ALBANY, N.Y. – For the five weeks leading up to the UAlbany Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Enshrinement Ceremony on September 29, the Department will profile each of the four individual and one team inductee in this year's class.  Today's feature is Wayne Anderson.
 
The first inductee to the University at Albany Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Wayne Anderson remains one of the most prolific defenders in Great Dane football history, more than 30 years after his graduation.
 
Anderson, one of two representatives among this year's inductees representing UAlbany's Division III era, is described by one of his teammates as the best player on UAlbany's 1985 ECAC Championship team.
 
Splitting time between playing safety and returning punts and kicks, Anderson, an All-American, left UAlbany after his four-year career holding the single-season and career records for interceptions.  His marks of nine in a single season and 19 in his career still stand as the all-time program records.  No player since Anderson has recorded more than 11 in their career.
 
As a returner, Anderson holds the sixth- and seventh-longest kickoff returns in program history of 93 and 90 yards, respectively.  He also holds the ninth-longest interception return, 67 yards, in program history, which he returned for a touchdown.
 
Bob Ford, UAlbany football head coach from 1970-2013, remembers Anderson's impact on the program:
 
"Wayne Anderson was a very special football player at the University at Albany.  He played safety and returned kickoffs for the 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986 teams.  He also was a tri-captain of the 1986 team.
 
At the end of his career at UAlbany, he held the record for interceptions with 19, nine of them coming in the 1984 season.  Two of the interceptions were returned for touchdowns.
 
Wayne also returned kickoffs.  He returned one against Springfield College for 93 yards and a touchdown.  However, the play that he will forever be remembered for by his teammates and coaches came against Plymouth State in an ECAC championship game.  Plymouth State had a running back that was written up in Sports Illustrated as a Heisman candidate.  He was crushing us, and we went in at halftime down 21 -0.
 
Wayne returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and we went on to win, 33-21."
 
The enshrinement ceremony for the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will take place on September 29 starting at 6:00 pm at the Crowne Plaza-Desmond Hotel in Albany.  Cocktail hour will begin at 6:00 pm followed by a buffet dinner with the induction program at 7:30 pm.  The event is open to the public, and tickets for attendance are $75 for adults and $50 for children under 12.  Registration for the evening is available HERE.