SUNY Potdam

Saturday Luncheon Ceremony Planned

07.01.09

(POTSDAM, NY) Four former athletes will be inducted into the 2009 Bears Hall of Fame during SUNY Potsdam’s upcoming Alumni Weekend in July. The mid-day luncheon ceremony on Saturday, July 11th, will feature the induction of Brian Austin ’01, Jack Bissetta ’79, Tom Carvotta ’77, and Michael John Spencer ’79.

Brian Austin, chosen as an All-American lacrosse player in 2001, was also the SUNYAC’s Player of the Year in ’01. A first-team All-SUNYAC member in both ’00 and ’01, Austin was also an Empire League All-Conference member in ’99 and ’98. He concluded his four-year career at Potsdam with a total of 88 goals and 104 assists for a 192-point tally.

Jack Bissetta, a four-year varsity basketball player, was a member of three SUNYAC championship or co-championship teams. He was also a player on both the 1978 NCAA East Regional team and the 1979 NCAA East Regional team that advanced to the final-four. In 93 career games he scored 659 points, grabbed 206 rebounds and passed out 164 assists.

Tom Carvotta, named an All-American swimmer in 1976, was a four-year member of the Bears swim team. A team co-captain at SUNY Potsdam, Carvotta’s ’77 Bears won the SUNYAC Conference Title and went on to finish 15th at the NCAA Championship.

Michael John Spencer, an All-American swimmer in both 1976 and 1978, received the SUNYAC’s Auburn Award in 1979. Also a member of the ‘77 SUNYAC Championship team, Spencer’s 800-Yard Relay team earned All-American status in 1976.