St. Francis Hall of Fame
Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Class Announced
Mr. Steve Otremba’90, Director of Athletics, proudly announces the 2024 inductees into the St. Francis High School Fr. Rufinus Niedzwiecki Athletic Hall of Fame. The 1974 St. Francis High School Hockey Team, along with Jacob Dylik ’08 and Adam Redden ’10, will be inducted on October 18th with a ceremony beginning at 6 pm at the St. Francis Gacioch Family Athletic Center. Patron and advertising opportunities are available below or by calling St. Francis Athletics at 716-627-2359. The deadline for patrons and ads is October 4th, 2024. St. Francis High School will celebrate this Hall of Fame class as part of the Homecoming Weekend on October 18th& 19th.
Class of 2024 Fr. Rufinus Niedzwiecki St. Francis Athletic Hall of Fame:
Jacob Dylik ‘08- Jacob was a vital member of the soccer and track & field programs during his career at St. Francis. Jacob earned All-Catholic honors in both sports while helping track & field win league championships all four years he was in the program. Jacob earned 6 All Catholics in Track & Field and set the school record in the 400 meters, being the first 400m runner to break 50 seconds with a career-best time of 49.84 at the Federation State Meet. Jacob was the St. Francis High School Man of the Year for the class of 2008. Jacob continued his career at LaSalle University, where he graduated in 2012 with Magna Cum Laude with Communications Degree. He resides in Florida, where he is Co-Owner & Operator of Bloodline CrossFit in Lehigh Acres, FL, with his brother Zach Dylik (SFHS Class of 2010)
Adam Redden ‘10 -All WNY All Catholic WR/DB in Football who helped lead the Football team to back-to-back MMHSAA League Titles in 2007 & 2008. In his senior year, Adam won 2 All Catholics in Track & Field while leading the team to league and All-Catholic Team Titles, and he shares the school record for the outdoor track & field high jump. He was named St. Francis High School Athlete of the Year for the class of 2010. He went on to play football at the University of Buffalo, where he earned MAC conference recognition for his play as a defensive back.
St. Francis High School 1974 Hockey Team- 50 years ago, this group pioneered St. Francis High School into the Hockey community. It would see the program grow in strength and distinguish itself as a premier program locally at the high school level and the Prep Level nationally today. Our school and hockey program is grateful to this group of men and their coaches for making St. Francis Hockey part of our school’s identity locally and nationally.
Dedicated to the Memory of
THE VERY REV. RUFINUS NIEDZWIECKI, OFM CONV.
The Very Rev. Rufinus Niedzwiecki Memorial Athletic Hall of Fame at St. Francis High School is named after one of Western New York’s legendary sports figures. In over twenty years at his alma mater, St. Francis High School, Father Rufinus built a reputation as one of the area’s finest and most knowledgeable coaches. His basketball teams always enjoyed winning seasons and won numerous Manhattan Cup titles; and his baseball teams were an annual fixture in the Georgetown Cup championships. Besides compiling one of the best records of any coach in the area, his astute administrative abilities led to the building of one of the finest athletic programs in the region a St. Francis.
An outstanding basketball and baseball player, Father Rufinus was a member of the first class to graduate from St. Francis in 1931. Known as a stern disciplinarian, Father “Rufe” is best remembered by his players as a gentle and kind person who was deeply concerned about every young man he coached. In 2002, Fr. Rufinus was inducted in the Western New York Baseball Hall of Fame.
St. Francis High School
Success Begins at St. Francis
