Hewlett Harbor, N.Y. - East Coast Conference Commissioner and former Dowling College Director of Athletics, Dr. Robert Dranoff was one of five people recognized at the 2009 Dowling College Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner.  Dranoff joined three student-athletes, two of whom played for Dowling while he served at the helm of the athletic department, as inductees to the Hall of Fame that he started nine years ago.

Dranoff served as the Athletic Director of Dowling from 1992-2004.  In his time at Dowling, Dranoff transformed the Department of Athletics into a powerhouse in the NYCAC.  Under his direction the Golden Lions were two-time recipients of the Commissioner's Cup, which is presented to the league's top program across its Championship sports.

Other inductees included: Dr. Zulmary Andino, Moussa Sy and Peter Belyea.  Dr. Andino was a member of the Dowling Women's Basketball team from 2001-2004 and helped the Golden Lions attain new heights.  Sy, Dowling's first All-American First Team member, wore the blue and gold from 1998-2000 and helped the men's soccer program break onto the national landscape.  Belyea, better known as the "Homerun King" was a member of baseball team from 1987-1990 and was in instrumental in leading the team to their first Knickbocker Conference Championship in 1988. 

The highlight of the night was the announcement of a scholarship to be set up in the name of Dr. Richard Laskowski, also recipient of the Dowling Athletics Lifetime Achievement Award.  Laskowski, former Dean of Physical Education and Athletics at Stony Brook University and longtime athletic administrator at St. John's University, received this prestigious recognition for his service to higher education and college athletics that has spanned nearly 5 decades.  This award will now be presented annually in his honor. 

-Contributions from the Dowling Sports Information department.