By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque Academy has recognized its 2024 class for its Athletics Hall of Fame.
This year’s group is headlined by Alex Bregman (Class of 2012), the former baseball standout who later shined at LSU and is the longtime third baseman for the Houston Astros. He has multiple World Series rings with Houston.
Steven Gilbert (2006) was one of Academy’s great wrestling talents, capturing four individual state championships with the Chargers. He also was a football and track and field standout. He later continued his wrestling career at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Liza Janssen Petra (1990) was a dual-sport threat for Academy, in soccer and basketball. She later was an All-American in her senior year at Wellesley College in basketball. She also belongs to the Wellesley Athletics Hall of Fame, and later was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Reggie Gallegos (1969) was a four-sport athlete at the Academy, participating in football, basketball, baseball and track and field. And he was excellent at all four sports. He helped Academy to a state basketball championship in 1967, and was a two-time state champion in the shot put. He later played football at UNM.
The first team to be inducted into Academy’s HOF is the 1983-84 boys basketball team which won a state title under ailing coach Vince Cordova.