Six Inducted into BSU Athletics Hall of Fame

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The 2025 Bridgewater State University Athletics Hall of Fame Induction and Banquet ceremony was held Friday evening, October 17th, in the Rondileau Student Union Ballroom and an audience of over 110 was on hand as five former student-athletes and a former administrator were inducted into the hall.

The six members of the 26th induction class honored on Friday night were Nelson Almada '98, Jayci Andrews '20, Bethany (Bush) Carey '12, Jack Lavanchy '19, John Marsh '10 and Michael Story.

President Frederick W. Clark Jr., Esq., '83, was on hand to offer welcoming remarks from the university during this Homecoming Weekend and to congradulate the new members. Associate Director of Athletics, Glenn Gonsalves '91, who also serves as the co-chairperson of the Hall of Fame committee, emceed the evening's proceedings while fellow co-chairperson and Assistant Director of Athletics, Derek Viveiros, introduced each of the new members. Director of Athletics, Dr. Marybeth Lamb, made note of the outstanding academic and athletic achievements of the current student-athletes.

2025 Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Class

Nelson Almada '98 (Soccer) – Among the top goalkeepers in Bridgewater State men's soccer history, Nelson Almada appeared in 66 games between the pipes for the Bears from 1993 to 1996 and posted a 1.12 goals against average with 393 saves and an .845 save percentage. He finished with an impressive 42 wins (42-16-8) and a .697 winning percentage (highest of any BSU goalie with at least 30 games started). The men's soccer team averaged 13 wins a season during his career and made three ECAC Tournament appearances. When Nelson wrapped up his brilliant career at Bridgewater State, he held the program goaltending records for games played, games started (60), minutes played (5763:55), goals against average, saves, wins and shutouts (20.5). As of today,     Nelson is still the Bears' all-time leader in goals against average and wins, ranks second in saves, and third in shutouts, minutes played, games played and games started. A four-time All-MASCAC selection (first team in 1993 and 1994), Nelson was named the MASCAC Player of the Year in 1994 and earned All-Region accolades during his freshman (2nd Team) and sophomore (3rd Team) seasons. A 1998 graduate of Bridgewater State with a degree in physical education, Nelson has worked in sales in the packaging industry for 27. He has two children, Juliana and Carina, and lives in Taunton, Massachusetts with his girlfriend, Cindy. Nelson formerly played in the Luso American Soccer Association (LASA) and New England Luso American Soccer Association (NELASA) for the Taunton Eagles Soccer Club and Taunton Sports Club. He is currently the part owner as well as former coach of the club soccer team New England Navigators. Nelson still plays soccer for the Over 48 Taunton Eagles.

Jayci Andrews '20 (Track & Field) – Jayci Andrews is the most decorated athlete in the history of the Bridgewater State track & field program and among the greatest female athletes in the history of the school. A two-time national champion and six-time First Team All-American, Jayci is one of just two national champions in the long history of the BSU varsity athletics program. Jayci captured her first national title in 2019 when she won the 60-meter hurdles at the indoor championships held the Reggie Lewis Center and followed that performance up with a first-place finish in the 100-meter  hurdles at the 2019 outdoor championships in Alliance, Ohio. She also earned First Team All-American honors with a second-place finish in the 100 hurdles in 2018 and a fourth-place showing in the 400 hurdles in 2019. In 2022, after roughly a three-year absence, Jacyi returned to Bridgewater State for one last outdoor season of competition and recorded a pair of First Team All-American  performance in the 100 hurdles (5th place) and 400 hurdles (5th place). Throughout her career, Jayci was named MASCAC Athlete of the Week an impressive 42 times, captured 19 MASCAC individual titles and garnered USTFCCCA All-Region accolades ten times. Jayci is the Bears’ indoor record holder in the 55-meter hurdles (8.50) and 60-meter hurdles (8.68) as well the outdoor record holder in the 100-meter hurdles (13.66) and 400-meter hurdles (1:00.08). She is also a member of the Bears' record-setting indoor (3:59.24) and outdoor (3:57.55) 4x400-meter relay squads. Jayci is the only four-time recipient of the BSU John C. Harper Athlete of the Year award as she earned the honor in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023. She was also the BSU Rookie of the Year in 2016. A native of Plymouth, Massachusetts, Jaycie graduated from Bridgewater State with a degree in social work. She presently resides in East Wareham with her boyfriend and former BSU men’s basketball player, Tyler DeMelo '16. Jayci has been doing social work at the Department of Children in Families in Plymouth for about three years and also recently started privately coaching young track & field athletes.

Bethany (Bush) Carey '12 (Field Hockey, Lacrosse) – Bethany Bush starred on the Bridgewater State field hockey team for four seasons from 2007 to 2010 and also excelled on the women's lacrosse field for two years in 2008 and 2011. Bethany tallied 47 goals and 25 assists for 119 points in 77 games with the field hockey Bears as she is presently tied for the all-time program lead in assists and ranks third in both goals and scoring. During her senior season of 2010, Bethany notched career highs with 22 goals and ten assists for 54 points. As a freshman in 2007, she helped the Bears capture the ECAC Division III New England Tournament title. Bethany was a three-time All-Little East selection during her field hockey tenure including first team honors in 2010. She was also named to the NFHCA Division III All-New England West Region Second Team in 2010. In the sport of women's lacrosse, Bethany helped the Bears capture the NEWLA regular season and tournament titles in both 2008 and 2011, and advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2011. The BSU  women's lacrosse team posted an impressive win-loss record of 32-7 in her two seasons with the squad including a perfect 18-0 mark against conference opponents. Bethany earned First Team All-NEWLA honors and was named the NEWLA Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 as she notched 45 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers over 19 games. A product of Littleton, Massachusetts, Bethany graduated from Bridgewater State in 2012 with a degree in physical education. She presently resides in Groton, Massachusetts with her husband, Ben, and their two daughters, Harper and Hazel. Bethany is a collegiate field hockey official and also officiates lacrosse.

Jack Lavanchy '19 (Football) – Arguably the greatest receiver in the storied history of Bridgewater State football, Jack Lavanchy excelled on the gridiron for the Bears from 2016 to 2018. Jack holds the Bears' all-time records for receptions (225) and receiving yards (2,982), and is second all-time in receiving touchdowns (29). He set the single-season record for receptions twice with 80 in 2017 and then 97 in 2018; and eclipsed the Bears' single-game marks with 14 receptions and 254 receiving yards against Western Connecticut State in 2017. Jack recorded two of the top three single-season receiving yardage totals in program history with 1,193 yards in 2017 and 1,236 yards in 2018. He also notched ten or more receptions in a game nine times in his career (only happened six other times in program history). Jack was a two-time All-MASCAC First Team selection as well as a two-time New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team honoree. He was Cranberry Bowl MVP in 2018 as well as the MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year and a D3football.com All-East Region Second Team selection. In 2016, Jack helped the Bears capture the MASCAC title with a perfect 8-0 conference mark and advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fourth time in program history. A 2019 graduate of Bridgewater State with a degree in exercise science, Jack presently lives in South Boston and work as an account executive at CarGurus. During his junior year, Jack was one of only two Division III in Massachusetts invited to a Houston Texans scouting test. He also drew the attention of Patriots scouts’ his senior year and traveled to Florida to train alongside national top prospects. Jack later participated in a Pro Day at UMass Amherst in front of representatives from 28 NFL teams and attended several CFL showcases.

John Marsh '10 (Wrestling) – John Marsh earned All-American honors with a fifth-place finish competing out of the 149-pound weight class at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in 2010. To this day, he is the highest placewinner at the NCAA wrestling championships in school  history. John was a two-time All-New England selection (2007, 2010) and captured the regional title at 149 in 2010 to earn a spot at the national championship meet. John notched 111 wins over the course of his outstanding three-year career with the Bears. He ranks third in program history in career wins and holds the single-season marks with 47 wins and 137 takedowns in 2006-2007. He is the only Bear to record 100 or more takedowns in a season twice as he tallied 104 in 2009-2010. John also recorded the second highest winning percentage in a season when he went 35-3 (.932) in 2010. His 86 dual meet points in 2007 ranks third in the BSU wrestling record book. John is also a member of the Massachusetts Wrestling Hall of Fame, the New England Wrestling Hall of Fame and the New Bedford High School Hall of Fame. An accomplished Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, John won the Purple Belt Worlds two years in a row in the Master's division and just recently won the Master's Two Brown Belt Pan American Championship. He still coaches wresting, working with youth, high school, and college level wrestlers, and coaches wrestling for Jiu-Jitsu and for mixed martial arts.  John is a 2010 graduate of Bridgewater State where he earned a degree in physical education with a  concentration in exercise science. A native of New Beford, Massachusetts, John presently resides in Valley Cottage, New York with his wife, Sallee (Bickford) Marsh '11, and their son, Theo. John is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and runs Personal Training Gym, Essential Strength and Conditioning in White Plains.

Michael Storey (Administrator) – Michael Storey worked in the Bridgewater State Department of Athletics and Recreation for 40 years beginning in 1982 when he was hired as the school's first ever Sports Information Director. During his tenure at BSU, Mike was involved with all aspects of college athletics administration from intramurals and recreation to academic compliance. Since 1998, Mike had been an Associate Director responsible for assisting the Director in coordinating 22 intercollegiate athletic programs. Mike was a founding member of the BSU Athletics Hall of Fame committee, established in 1986, and served on the committee until his retirement. He was the committee chairperson for 29 years starting in 1993. Mike was an active member of NACDA (1992-2007) and the College Sports Communicators, formerly CoSIDA (1982-2002), during his tenure and served on numerous committees with the NCAA and ECAC including the NCAA Football Rules Committee (2000-2006) and the Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports Committee (2003-2006). He also served on ECAC sports selection committees for men's and women's soccer as well as men's basketball. Mike is a graduate of Concordia University located in Montreal, Canada where he earned both his undergraduate (1978, Biology) and graduate (1980, Sports Administration) degrees. He also played football for the Stingers from 1974 to 1978. Mike, who retired in 2022, lives in Halifax, Massachusetts with his wife, Laura (Campagna) Storey '87. Mike and Laura have three  children, Stephen, Jacqueline and Mitchell.

The induction of Almada, Andrews, Carey (Bush), Lavanchy, Marsh and Storey brought the BSU Hall of Fame's total membership to 168.