Professional hockey adds two stars to the Little League Hall of Excellence

Professional hockey is making an impact again in Little League ^{history with the addition of two stars Meghan Duggan and Ray Ferraro to the Little League Hall of Excellence, the highest honor the organization can bestow.}

Induction into the Little League Hall of Excellence is the highest honor we can bestow upon alumni of the Little League program. Ray Ferraro and Meghan Duggan both exemplify the values ​​and purpose of the Little League program and are most deserving of this special recognition, said Little League President and CEO Stephen D. Keener. Little League is much more than a baseball and softball program; these sports are simply the vehicles through which young people, during their most impressionable years, can learn valuable life lessons that will serve them well beyond their playing days. During those memorable childhood days on a Little League field, Ray and Meghan took those lessons and served them as inspiration for young people everywhere. We are thrilled to recognize them both with Hall of Excellence enshrinement during the 2024 Little League Baseball World Series.

With their roots in Little League Baseball ^{World Series, Ms. Duggan and Mr. Ferraro will join one of the original Little League Girls with Game, Maria Pepe, in the Hall of Excellence Class of 2024 in August. Read more about each of the two hockey stars below:}

Meghan Duggan – Danvers (Massa) American Little League

Before an astonishing hockey career that included three Olympic medals and seven World Championship gold medals for Team USA on the ice, Meghan Duggan could be found playing Little League as a youngster in her hometown of Danvers, Massachusetts. After hanging up her cleats, Ms. Duggan went on to play hockey for the University of Wisconsin and spent six seasons of professional hockey, including four years with the Boston Blades in the Canadian Womens Hockey League, where she won the Clarkson Cup in 2013 and 2015 . and two in the National Women's Hockey League.

After making her international debut with Team USA at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship in 2007, Ms. Duggan has made her mark on the national team. Just three years later, she was selected to the 2010 U.S. Olympic team, finishing with four goals and capturing a silver medal, and was later named captain for the 2014 and 2018 Olympics. In 2017, she stood up for the women in her sport and boycotted the World Championships to help create equal support and conditions for women in the game.

On October 13, 2020, Ms. Duggan officially retired as a player, but less than a year later she joined the New Jersey Devils as manager of player development, a new role within the franchise. Today, Ms. Duggan serves as Director of Player Development for the organization, and she remains an inspiration to women everywhere, having served as President of the Womens Sports Foundation. Ms. Duggan is married to Gillian Apps, the former Canadian women's hockey player she once competed against. She now has three children and lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Ray Ferraro – Trail Little League (British Columbia, Canada)

Ray Ferraro grew up playing on the baseball fields in Trail, British Columbia and lived a dream that every Little Leaguer hopes to play in the Little League Baseball World Series. Representing his hometown Trail Little League team, Mr. Ferraro and his teammates achieved the ultimate dream of winning the Canadian Region Championship and earning a trip to Williamsport in 1976.

Following his memorable Little League experience where he posted a 1-2 record in the world's largest youth sports tournament, Mr. Ferraro went on to an incredible career on the ice after being drafted into 88^e overall (fourth pick in the fifth round) in the 1982 NHL Draft by the Hartford Whalers. During his 18-year NHL career, Mr. Ferraro scored 408 goals and 490 assists for a total of 898 points in 1,258 games and was named an All-Star in 1992. During his 1993 season with the New York Islanders, which ended with team-leading goals (13) and assists (20), Mr. Ferraro bagged a pair of overtime goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals, eventually defeating defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins before he fell to the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens.

After hanging up his skates on August 2, 2002, he quickly turned his attention to the broadcast booth to share his love for the game with fans from around the world. Since 2021 Mr. Ferraro has been part of the ESPN broadcast team as an analyst and has previously served as a commentator for both the 2010 and 2018 Winter Olympics. On November 23, 2015, Mr. Ferraro became the first hockey broadcaster to call a game in which their child was playing and watched his son Landon cross the ice entered with the Boston Bruins. Mr. Ferraro currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his wife, and Hockey Hall of Famer, Cammi Granato.

With their enshrinement, Ms. Duggan and Mr. Ferraro join several other incredible hockey players in the Little League Hall of Excellence:

• Chris Drury Class of 2009 (1989 LLBWS participant)
• Pierre Turgeon Class of 2007 (1982 LLBWS participant)
• Krissy Wendell-Pohl Class of 2004 (1994 LLBWS participant)

In addition to the alumni in the Hall of Excellence, a handful of other professional hockey stars also shared Mr. Ferraro's dream of playing in the Little League Baseball World Series, including:

• Stephane Matteau (1982 LLBWS)
• Yanick Perrault (1983 LLBWS)
• Harry Zolnierczyk (2000 LLBWS)

To learn more about Little League's notable alumni, visit LittleLeague.org/Alumni. If you know of a notable Little League graduate not listed on our website, please complete our Little League Alumni Submission Form.

---

About Little League ^{Hall of Excellence}

Founded in 1988, incorporated into the Little League ^{Hall of Excellence is held annually for a Little League graduate (or graduates) who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in their chosen profession and exemplify the values ​​learned as children in Little League. Induction into the Little League Hall of Excellence is the highest honor Little League can bestow.}

Located in the sixth inning of theWorld of Little League ^Museum,multiple exhibits showcase the tremendous achievements these Hall of Excellence custodians achieved, as well as never-before-seen artifacts and displays from these iconic Little Leaguers^.