New Holy Family Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Three star athletes, a title-winning coach, and a NCAA-tournament team will join the Holy Family University HFU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2026.
Soccer player Pat Fallon ’96, softball player Danielle McDevitt ‘13, volleyball player Chase (Wassel) Dalessandro ’19, women’s soccer coach Mike Biddle and the entire 2018 Volleyball team will formally be inducted in a ceremony on Thursday, April 16.
“We are so excited to induct another incredibly talented group of Tigers into our Hall of Fame,” said Director of Athletics Tim Hamill ’04. “While their athletic accolades and accomplishments are beyond impressive, this class truly represents the core values of our institution, and we are grateful to provide the opportunity to recognize them for their contributions to the success of Holy Family University.”
Pat Fallon ‘96
Men’s Soccer, 1992-96
Fallon is the only player in Holy Family Men’s Soccer’s history to be named the NAIA District 19 Player of the Year, capturing the honor in 1993. His 18 goals and 41 points from that year are tied for second and fourth, respectively, in the program’s single-season history.
A member of the 1993 NAIA Northeast All-Region Team and the 1996 NAIA All-Southeast Independent Team, Fallon is one of just two Tigers to score 40 career goals and is fourth all-time with 91 points.
Danielle McDevitt ‘13
Softball, 2010-14
McDevitt is Holy Family Softball’s all-time hit leader with 226 and the only player in program history to be voted an All-American, an honor she received in 2011.
A two-time All-Region and All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) selection, she also ranks in the top eight of the program’s history in batting average (.408), runs (104), on-base percentage (.436), stolen bases (34), games played (172), assists (343) and double plays turned (13).
Notably, McDevitt is also one of four student-athletes in Holy Family’s history to earn Academic All-America Honors, which she accomplished in 2014.
Chase (Wassel) Dalessandro ‘19
Volleyball. 2015-18
Dalessandro is Holy Family Volleyball’s all-time leader in points (2312.0), points per set (5.03), kills (1992) and kills per set (4.33) and is the only player in program history to be voted an All-American, which she accomplished in 2018.
She holds the Tigers’ three-highest single-season kills per set totals, including the record of 4.92 in 2018 when she tallied a program record 644 kills en route to being voted the East Region Player of the Year.
The 2018 CACC Player of the Year and a three-time All-CACC selection, Dalessandro also ranks top eight in the university’s history in service aces (202), service aces per set (.44), digs (1501), total blocks (190), block solos (46), block assists (144) and matches played (130).
She also holds the Tigers’ single-match record for kills (30), points (32.5), kills in a three-set match (23), points in a three-set match (27.0), kills in a four-set match (27) and points in a four-set match (30.5).
Mike Biddle
Head Women’s Soccer Coach, 2004-11
Biddle is the only coach in Holy Family Women’s Soccer history to be named CACC Coach of the Year twice, capturing the honor in both 2005 and 2007 after unbeaten league campaigns that ultimately ended in CACC Championships.
He also led Holy Family to CACC Championships in 2009 and 2011, as the Tigers won four titles during his eight seasons. The team advanced to the CACC Tournament Semifinals each year and the Championship Match on six occasions.
Holy Family’s three NCAA Tournament appearances came under his tutelage, as the Tigers went 97-62-10 overall and 67-15-6 in CACC play.
2018 Women’s Volleyball Team
The 2018 Holy Family Volleyball team is the only volleyball team in the CACC’s history to advance to the East Region Final, better known as the Sweet 16. That capped a season in which the Tigers went 31-6 overall and 18-1 in league play and earned the program’s first CACC title and first two NCAA Tournament wins.
The 31 overall victories are a program record, while the 18 in CACC play are tied for one. Holy Family won 23 matches in a row on the way to the East Region Final, which included a victory over Post in the CACC Championship Match.
Seeded fifth in the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers swept fourth-seeded Molloy in the first round before upsetting top-seed New Haven, 3-1, in the East Region Semifinal.
The team included Tayana Bennett, Jaime Bonner, Jillian Boyle, Casee Bryan, Carly Covington, Caitlin Griffin, Courtney Heaney, Camille Johnson, Zoe Krause, Emma Patterson, Gianna Pesognelli, Candyce Riley, Morgan Silks, Chase Wassel and Stephanie Woolston, as well as head coach Jeff Rotondo, assistant coach Susan Kim and volunteer assistant coach Sanky Sanny.