Second Team All A-10 honors.

Zaphire was an All A-10 performing track star throughout his Fordham career. Zeric held the school record for the indoor 500m until the mark was broken this winter. Zaphire was named Second Team All A-10 in 2002 after he finished second in the indoor 500m. He would go on to earn All-East honors at the event. Also, as a junior Zaphire earned All-East honors in the 400m hurdles.

Dan Wolleben was a member of the Fordham men’s crew team, winning a national championship each of his four seasons. Wolleben was a team captain during his junior and senior year. He is a four-time Varsity National Championship Gold Medalist, a three-time Dad Vail championship winner, and a one-time ECAC National Championship winner. Wolleben was also a member of two top ten nationally ranked lightweight eight teams and is a three-time New York State Champion. In the summer of 2003 at the Nereid Boat Club in New Jersey, Wolleben stroked his senior lightweight four team to a U.S. championship.

Maureen Zivic is a two-time A-10 Champion, winning the A-10 indoor 500m as a junior and the A-10 outdoor 800m as a senior. Zivic’s efforts as a senior earned her First Team All A-10 honors and she placed 11th in the indoor ECAC championships. Zivic also set school records in the indoor 400m (56.84) and indoor 500m (1:14.63).

Erika Newell swam for the Rams for three years, topping herself each year. Newell’s senior season was her best. She won the 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke at the A-10 championships, becoming Fordham’s first multi-event winner at the A-10’s. During her stellar season, Newell set four individual schools records and two relay records, en route to winning the 2005 Hobbes Family Award for Fordham’s most outstanding female athlete.

Katie Davis Barrack was an outfielder for the Rams softball team in the mid 2000s. Barrack was a key member of the Ram first regular season A-10 title team in 2005. She was a three-time All A-10 selection from 2004-2006 and in 2005 she was A-10 Player of the Year. Davis was the first Fordham female athlete to win Player of the Year honors.

Saturday will be the unveiling and first introduction of this star-studded class before their names are forever etched in Fordham lore.