New York, N.Y. - In honor of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11, the Adelphi University department of intercollegiate athletics would like to recognize it's known alumni who sacrificed their lives on September 11, 2001. 

Ron Kloepfer '82, won a men's lacrosse national championship for the Panthers in his final season in uniform. Upon graduation, he donned a new uniform as a member of the NYPD, where he served in the 73rd Precinct before being transferred to the Emergency Services Unit in 1988. He loved the sport of lacrosse so much that in 1997, with the help of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, he was instrumental in forming an NYPD lacrosse team, more commonly referred to as "New York's Finest". 

David Leistman '81,  grew up in Stewart Manor and attended Sewanhaka High School; while there, he played football, basketball and lacrosse. His ability in lacrosse earned him a scholarship to Adelphi, and he became one of the greatest players in Panther lacrosse history. 

In his three years with the Panthers, Leistman scored 75 goals and added 16 assists for a total of 91 points. He was twice named a First Team All-American at midfield, and played a crucial role in Adelphi's first two National Championships in 1979 and 1981. Head Coach Paul Doherty credited his calming personality and his ability to score vital goals as the most important factors in the 1981 Championship victory over Loyola of Baltimore. He was posthumously inducted into the Adelphi Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002 after passing away on Sept. 11, 2001. He was a bond trader and partner at Cantor Fitzgerald.
 

Japhet Aryee '76, MS '78 was a member of the Panther men's soccer program and track and field team, while earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration at Adelphi. He was believed to be on the roster for the 1975-76 Metropolitan Championship team after coming all the way to Garden City from Ghana. On 9/11, he was working as a corporate tax auditor with the State Division of Taxation and Finance, on the 86th floor of 2 World Trade Center. 

The athletics department extends its thoughts and condolences to all families affected by this tragedy, especially today, on the 20th anniversary.