OFFICIAL RELEASE

The New York University Department of Athletics, Intramurals, and Recreation is pleased to announce its 2018 Hall of Fame Class: Dr. Michael Gaylor (Class of 1968, Men's Fencing), Howard "Jake" Jacobson (Class of 1952, Men's Cross Country and Track & Field), Gene Kobilansky (Class of 2007, Wrestling), and Angela Vicari (Class of 2001, Women's Basketball).

"It is an honor to induct these outstanding representatives of New York University Athletics into our Hall of Fame," said Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Athletics, Christopher Bledsoe. "I congratulate and celebrate their many achievements and look forward to a special afternoon in May. It will be a great opportunity for our community to come together and welcome them back to NYU for their induction."

The newest members of the Hall of Fame will be formally inducted at the annual NYU Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Varsity Athlete Reunion on Saturday, May 5, 2018. The formal induction ceremony will be followed by a cocktail reception and gathering for all attendees.

NYU Athletics invites friends and family members, NYU alumni and members of the community to join us for this exciting event. To reserve your ticket(s), please click here. All tickets ($20 for adults, $10 for students/children) must be paid for in advance.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2018
 
Dr. Michael Gaylor – Men's Fencing
 
Michael Gaylor, NYU Washington Square College, Class of 1968, will be formally inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame on Sat., May 5, 2018.
 
An inquisitive young eight-year-old boy seeing swords in his father's closet, later became the young man who is considered one of New York University's finest swordsman. Gaylor developed a passion and work ethic that would not only make him a national champion, but also an international competitor.
 
Gaylor led his team as a consummate foilist and bout strategist, consistently earning conference and national championship accolades throughout his collegiate career. As a sophomore, Gaylor established a new standard of excellence with an 11-1 season record and a combined 29-1 record at the Intercollegiate Fencing Association (IFA) Championships with fellow NYU Hall of Fame honoree and foilist, Al Davis. That same year, he and his teammates won the IFA Team Championship and subsequent NCAA Team Championship.
 
Gaylor continued to blossom during his junior year, becoming the 1967 Eastern Intercollegiate Foil Champion, IFA Foil Champion and NCAA Foil Champion; receiving the Julio Costello MVP trophy; and leading NYU to its 7^th NCAA Championship title. In his final year, Gaylor finished as a two-time Eastern Intercollegiate Foil Champion and two-time NCAA All-American.
 
Following his collegiate fencing career, Gaylor received his medical degree and postdoctoral training from the University of Pittsburgh and Dartmouth Medical School, respectively. After 30 years of academic medicine, he retired and taught theatre, stage combat, fencing, and kendo at Lycoming College. He now resides in the Down East region of Maine.
 
Howard "Jake" Jacobson – Men's Cross Country and Men's Track & Field

Howard "Jake" Jacobson, NYU School of Commerce Class of 1952, will be formally inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame on Sat. May 5, 2018.
 
Jacobson exemplified the discipline and tenacity required to become a successful member of the NYU Men's Cross Country and Track & Field programs. That excitement continued throughout his lifetime as he is a man who can turn his hand to many things.  Jacobson's many talents include author, oil painter, motivational speaker, health and fitness coach, trainer, and Army veteran.
 
After two years of experience at NYU, Jacobson finished his junior year with first-place accolades in seven out of 10 dual meets, and his senior year as Cross Country team captain and recipient of the Cross Country Senior Gold Award. His proudest collegiate achievement was placing top-three at the Metropolitan Cross Country Championship. However, it is what he accomplished following his time at NYU that is truly remarkable.
 
Rather than hang up his running shoes, Jacobson became a two-time two-mile steeplechase champion as a member of the U.S. Army Track Team. After his service, he continued competitive running until he found his passion with racewalking, competing in the 1968 Olympic Trials and placing second and third in the 3,000-meter and 10,000-meter racewalk, respectively, at the 1969 Maccabiah Games in Israel.
 
"Coach Jake," as he likes to be called, founded and coached the New York Walker's Club and the national championship Eastside Racewalk Team, while also coaching a number of athletes for the U.S. Olympic Team. In 1985, Jacobson received the Public Relations Society of America's esteemed Silver Anvil Award for producing the best special event of the year, March Across America for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
 
An author, master's champion, record holder, and national spokesperson for Adidas, Converse, and Campbell's V-8, Coach Jake currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, conducting fitness and personal training classes while traveling the country lecturing on fitness, health and wellness.
 
Gene Kobilansky – Wrestling

Gene Kobilansky, NYU Leonard N. Stern Undergraduate School of Business, Class of 2007, will be formally inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame on Sat., May 5, 2018.
 
Kobilansky quickly cemented his role as a fierce competitor and outstanding collegiate wrestler. His mentality to gain higher level of success was to focus less on winning and more on loving the process. Indeed, this was a flawless ideology. Within his first two seasons, Kobilansky earned NYU Wrestling Outstanding Freshman and University Athletic Association (UAA) Rookie of the Year honors, while also posting a second-place finish at the Metropolitan Qualifiers. He ended his sophomore season with a trip to the NCAA Championships with a combined total of 50 wins in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
 
When Kobilansky returned to the mat as a junior, he picked up just where he left off, winning the Metropolitan Championship title (141-lb), becoming the All-New York State Runner-Up, and qualifying for the NCAA Championships once again. He entered his senior year ranked third nationally and finished the campaign as a six-time UAA Athlete of the Week honoree, the UAA's Most Outstanding Wrestler, made another NCAA Championships appearance. He completed his highly-impressive collegiate career with a 118-34 record.
 
Today, Kobilansky's impact continues to be felt as he holds three team records and is among the top-five in three other categories.  He currently serves as an Assistant Coach of the NYU Wrestling Team. Ever the entrepreneur, Gene founded Flow Athletics and later became the co-founder of Wealthbot. He currently lives in New York City, where he is the founder and lead developer at Lancekey Advising.
 
Angela Vicari – Women's Basketball
 
Angela Vicari, NYU College of Arts and Science Class of 2001, will be formally inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame on Sat., May 5, 2018.
 
Her recognition as one of the all-time great women's basketball players in the history of New York University's storied program comes as no surprise. Vicari was one of the most versatile all-around performers at the highest level of Div. III national collegiate basketball and, certainly for insiders, may be singled out as one of the most inspiring and influential leaders the program has produced. Having arrived at NYU immediately following its 1997 National Championship, Vicari was a main contributor to its sustained success, despite enormous expectations over her four years.
 
During Vicari's career, NYU earned three Sweet Sixteen appearances, two Elite Eight finishes, and captured the coveted, and ultra-competitive, 2001 University Athletic Association Championship, stripped from the hands of defending national champion Washington University. Vicari also led NYU on one of its best-ever runs, accumulating 34 wins in a 36-game span during her junior and senior seasons.
 
Seemingly, there were not enough ways to formally recognize her contributions. Earning the rare honor of a two-time captain, Vicari consistently led her team in points scored, assists, steals, field goal percentage, and free-throw percentage. She was named Impact Player of the Year, Best All-Around Player of the Year, and Most Valuable Player. She was singled out as the Most Outstanding Athlete for NYU Athletics and given the President's Athlete of the Year Award, the Dan Quilty/MIBA Most Outstanding Student-Athlete Award, the distinguished NYU Alumni Association Student-Athlete Award, and the NY State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association Scholar Athlete Award. Vicari graduated NYU magna cum laude.
 
A Manhattan resident, Vicari's success has not slowed since leaving NYU. After attending Columbia Law School, she joined Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, where she is now a partner. Vicari has earned several national professional accolades, including Next Generation Lawyer (2012), Product Liability Under 40 Rising Star (2012, 2017), Rising Star in Litigation (2013, 2014), Future Star (2015), and most recently, Next Generation Lawyer for Commercial Dispute Resolution (2017).
 
About the NYU Hall of Fame
 
The current Hall of Fame was established as a result of the merger of NYU's Varsity Club Hall of Fame, which was founded in 1970 to honor members of the men's teams, and the Women's Hall of Fame, which was founded in 1976 by a group of former female student-athletes. The Hall of Fame currently includes 216 distinguished members, spanning more than 100 years of rich athletic history.
 
Click here to see photos from last year's Hall of Fame event.
 
The four-member 2018 Class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 5, 2018.
 
For more information about this event, or to nominate an individual for consideration into the NYU Hall of Fame, please contact Corey Saleh, Athletic Development and Alumni Relations Coordinator, at corey.saleh@nyu.edu or (212) 998-2029.