ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon University Athletics Hall of Fame will add to the family this February, welcoming five former student-athletes and one team as members of the Class of 2022 – including former women’s water polo athlete Natalie (Grabowski) Woodward ’03.
The Class of 2022 will be formally inducted at an awards banquet on Saturday, February 12 at Gannon’s Yehl Alumni Ballroom in the Waldron Campus Center. The new class of inductees brings the Hall of Fame to 128 members.
The event will be emceed by Mike Ruzzi, Erie News Now anchor and a member of the Metro Erie Chapter Sports Hall of Fame. Ruzzi began his career as a sports anchor and director at WICU 12 in Erie in 1984. He was the Sports Director until he moved to news anchor in 2013. During his career, he has earned multiple awards from the Associated Press and Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters.
Reservations for the Hall of Fame Banquet can be made online (CLICK HERE). Seating will be limited to 250 registrations. Cost for the event is $50 and includes admission to the women’s and men’s basketball games against Indiana University (Pa.) on February 12 at the Hammermill Center. Full table sponsorships are also available, which include 10 seats and a full-page advertisement in the event program.
The women’s basketball game begins at 1:00 p.m., followed by the men at 3:00 p.m.. The Hall of Fame reception kicks off at 5:00 p.m., with the banquet to follow at 5:45. The 2020-21 Gannon Athletics Coach of the Year, presented by U Pick 6 Tap House in Downtown Erie, will also be announced at the banquet.
Please direct any questions regarding the 2022 Athletics Hall of Fame weekend to Gannon Athletics by emailing Kelly Bommer at bommer001@gannon.edu.
Natalie (Grabowski) Woodward ’03
Women’s Water Polo, 2001-2003
Woodward scored over 200 goals and was a two-time All-Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) selection as a standout for the Gannon women’s water polo teams from 2001 to 2003. She currently ranks fourth in program history in goals (203), ninth in assists (75), 10th in steals (161) and fifth in earned kickouts (105). At the time of her graduation, she ranked in the top five in school history in all four categories. Woodward still owns the single-season (89 in 2003) and single-match (9 vs. Washington & Jefferson on 3/9/02) record for goals in the Gannon record book. She was a member of the first-ever club and varsity women’s water polo team at GU under head coach Don Sherman.
