KITCHENER, Ont. (September 28, 2019) - The Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawk Hall of Fame welcomed eight new members on Friday night during the 2019 induction ceremony as part of Homecoming weekend celebrations at The Tannery Event Centre.

Five athletes, one builder and two teams joined numerous other Golden Hawks who have left their mark on Laurier athletics history. Athlete inductees included women's hockey players Candice Styles and Fiona Lester, women's lacrosse player Hanna Burnett, men's football player Chris Ackie and men's baseball player Ryan Panas. Former men's football head coach Gary Jeffries was inducted in the builders category, while the 2008 men's and women's soccer teams were inducted in the team category.

The evening featured memorable speeches from all of the inductees which highlighted the importance of family in achieving their successes as well as the impact Laurier has left on their lives and built them into the individuals they are today.

Ryan Panas, the first men's baseball player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, was thrilled to be inducted with an incredible group of individuals.

“It's just an awesome experience just getting a chance to be here with such amazing people; the inductees from across Laurier athletics. It's a tremendous honour and I'm very proud to have had the chance to play for Laurier for five years and a chance to share this experience with an amazing group of people was truly awesome.”

For Hanna Burnett, a goaltender with women's lacrosse, it was a chance to reflect on her time at Laurier, both as a player and a coach.

“This night is a culmination of seven years of feeling so so welcome by this community and this family. The Laurier lacrosse family is tighter than tight. It takes me back through my entire university lacrosse career with these punches of sheer exuberance and sheer happiness and just wonderful memories, some terrible memories as well, but mostly wonderful memories - we don't like to lose. But it really is a culmination of those five years playing and two years coaching.”

The 20189 inductees will now take their place amongst fellow Golden Hawks in the Wilfrid Laurier Hall of Fame in the Athletic Complex. For more information on each inductee, please visit June's inductee announcement.

Laurier's Homecoming festivities continue on Saturday, September 28 with the annual Homecoming football game against the Queen's Gaels at University Stadium. Tickets are available for purchase on the Golden Hawks ticket website or at the University Stadium box office on game day. The box office will open at 10 a.m. while gates will open at 11 a.m.