SENECA FALLS — The Mynderse Academy Athletic Hall of Fame induction took place on Oct. 13 at the Northeast College of Health Sciences in Seneca Falls. The 2024 class includes seven individuals and two teams: Jane Rosenkrans, Thomas Gaun, Robert Bachman, Bob Caraccilo, Michael Hathaway, Molly Hanlin Murphy, Louise Rizzieri and the 1951 and ’55 football teams.
Here are the complete biographies for this year’s inductees:
Jane Rosenkrans, Class of 1966 (Forerunner to Title IX)Intramurals, Grades 9-12 • Girls’ Athletic Association, Grades 11-12, Vice President & President • Attended Springfield College • Captain of the Springfield College basketball team • Taught and was head coach at Hall High School, West Hartford, Conn., where she was instrumental in helping to start high school girls athletics. • Head Coach Hall High School, track & field, cross country, basketball • Head basketball coach at Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Head basketball coach at Springfield College • Assistant basketball coach at UCLA.
Thomas Gaun, Class of 1988
Tom Gaun graduated from Mynderse Academy in 1988 where he participated in three sports, football, basketball and baseball.
Gaun joined Special Olympics through a program supported by Seneca ARC approximately 33 years ago. He continues to compete in Special Olympics in volleyball, basketball, floor hockey, softball, bocce, bowling, track & field and soccer. He has been awarded medals in each of these sports. It is estimated that Gaun has been awarded over 100 medals throughout his years of competition. Most notably, Gaun has received two National medals as an athlete.
Seneca ARC no longer supports the Special Olympics program, but that didn’t stop Gaun. He continued to participate with the Finger Lakes Training Program, which serves athletes in Seneca, Wayne, Ontario and Yates counties. Throughout his time in this program, Gaun has exemplified the qualities of a Lifetime Contributor of Mynderse Academy, modeling sportsmanship and teamwork. He has also assisted in field and court preparations, both for athletic practices and competition.
Through his efforts, along with his teammates, they have participated in two National tournaments. The first time was in 2014 in New Jersey where he and his team competed in volleyball. Then again in 2022 where Gaun and his teammates competed in softball, nationally, in Orlando, Florida.
All along he way, Gaun has freely participated in fundraisers and demonstrations. He has been employed at the local Walmart for over 20 years.
When Gaun can no longer compete athletically, he aspires to become a coach.
Robert (Bock) Bachman, Class of 1982
Robert (Bock) Bachman is a member of the Mynderse Academy Class of 1982. During his years at Mynderse Academy, he was a three-sport athlete, receiving numerous recognitions for his achievements. He received the Aldo Beatini Memorial Award for Outstanding Athlete during his senior year. Bachman also served as a member of the Block M Club.
Bachman was a two-year starter on both offense and defense for the Mynderse Academy football team. During his junior year, he received 1st Team All-League recognition on defense as safety. During his senior year, he received 1st Team All-League recognition on offense as wide receiver and on defense as safety and received 2nd Team All-League recognition as punter. Bachman’s personal best as safety was a three-interception game against Newark in his senior year season.
Bachman always had an affinity for basketball and spent two seasons as team ball boy during his middle school years. He spent all four years of high school on the Mynderse Academy varsity basketball team. He was a three-year starter and was the league’s second leading scorer during his junior and senior years. Bachman also received All-League recognitions in basketball; earning 2nd Team status as a sophomore and 1st Team status during his junior and senior seasons. The crowd always responded very enthusiastically after each of Bachman’s numerous dunks.
Bachman was a three-year starter on the Mynderse Academy lacrosse team. His skill and achievements earned him All-League recognitions in lacrosse; 2nd Team All-League as sophomore and 1st Team All-League as junior and senior. He led his team in scoring and was quite versatile, playing goalie in one game and recording 14 saves against a very powerful Corning East team.
Bachman lives in Seneca Falls with his wife Shelly (Timmons — Class of 1981), his daughter Amanda, and son Robbie. He has three granddaughters: Riley, Mia, and Khloe.
Bob “Harpo” Caraccilo, Class of 1957
Bob (Harpo) Caraccilo graduated from Mynderse Academy in 1957. During his time at Mynderse, he was a standout multi-sport athlete participating in football, basketball and baseball.
As a Blue Devil, Caraccilo played football four years under Athletic Hall of Fame Coach George Davis (2010). As a running back, he scored 23 touchdowns, including an impressive four TDs in a single game against Clyde during his junior year. He contributed to his 1955 team, which was also in the 2024 Hall of Fame induction class, achieving an undefeated 8-0 record. Over his four-year football career, the team boasted a remarkable 29-3 record and consistently clinched the league title.
Caraccilo played second base for the baseball team for four years, maintaining a batting average of over .300 for each season. He was a key member of the 1954 Section V Championship baseball team, which was inducted into the Mynderse Hall of Fame in 2014. In basketball. Caraccilo played varsity for two years, but injuries and an operation cut short two of his seasons.
Throughout his tenure at Mynderse, Caraccilo was actively involved in student council all four years and served as president of his freshman class. He was also the recipient of the Babe Ruth Award and a member of Block M.
Caraccilo gave back to his community by coaching Little League for 15 years and is a member of the Seneca Falls SMS Lodge. In 1951, he played on the NY State Championship Kiwanis baseball team for 11-12 year olds.
Caraccilo has been a proud Seneca Falls business owner for 63 years, running his barber shop in downtown Seneca Falls since 1961.
He is married to his wife, Marie (Santaniello) Caraccilo, for 65 years. They have five children: Teresa (John) Scalzo; Dominic (Karen) Caraccilo (Class of 2014); Connie (Gus) Irland (Class of 2023); Lisa (Michael Class of 2019) Anderson (Class of 2010 and 2012 soccer team) and Edward (Tracy) Caraccilo (Class of 2018). Caraccilo and Marie are also blessed with 13 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Caraccilo is joined by many of his siblings in the Mynderse Athletic Hall of Fame: Brother Gene Caraccilo (Class of 2012; 2014 Baseball; 2024 Football); Domenic “Carts” Caraccilo (Class of 2010; 2014 Baseball); Vincent Caraccilo (2010 Football Team; 2017 Coach — Football Team) and sister-in-law, Connie (Amidon) Sowards (Class of 2023).
Michael Hathaway, Class of 1977
Michael Hathaway is a 1977 graduate of Mynderse Academy. He received a Regents diploma in science and business. Hathaway was a gifted athlete who made the varsity lacrosse team as a sophomore. During his sophomore, junior and senior year’s his varsity lacrosse team lost only one game in the Wayne-Fingerlakes League, a feat not duplicated in the history of Mynderse lacrosse. As a varsity lacrosse player, Hathaway excelled and was selected for the All-Conference 1st team his sophomore, junior and senior years. Most notably, his junior and senior years, he was also named an All American for his lacrosse abilities.
Hathaway also excelled in football at Mynderse. He played on the varsity squad as a sophomore and was selected for the All-Conference 2nd team. Hathaway elevated his football performance his junior and senior year making the All-Conference 1st team.
After graduating from Mynderse, Hathaway attended Herkimer College. At Herkimer he continued playing lacrosse receiving All American Honorable Mention honors.
Hathaway returned to Seneca Falls gaining employment and working at Goulds Pumps for three years. Hathaway switched careers and entered the construction field. He continued in this field for the next seven years. In 1988, he successfully started his own construction business. He operated this business until he retired in 2016.
Hathaway has been an avid semi-pro bass angler from 1987-2000. Throughout the 1990s, he traveled the entire east coast, from Florida to Vermont, competing in bass tournaments. He won numerous Angler of the Year titles from different fishing organizations. Hathaway is still an avid bass fisherman participating in local clubs and tournaments in the Finger Lakes area.
Hathaway married his late wife, Kate, in June 1994. She passed away in 2015. Hathaway and Kate had one son, Dalton, born in 1994. Since his retirement, Hathaway travels cross country fishing and visiting his son and daughter-in-law and 3-year-old granddaughter in San Diego, California.
Molly Hanlin Murphy, Class of 1977
Molly Hanlin Murphy graduated from Mynderse Academy in 1977. During her time at Mynderse, she was a member of the Girls Athletic Association and most notably lettered in five different varsity sports her junior year. She also was an avid golfer and tennis player in her youth. Three of the awards she received her senior year at Mynderse were the Holly Wood Memorial Award, the Babe Ruth Award and the S.M.S. Auxiliary Award. She was a Field Hockey MVP, Most Improved Volleyball Player and a NYS competitor in Discus throwing. Hanlin Murphy was a varsity starter in field hockey, volleyball, basketball, softball and track & field.
While attending Mynderse, Hanlin Murphy held leadership positions in the school, as well as in athletics. She was a member of National Honor Society, an Honor Graduate, Junior Class President, a member of Girl’s State and Student Council Vice President her senior year.
Upon graduating Mynderse Academy, Hanlin Murphy attended the State University College at Potsdam where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a dual degree in Computer Information Systems and Mathematics. At Potsdam, she was inducted into Epsilon Delta Pi (Computer Science Society) & Pi Mu Epsilon (National Honorary Mathematics Fraternity). Hanlin Murphy also received her Master of Science in Education Graduate Degree from Alfred University and her Educational Leadership Graduate Certifications from State University at Stony Brook.
Hanlin Murphy’s time at Mynderse laid the foundation for a lifetime dedicated to sports and embracing an active lifestyle. She continued her athletic journey at State University College at Potsdam playing field hockey and basketball, as well as being involved in numerous intramural teams. This led to years of personal involvement on many team sports. After retiring from competitive athletics, she channeled her passion into coaching and teaching at all levels. As a coach and teacher, Hanlin Murphy guided countless young athletes and students, helping them reach their potential and achieve their dreams. Her approach was rooted in the principles she learned at Mynderse: dedication, discipline and perseverance. She put in extra hours to help create an athletic experience for all players. She coached school teams, travel teams, recreation teams, camp teams and ended her career assisting her husband with a college team. She took on leadership roles in fundraising, organizing local sporting events, supporting various charitable organizations and collaborating/communicating with many families in the community. The teams she coached were very successful and the memories that she helped to create still resonate with players today. “Sports ideally teach discipline and commitment. They challenge you and build character for everything you do in life.” Coach Murphy knows how to create a culture that teaches, motivates and provides support with compassion at the forefront. Her proudest accomplishment is that she is still present in many of her past player’s and student’s lives.
After working for 15 years in the IT world, Hanlin Murphy found her niche as a 24-year GST BOCES Cisco Networking Academy Instructor and a 15-year Regional Summer School Principal. She retired in 2023 and moved to Medina, Ohio with her husband Jay. Hanlin Murphy and Jay enjoy spending time with family, supporting various sports teams and are the parents of Lyndsay (Justin) and Kyle (Annie), and grandparents of Max, Kelsey and Ada.
Louis Rizzieri, Class of 1948
Louis Rizzieri was a proud member of Mynderse Academy athletic teams throughout his high school career. He was a three-sport athlete who participated in football, basketball and track.
Rizzieri still reminisces about the 1946 championship football team that he was a part of. His fondest football memory was running 98 yards to return a kickoff against Waterloo. However, the play was called back. Amazingly, he did the same thing again for a touchdown! Rizzieri enjoyed running and was quoted in his yearbook by many friends as, “The fastest man they had ever seen.”
Rizzieri was captain of the first Mynderse Academy track team in 13 years. As such, he went on to win a 1947 District IV relay team competition. Rizzieri’s most favored track events were the 400-meter hurdles and the 100-yard dash.
Rizzieri was a Mynderse Academy Block M member. He carried the values he learned from participating in this organization, as well as those learned from participating on various athletic teams, throughout his life as an active member of his Seneca Falls community.
After high school, Rizzieri graduated from Willard as a nurse and enlisted in the Army. He is a Korean War Veteran and was First VP of the Korean War Veteran’s Assoc. Rizzieri volunteered as a basketball coach at De Sales HS while attending Hobart College. He received his Masters degree from Syracuse University. Rizzieri’s active involvement in his community include: The American Legion, SMS, Mynderse Academy Alumni Assoc., SF board of Ed., Grand Knight of the K of C., Elks Club, St. Patrick’s Church, and NYS Commissioner of Ed Advisory Committee. He is a Seneca Falls Father Beatini award recipient. Rizzieri was also a Rotarian.
During his 40 years as a teacher and Chief School Administrator he was influential in promoting athletics. Rizzieri was instrumental in the development of the Cohocton CS Sports Complex. Rizzieri supported both boys and girls athletic programs. The first ever Girls Varsity Athletic club was started at Gilbertsville CS while he was principal. As an educator, he not only valued, but strove to build positive relationships among competitive athletes.
Rizzieri worked as part of a team wherever he went. He is proud of his home town of Seneca Falls and of Mynderse Academy.
