Fordham University Athletics to Retire Uniform Number 55 of Legendary Women's Basketball...

Fordham University Athletics to Retire Uniform Number 55 of Legendary Women's
Basketball Star Anne Gregory in Ceremonies at Half Time of Saturday, December
5 Game Vs. Rider at Rose Hill Gymnasium
***Hoops icon is still all-time leading rebounder in women's college history
with 1,999 boards***

NEW YORK, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Fordham University Athletics will retire
the uniform number 55 of all-time women's basketball great Anne Gregory
O'Connell in ceremonies at half time of Fordham's home game against Rider on
Saturday, December 5, at the Rose Hill Gymnasium (1:00 PM tip off), it was
announced today by head women's basketball coach Cathy Andruzzi.

Gregory O'Connell, the top rebounder in women's college hoops history with
1,999 boards (pre-NCAA record still stands today) and the first Fordham
women's player to score 2,000 points, starred for the Rams of Rose Hill from
1976 through 1980. She becomes the first female athlete in Fordham history to
have her number retired and was the first female inductee in the Fordham
Athletics Hall of Fame (1986). Men's basketball legend Ed Conlin's jersey
number 11, which was hoisted to the rafters on November 20, 2005, is the only
other Fordham hoopster to be so honored.

"Anne's collegiate basketball performance was exceptional," said Andruzzi.
"She carried the Rams to national prominence, while setting a national
rebounding record that still stands 28 years later. Anne's performance,
character and leadership on and off the court set the standard for our
student-athletes. We look forward to celebrating her great accomplishment when
her jersey is hung from the rafters at Rose Hill."

Even though her Fordham playing career for ended in 1980, Gregory O'Connell
still retains the seven all-time career records including points (2,548),
field goals (982), free throws (584) and blocks (200). Of course, her most
impressive statistic, just one rebound short of 2,000, is not only over 1,000
more than the runner up, but continues to set the standard for women's
basketball, and the record has yet to be reached since the NCAA was
established in 1983.

SOURCE Fordham University Athletics

John Cirillo, +1-914-260-7436, johnnycigarpr@aol.com, or Jerry Milani,
+1-212-972-5337; Michael Miller, Fordham Sports Information, +1-718-817-4240,
mmiller3@fordham.edu