Athletic Hall of Fame

Not all football players are scholars and not all scholars are football players, but Jim Limanek was one who added academic excellence to his football and basketball prowess. 

Nicknamed “The Phenomenon” his freshman year, Dominic Brodeur ‘94 made an immediate  impression on his coaches and teammates. While some young athletes can start strong, but later peter out, Dom’s reputation for excellence on the football and baseball field, as well as the basketball court only grew.
 
As a linebacker, Dom consistently made his presence known to the opposing teams visiting Bill Landers Field. He lettered all four years he was at Rice and was named to the 1994 Vermont Shrine team. He also made the All Coaches Defensive 1st Team and was named team MVP.
 
As a baseball player, Dom had the privilege of being coached by fellow Hall of Famers Mike Pearo ‘58 and John Varricchione ‘65. Dom was involved in every play on the field as pitcher or catcher. He was dangerous at the plate, leading the team in homeruns in both his junior and senior year. In a game versus Winooski in 1993, Dom hit THREE! It’s no surprise that he was named the Burlington Free Press Athlete of the Week. 
 
After graduation, Dom enlisted in the Coast Guard, serving his country for 6 years before becoming a police officer with the Burlington Police Department. In 2002, Dom received a commendation for measures taken that helped save the life of a women whose car rolled over on the Beltline in Burlington. As an officer, he was regarded as authentic, thoughtful and caring. He retired from the force in 2021 after 20 years of service. 
 
Dom and his wife, Christianne have two grown daughters, Michaela and Olivia. They are enjoying retired life in Charlevoix, Michigan.
 
 

The late Michael Pearo ‘58 coached baseball at Rice for 45 years. In that time, there were a handful of outstanding players he personally nominated to the Rice-Cathedral Hall of Fame. Andrew John McDonald ‘00 is one of them. 
 
Andrew transferred from St. Johnsbury Academy to Rice Memorial midway through his junior year and had an instant impact on the athletic department. He played varsity basketball and baseball his junior and senior years. 
 
In his junior year, while batting second in a super-charged offensive attack, he scored a single season school record 44 runs, which demolished the previous record of 24. This record still stands today! Andrew also maintained a batting average of .448. He helped the team earn a 17-3 record for the season bringing them to the 1999 DI State Championship game, where they eventually lost to Brattleboro 3-2 in extra innings. His performance in the spring of 1999 caught the attention of USA Today who tapped him with an Honorable Mention in their All USA-Vermont Baseball Team selection. He was also named to the Metro Division All Star Team.
 
Andrew’s senior baseball season concluded with a 12-5 record and another All Star Selection. He was never thrown out in 33 base stealing attempts during his two seasons at Rice. In Mike Pearo’s words: “Maybe the fastest player ever at Rice. Boy, did he love to steal third base!”
 
But, his senior basketball season is where memories were made and accolades earned. Andrew was a critical member of the 1999-2000 squad who beat cross-town rival Burlington High School 78-62 to earn Rice its last championship as the Little Indians. In the Division I Championship game hosted by St. Michael’s College, Andrew tallied 16 points, including several crucial baskets at opportune times in the second half to help capture the win. 
 
Andrew’s accomplishments in and out of the classroom were recognized with the prestigious Ethan Allen Club Scholar-Athlete of the Year Scholarship in 2000. 
 
Former Rice Basketball coach Kevin Cieplicki summed up Andrew’s contribution to Rice athletics with this statement: “Andrew was a great all around athlete, He was an excellent shooter, who could hit the three. Andrew also could be counted on to guard the best player on our opponent’s team. Though very laid back in his demeanor, and always a gentleman, Andrew was one of the toughest competitors I have ever had the pleasure to coach.”
 
Today, Andrew is the Quality Assurance Specialist at Lake Champlain Chocolates in Burlington. He frequently finds ways to give back to his community, most notably helping at the Ronald McDonald House and donating to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. 
 

While Brandon Ripley may have made his mark on Rice baseball as a pitcher, his former coach, the late Mike Pearo ‘58 was equally impressed by his performance off the mound. Mike believed Brandon’s quick reflexes, love for the game, and ability to make great plays made him one of the best shortstops to play at Rice. 
 
Brandon played varsity baseball for the Little Indians all four years. In his junior year, he threw two one-hitters and one 2-hitter. In the game against Missisquoi in 1999, he pitched a perfect game into the bottom of the 5th inning. Brandon was consistent at the plate too with a .468 batting average. 
 
Brandon’s senior season brought comparable success, garnering local and national attention. He was named to the All-Metro All-Star Baseball Team all four years of his career and chosen as Metro South Player of the Year in 2000. Most significantly, Brandon was named Team MVP and received an Honorable Mention for USA Today Player of the Year. Combine these honors with being named among the Top 98 Senior Baseball players in New England and it’s no wonder Brandon was recruited by multiple Division 1 college baseball programs. He landed at Lafayette College where he played four years of varsity and made it to the starting pitching rotation by sophomore year. He was also named to the Lafayette College Athletic/Academic Honor Roll. Eventually, a recurring arm injury thwarted any plans to continue his baseball career. 
 
“I had the pleasure of coaching Brandon and he was a "throw-back" baseball guy,” shared former coach and fellow Hall of Famer Brent Tremblay ‘88. “Brandon loved the game so much that I don't think that he had too many waking moments without playing, practicing or thinking about the game of baseball. His play on the field reflected that.”
 
Brandon is effusive with his memories of Rice. He counts Coach Pearo’s “stealth” bunts, Joe Quinn’s Eephus pitch, and competing with the “burley sophomore” Jamie Merchant ‘99 as some of his fondest Rice baseball moments. Brandon embraced the entire Rice experience, and recalls Stunt Nite, time spent with friends on the Rice Green, and the Comparative Cultures trip to Europe with Coach Pearo and then-teacher Brent Tremblay ‘88 as some of the most impressionable moments he enjoyed as a Little Indian. 
 
Today, Brandon lives in Bethesda Maryland and is Vice President of Construction Management for Penzance, a real estate development firm in Washington, DC. He and his wife, Aditi have two children, Serena and Gavin and two miniature dachshunds, Chloe and Morgan. 
 

No runner ever goes anywhere without good blockers, and according to Drew Macartney, “Knox and [Ralph] Alfieri were two of the greatest blockers in Rice High School history.”  This statement would also be voiced by Coaches Tony Brice, Jim Provost, David Hibma, Gary Provost, and John Varricchione.  Knox and Alfieri helped anchor an offensive line that helped two outstanding running backs, Drew Macartney and Matthew Tomkowicz, to have sensational seasons in 2003 and 2004.  Macartney scored 13 TDs as a junior and 25 TDs and ran over 1,000 yards as a senior.  Tomkowicz ran for 14 TDs as a junior and 24 TDs and ran over 1,400 yards as a senior.  Prior to Andrew’s and Ralph Alferi’s sophomore football year, 2002, the Rice Varsity Football had lost 24 consecutive games.  In their sophomore year, the team went 6-3 and lost in the semifinals; in their junior year, the team went 7-2 and lost in the semifinals.  Finally, in their senior year, the team went 11-0 and won the Division III State Championship.
 
Andrew, possessing a strong self-confidence and outstanding oratory skills, took it upon himself to deliver a rousing, encouraging, and determined pre-game speech to rally his teammates to the 11-0 season in 2004.  Andrew won numerous football honors.  In 2004, he was selected to the Division III First Team Offensive Line and Defensive Linebacker.  He also was named the Burlington Free Press All-State Defensive Linebacker.  “He was a superb linebacker against the run and the pass.  He can fill the hole or drop back to roam to help with pass coverage.  Knox often gets the job done with bone-jarring tackles.”  Knox went on to be named to the 2004 North Team for the North-South football game.  He was also named to the 2005 Vermont Shrine team.  In college, he played one football season at Hobart College but discontinued because of his priority with academics. 
 
Andrew also played hockey at Rice for three years. In his junior year, he played the first half of the season and then went to Washington, D.C., to serve as a Senate page for Senator Patrick Leahy. In his senior year, he was named a captain of the Rice hockey team. 
 
Andrew was a multi-talented student. He was in Select Choir for three years, was a member of the 2005 All-District Choir, was the Senior Class president, and went on to become the 2004 Boys’ State Governor.  Andrew volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House and the Respite House.  He ended his high school career by being selected by the faculty as Mr. Rice in 2005.
 
Presently, Andrew works as actor and writer in Los Angeles and is part of an improv comedy group called Second City.  Andrew and his wife, Catherine, are the proud parents of a daughter, Charlie.
 
 

Running back Drew Macartney ’05, said of Ralph Alfieri, “Alfieri and Andrew Knox were two of the greatest blockers in Rice High School history.”  This statement would also be voiced by coaches Tony Brice, Jim Provost, David Hibma, Gary Provost, and John Varricchione.  Ralph Alfieri and Knox helped anchor an offensive line that helped two outstanding running backs, Drew Macartney and Matthew Tomkowicz, to have sensational seasons in 2003 and 2004.  Macartney scored 13 TDs as a junior and 25 TDs and ran over 1,000 yards as a senior. Tomkowicz ran for 14 TDs as a junior and 24 TDs and ran over 1,400 yards as a senior.  Prior to Ralph’s sophomore football year, 2002, the Rice Varsity Football had lost 24 consecutive games.  In their sophomore year, the team went 6-3 and lost in the semifinals; in their junior year, the team went 7-2 and lost in the semifinals.  Finally, in their senior year, the team went 11-0 and won the Division III State Championship!
 
Ralph Alfieri also won his share of football awards.  In 2004, he was named to the Division III Football First Team Offensive Line.  He was also named to the 2004 North Team for the North-South game.  Ralph was named to the 2004 Burlington Free Press All-State Football Team as First Team Offensive Tackle.  According to the Free Press sports writer, “Alfieri could play guard or tackle, and he loved to get out in front to lead the runners.  He was quick off the line and had the power to drive players back.  When the Green Knights needed a few yards, they ran behind Alfieri.”  In addition, Ralph was named to the 2005 Vermont Shrine Football Team.  
 
Ralph played lacrosse for Rice for three years.  In the 2005 season, Ralph, at 6’3” and 245 pounds, was a dominant player on the field. The team went 16-0 and won the Division II Championship.  Ralph, like Matt Tomkowicz, did not lose a game his senior year, as the football team went 11-0 and the lacrosse team finished 16-0. 
 
After leaving Rice, Ralph did a post-graduate year at Bridgton Academy where he continued to hone his football skills.  After a year in Bridgton, Ralph jumped the border to attend Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where he continued his football career.  After leaving Acadia in 2008, Ralph moved to Cape Cod, where he now lives.  Ralph continues to build his career as a skilled Arborist.  He currently owns and operates his own tree and plant care business, Alfieri Tree Care.  Ralph married Jessica in 2016, and they reside in the town of Mashpee with their young son, Joseph.  In his spare time, being the outdoorsman that he is, Ralph enjoys all the Cape has to offer: fishing, hunting, and boating.  He also spends time with various community/preservation organizations, including the Falmouth Rod and Gun Club; the Sporting, Safety, Conservation, and Education Fund (SSCEF); and the Waquoit Bay Yacht Club.
 
 

There’s a cliche describing the ultimate athlete’s mind-set “she forged her body into an instrument of her will.” Emma Hulburd ‘09 fully and impressively embodies that central truth.
 
When Emma arrived at Rice as a freshman, she embraced all the school had to offer by being involved in honors courses, enthusiastically participating in Stunt Nite, and by lettering in three sports her first year: Cross Country, Basketball, and Outdoor Track.  As much as she loved basketball, Emma quickly realized her passion was in running, and not just running but running distance, so she stopped playing basketball and switched to Indoor Track. Emma was a six-time individual track state champion who went undefeated in the 1500, 3000, and 4x800 her junior and senior years. She qualified for the New England State Indoor, Outdoor, and Cross Country championships multiple times. She received the award at the Burlington Invitational for the top female competitor and was also honored as the top runner at her graduation from Rice. She served as captain of her teams and set the school record in the 3000. At graduation, Emma was recognized with the prestigious Outstanding Female Athlete award. Emma was recruited by a number of Division I and Division II schools but ended up running for DI Coastal Carolina where she competed in Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track. 
 
According to one of her coaches, Mark McDonnell, “Nothing about this smacks of an innate gift. Rather it is a path and a fruition. It requires fostering a cluster of attributes, each of them precious: a joyous heart, flexibility, openness to coaching, mindfulness, expressiveness, persistence, and faith. As if that wasn’t enough, Emma was so transparent about the process that she became a natural, quiet leader by example. She kept no secrets and was easy to trust.”
 
After graduating with Honors from Coastal Carolina, Emma continued her education at Life University where she earned her doctorate in chiropractic medicine. She continues to run and has completed several marathons. She and her husband, fellow chiropractor Dr. Connor Heney, live and practice in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Emma is the daughter of Sharon Hulburd and long-time Rice teacher, coach, and administrator, Lloyd Hulburd.
 

Banners for four retired jersey numbers hang in Bill Hammond Gymnasium, that of Keith Cieplicki ‘81, Jamie Merchant ’99, Morgan Valley ’00, and Brittany Pfaff ‘10. As the youngest of that esteemed group, Brittany can now join them in the Rice-Cathedral Athletic Hall of Fame. In the words of Hall of Fame Committee member John Varricchione ‘65, Brittany was “the greatest three-sport female athlete in Rice history.”
 
A varsity athlete all four years at Rice, Brittany particularly dominated on the soccer pitch and track. Brittany concluded her Rice soccer career with 107 goals making her the 7th most prolific scorer in Vermont soccer history. To make this achievement even more impressive, Brittany reached this milestone in just three and half seasons! Brittany broke her ankle halfway through her freshman season. Ten years later, she also maintains the Rice scoring record for any Rice player, male or female.
 
Brittany also set records for multiple track and field events - the 400M, 200M, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and heptathlon. At the DII State Championship meet in June of 2010, Brittany captured first in four events and, earlier that week, broke the state record in the 300M hurdles at the Essex Invitational, a record she still holds today. Brittany also holds the 300M hurdle and Heptathalon record at Rice. 
 
Brittany translated her speed and agility from the soccer pitch to the hard wood of the basketball court, and was a critical member of the girls’ basketball team from 2006-2010, joining them on multiple trips to Patrick Gymnasium. No guard was safe from her tenacious defense and quick hands, which were usually followed by a lay up before the guard realized her pocket had even been picked. Her skills earned her a place on the All-State team twice, as well as a spot in the Vermont/New Hampshire Summer Classic roster.
 
Brittany’s accomplishments on the soccer pitch were lauded year after year as a member of the Vermont All State Soccer Team. In her junior and senior years, she was also named to the All New England Soccer Team. To top it off, in her senior year, she was named to the All-American Soccer Team and chosen by Gatorade as Player of the Year. 
 
Brittany continued her soccer career at Siena College where she was named Rookie of the Year her freshman year. She is among the top 5 athletes at Siena in career points, goals, and game winning goals. Brittany majored in psychology and is now a High School Guidance Counselor in the Saratoga New York school district. In July, she married Mark Ambrosio. Brittany is the daughter of former Rice coaches Mark and Claudia Pfaff, and joins her sister, Dr. Ashley Pfaff ‘05 who was inducted in the 2015 Hall of Fame. 
 
 

Three-sport athletes seem to be a dying breed. Once in a while someone does come along who is truly exceptional in all three sports. Christian McCormick surely hits this distinction.  
 
In football, Christian turned out to be the quarterback whose developmental skills improved the most dramatically over four years throughout Rice’s football history. In his senior year, he helped Rice be selected by the Burlington Free Press as the best Vermont team in 2010. The team averaged 42.5 points per game and went 10-1 for the season. Christian led the Green Knights to the Division II state title. He passed for 2,619 yards and 37 TDs in his senior year. He completed 159 passes out of 262 attempts, with only seven interceptions. He also rushed for 357 yards and three TDs. For his efforts, Christian was named the Burlington Free Press Vermont Athlete of the Year, and also won the Gatorade Football Player of the Year Award. In addition, as a senior, he won the Vermont PRIDE Award, was named to the All-State First Team, the Vermont Shrine Team, and the North-South All-Star Team as captain and quarterback. In Christian’s junior year, he was named to the All-Division First Team. 
 
As a basketball player, Christian was named All-Division Second Team in his junior year. As a senior, he averaged 11.9 points and 6.8 assists per game, and he served as captain. The team went 22-2 and won the State Championship in 2010-11. In addition, he was named to the All-State Third Team. Head Coach Paul Pecor called Christian “…a natural leader, whether it’s on the football field, the baseball field, or on the basketball court. His greatest contribution is to make other players better.”
 
On the baseball field, Christian played centerfield and was captain in his senior year, as the team reached the Division I Final. He was named All-State First Team both in his junior and senior years.  
 
After high school, Christian did a post-graduate year at Berkshire School where he played football, basketball and baseball. He was named to the All-Western New England First Team for baseball. He went on to the University of New Hampshire where he played quarterback all four years.  
 
Today, Christian works as a Regional Advisor Consultant-External Wholesaler for Columbia Threadneedle Investments in the Boston area. He is engaged to Emma Rossi.