UIC Athletics

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1975-1979

Inducted: 2015

Cotter finished his UIC hockey career with 140 points, 80 assists, six game winning goals, 20 power play goals, six hat tricks, five short-handed goals and 60 goals. He earned All-America honors in 1979 after setting the team's single season records in assists (47), power play goals (11) and total points (80). The 33 goals scored that season by the Vancouver native helped the Chikas record a 17-12-1 record. Cotter also helped the Chikas to first place at the Western College Division Tournament and third at the College Division National Tournament.

Sport: Hockey, Hockey Coach

Years: 1969-1973, 1982-1990

Inducted: 2011

As an athlete, Belmonte was a leader on the ice. In his junior and senior years at UIC, he served as team captain. He Successfully carried over these qualities into his coaching career.

Belmonte's team was the first to play in the UIC Pavilion, and in the new arena, UIC Hockey was very popular and successful. Belmonte vividly remembers beating big-time programs such as Michigan State (7-4) and Harvard (3-2). He also recalls the honor of competing against the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team and the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni.

After their collegiate careers expired, several of Belmonte's players were drafted by the NHL. Four of his former athletes represented their country on U.S. National Teams, and five of UIC's Hockey hall-of-famers played under Belmonte. Additionally, four of his assistant coaches went on to be successful Division I head coaches.

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1981-1985

Inducted: 2002

Chin finds himself among the elite players in UIC hockey history. Chin is fifth on the all-time scoring list with 146 points. He tallied 60 goals and 86 assists while donning the blue and red. Chin is fifth on the career assists list and seventh on the career goals list. He was the team's captain and MVP in 1985, as he was named Honorable Mention All-CCHA.

"Some of my favorite memories are playing the first hockey game in the UIC Pavilion, making our first appearance in the CCHA playoffs, eating pork chops on Maxwell Street at 5:00 a.m. and meeting my wife who played on the UIC tennis team. Also our team being ranked 8th in the nation in 1985 and beating Michigan for the first time at the Pavilion are pretty memorable."

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1982-1986

Inducted: 2003

A tough-as-nails defenseman who helped open up the ice for some of the leading goal scorers in UIC history. Cronin helped the Flames to some of their greatest moments in hockey during his career. Part of a Top Ten Flames team during his junior season, Cronin helped UIC defeat one of the best teams in the nation, Michigan State, In East Lansing during the 1984-85 campaign.

Cronin's team play was recognized with numerous accolades throughout his tenure. In 1984 Cronin was a co-winner of the Mark Nordling Memorial Award for Sportsmanship as a reward for his selfless contributions to the team's success. That same season he was awarded with the Steve Richmond Award for showing the greatest general improvement in his game. In 1986 Cronin capped off his UIC career with the Dennis Hull Most Valuable Player Award. Cronin suited up for the NHL's Washington Capitals in 1988-89. Later he made stops with the Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks.

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1985-1989

Inducted: 2000

Gorski had a stellar career on the ice at UIC and holds the school records for most career goals, power-play goals and shorthanded goals. Gorski had an amazing run during his senior season. He helped lead the Flames to the CCHA Final Four and was selected First Team All-Star honors for the regular season and the All-Tournament Team. He led the nation in goals scored and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the most outstanding hockey player in college.

One of Gorski's greates memories while at UIC was "My senior year when we were third in the league and in the top ten in the nation. Also, playing in the CCHA Final Four at the Joe Louis Arena in 1989."

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1975-1979

Inducted: 1996

Gotfryd enjoyed an outstanding four-year career for the Circle hockey team. During his rookie season he set a freshman record scoring 29 goals and was named the UICC Rookie of the Year. He was named co-captain during his junior year and during his senior campaign he led the Chikas to a first-place finish at the Western College Division Tournament and a third-place finish at the College Division National Tournament.

Gotfryd averaged over 20 goals per year and finished with 150 career points. One of his fondest memories is playing against the United States Olympic Team his freshman year.

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1988-1992

Inducted: 2019

The top-scoring freshman on the 1988-89 team with 34 points (14G, 20A), Rick Judson was a 10th-round selection of the Detroit Red Wings in the 1989 NHL draft. The 1990-91 team MVP was the top-scoring left wing in the 1991-92 season with 36 points (17G, 19A). Judson is first all-time in power play goals (26), second in games played (154), and is fourth all-time both in career goals recorded (74) and all-time assists (87). Judson scored seven game-winning goals for UIC, putting him fourth in the all-time records. Judson played for ten different professional teams following his career at UIC, the most recent being the Toledo Storm from 2003 to 2006.

Sport: Hockey Coach

Years: 1966-1982

Inducted: 2005

Kantarski is the father of UIC hockey. He founded, developed and coached the hockey program from a club sport to Division I. He coached the Flames from 1966 to 1982 compiling a 187-155-6 record during his 16 year career. One of Kantarski's fondest memories of UIC is coaching the 1979 team that took third place at the NCAA College Division II championships in Boston.

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1984-1988

Inducted: 1995

Nelson left his mark in the UIC Flames record book. He left as the all-time leading scorer with 194 points and held the top spot for assists. His stellar career ended with him finishing in the top five for: goals (83), games played (156), hat tricks (4), power play goals (22), and game winning goals (8). At the conclusion of his junior year Nelson shared the Dennis Hull Award, which is given to the Most Valuable Player, with Brad Ryan.

Sport: Golf, Hockey

Years: 1966-1969

Inducted: 2005

A two-sport standout who competed for four seasons on the golf team under Dick Rader and two seasons on the hockey team under fellow 2006 Hall of Fame inductee John Kantarski, Scherrer played a big part on two straight undefeated golf squads in 1968 and 1969. During his four years on the links he was part of over 100 team victories to a mere one defeat, helping UIC qualify for back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 1968 and 1969. He won medallist honors in the Illinois and Lakeland Tournaments in 1969 and was part of a huge North Central Invitational victory in 1968. He was also a part of the 1967-68 hockey team that posted a outstanding 12-5 mark.

Sport: Hockey

Years: 1983-1985

Inducted: 1990

When you look at Staszak's career numbers at UIC, they are impressive. The fact that he produced those numbers in just two years of action with the Flames is amazing. Earned the team's Dennis Hull Award for the Most Valuable Player his first season of action and was the recipient of the Mark Nordling Award for devotion to the sport of hockey and his team.

It was his second season that the national hockey media started to take notice of Staszak. He was a scoring machine putting up 72 points and leading the Central Collegiate Hockey Association at the top goal scorer with 37. He was named the league and team MVP and received All-American recognition. He was on the national stage finishing as the second runner-up for college hockey's prestigious Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the top hockey player in the country.