University of New England Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame
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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame held its 17th induction ceremony at the Harold Alfond Forum on Friday evening (Sep. 30), formally honoring the 2022 Class of seven student-athletes whose graduation years span nearly five decades.

The celebration included former student-athletes Dan Auger UNE '17 DO '22, Beth (Suggs) Carlton UNE '13, Ron Dubuque SFC '71, Dean Johnson UNE '86, Brittney Sorbello UNE '17 PharmD '19, Beth Sullivan UNE '15, and Tiana (Thomas) Vallie UNE '17.

Sorbello and Thomas are the first female cross country runners to be enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame, which was established in 2005 to honor the very best in the combined history of St. Francis College, Westbrook College, and UNE. Now, 63 individuals and seven teams have been inducted into the UNE Athletics Hall of Fame.

Auger (Nashua, N.H.) completed a bachelor's degree in medical biology in 2017, and finished a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine degree earlier this year. He played in 70 games for the Nor'easter men's lacrosse team from 2014-17, helping the squad to a 38-34 record while improving from five to 14 wins. Auger collected a couple of program-first awards as a senior, with selections as a U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-America Honorable Mention performer and the Commonwealth Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year. On top of those accolades, he was voted 2017 CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year and first team all-conference. Statistically speaking, Auger set and still maintains all career, season, and game records related to points and assists. He graduated with 260 total points (3.7/game), his 131 assists (1.8/game) is 36 clear of the next best assist total, and his 129 career goals rank third in school history. During that senior campaign, he registered 93 points (4.9/game) and 51 assists (2.7/game). Between 2017 and 2016, when he was a second team All-CCC pick, Auger notched 10 points in a game twice, one of which included an eight-assist outing. The three-year team captain was also a Student Representative on the University's Board of Trustees for two years while in medical school.

Carlton (Bath, Maine), formerly Suggs, graduated in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in applied exercise science. She played in 116 games for the women's basketball program, which went 94-24 overall during her time at UNE (2009-13) and 57-5 in the CCC. Carlton was an all-conference honoree in both years as a starter, and capped her career with one of the standout seasons in school history. She received a Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America Honorable Mention nod, all-region from three different organizations (1 first team, 2 second team), all-state first team, and the CCC Player of the Year distinction. Carlton finished four years with 1,128 points, good for 18th when combined with Westbrook College, and her 918 rebounds are ranked third (the highest at UNE). She accounted for well over one-third of those totals during the 2012-13 campaign, with 438 points and 339 boards, which average out to 14.6 points and 11.3 rebounds. Carlton's senior year as a team captain also featured the program's first NCAA victory, and she went for 26 points and 13 caroms to lead the effort. The Nor'easters made three appearances in the national tournament with her on the roster – two by way of CCC Championships (2009-10, 2012-13) and one through the institution's first at-large selection (2011-12). The other season (2010-11) resulted in UNE winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Championship.

Dubuque (Waterbury, Conn.) graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology from St. Francis College in 1971. He was a four-year starter on the men's soccer team from 1967-70, and senior captain. As a junior at the halfback position in 1969, Dubuque was a first team all-conference and first team All-New England (all division) by the National Soccer Coaches Association.

Johnson (Belgrade Lakes, Maine) graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in history and secondary education. He played 93 games and was a two-year captain for the men's basketball team from 1982-86, and graduated as the program's career scoring leader at 1,442 points (15.5/game) and tops in assists with 541 (5.8/game). Those totals now stand 11th (10th) and 3rd (3rd), respectively. Johnson averaged more than 19 points and seven assists over each of his last two seasons, including an 8.4 assists/game mark that remains second in school history. even had a program-record 21-assist performance as a senior. Johnson was named an NAIA All-Star for his efforts.

Sorbello (Dover, N.H.) took a 2017 bachelor's degree in pharmacy and turned it into a Doctorate of Pharmacy degree in 2019. She ran in 30 races for the women's cross country team from 2013-16, racking up 23 top-10s and seven victories. Sorbello won at least once per season, including three as a rookie, with her first of three UNE Invitationals and first of two Pop Crowell Invitationals. She also had one runner-up, which came to Thomas. In 2014, Sorbello was the first in program history to win the CCC Championship race [Runner of the Year] and a four-time all-conference honoree (10th, 1st, 3rd, 4th). She was a two-time All-ECAC finisher (3rd, 7th), and once placed for all-state status (4th). Additionally, Sorbello was named the 2016 CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Sullivan (Cumberland, R.I.) graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in biology. She transferred to UNE after one year elsewhere and started all 68 games with the Nor'easters from 2012-14. The program went 45-23 overall and 30-4 in the CCC during those years. Sullivan was UNE's second National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America selection, landing a third team spot as a senior and team captain. In both 2013 and 2014, she was an all-region first team pick, CCC Defensive Player of the Year, and first team all-league. The back-line stopper contributed to 15 shutouts through those campaigns, and was a vital piece to UNE surrendering five or fewer shots-on-goal 12 times each season. Sullivan tallied 12 goals and five assists for the offense in her career, including netting the game-winning penalty stroke in double overtime as the Nor'easters claimed the 2014 CCC title. She scored again as UNE secured its first NCAA victory to reach the Round of 16 the next week. The 2013 squad captured the ECAC New England Championship.

Vallie (Waterville, Maine), formerly Thomas, received a bachelor's degree in dental hygiene in 2017. Like Sorbello, Thomas competed for the women's cross country squad from 2013-16, lacing up for 31 events. She amassed 24 top-10s and six wins during her time, as well as five runner-up showings, four of which were to Sorbello. Thomas was first victorious as a junior in 2015, claiming four individual titles, including the CCC Championship race [Runner of the Year]. She was a four-time All-CCC performer (5th, 3rd, 1st, 3rd), two-time all-Maine (5th, 4th), and her two All-ECAC distinctions consisted of 2nd out of 338 in 2014 and 1st of 331 in 2015. Thomas is also the only Nor'easter to-date noted as all-region by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for her 33rd-place showing out of 387 at the 2014 NCAA New England Championship. She was a team captain as a senior.

For the women's cross country program with Sorbello and Vallie -- and under the guidance of 2017 Hall of Fame inductee Ron Ouellette – UNE matched the school record with three event wins in 2013. The Nor'easters proceeded to triumph four times in 2014, five of nine competitions in 2015, and six of eight in 2016 (still the season record). UNE raced to CCC Championships two through five during their run of seven consecutive titles. The program also enjoyed a 2014 campaign with the best finishes on-record in Maine (2nd of 11), the ECAC (2nd of 48), and at the NCAA regional (9th of 57).