(Courtesy of JCCOTP) The New Jersey Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the official body honoring Jewish athletes and others in the world of sports in and around New Jersey, announced today that four-sport and Emmy-nominated announcer Kenny Albert, five-time Emmy-nominated CBS Sportscaster Tracy Wolfson, former professional soccer player Yael Averbuch West and Maccabi USA President Jeff Bukantz will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on May 2, 2022. Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning is scheduled to join the festivities.

The New Jersey Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (https://jerseyjewishsports.org/) was founded in 2019 to honor Jewish individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics in the state of New Jersey.

“We are thrilled to honor three longtime New Jersey residents who have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics. Kenny Albert is the only current national sports broadcaster who has handled play-by-play for all four major sports leagues; Tracy Wolfson is the lead reporter for CBS Sports and has covered numerous Super Bowls and Final Fours for the network; Yael Averbuch West was a longtime member of the US women’s national soccer team and currently serves as general manager of Gotham FC, the NY/NJ entry in the National Women’s Soccer League; and Jeff Bukantz is a two-time captain of the US Olympic fencing team and the current president of Maccabi USA,” said chair of the Hall of Fame board of governors Daniel Zausner.

Prior inductees into the Hall of Fame include former NBA Commissioner David Stern, Israel’s “Mr. Basketball,” Tal Brody, and philanthropists Joseph Taub (former owner, New Jersey Nets); Leonard Rubin (established the Rubin Run to promote healthy living and support individuals with special needs), and Jeff Kurtz (multi-sport star and scholarship athlete).

The 2022 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is scheduled for May 2 and is held in conjunction with the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades annual Sports Night of Champions, at which Joseph Taub Scholar Athlete Awards are presented to high school seniors from Bergen County. Separately, the Hall of Fame will award scholarships to the statewide New Jersey JCC Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

The Hall of Fame induction and Sports Night of Champions celebratory event includes an elegant cocktail reception, live auction and celebrity athlete appearances.

About the 2022 Inductees

Kenny Albert

Closter resident Kenny Albert is the only broadcaster who has handled play-by-play for all four major US sports (NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB) over the last decade. The two-time National Sports Emmy Award nominee has been the radio voice of the New York Rangers since 1995 and also serves as a TV play-by-play announcer for the New York Knicks. Kenny called the Stanley Cup Final for NBC Sports in 2021, and is currently the lead play-by-play announcer for TNT’s NHL coverage. He has served as a play-by-play commentator for the NFL on FOX since the network’s inaugural season in 1994 (over 450 games), and has been in the booth for five NFC Divisional Playoff games and four BCS Bowl games. Kenny has also called MLB games on Fox since 2001, as well as five Winter Olympics and two Summer Olympics for NBC.

Yael Averbuch West

Professional soccer player and Montclair native Yael Averbuch West played for the United States women’s national soccer team from 2007 to 2013. During her career as a center midfielder at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Yael was named national player of the year by multiple organizations. She was selected in the first round of the 2009 draft by her home state team, Sky Blue FC (now known as Gotham FC), the NY/NJ entry in the National Women’s Soccer League. Yael is the former executive director of the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association and currently serves as the General Manager of Gotham FC.

Jeff Bukantz

Montville resident and eight-time United States National Team Foil Champion Jeff Bukantz has served twice as captain of the United States Olympic Fencing team, and as both an Olympic referee and Olympic fencing analyst for NBC. Jeff has also represented the United States at the World Championships, the Pan American Games, the World University Games and the World Maccabiah Games. He has also held numerous senior administrative positions in fencing, including serving for 20 years as a member of the International Fencing Federation’s Rules Commission. Since 2017, Jeff has served as the President of Maccabi USA, the official sponsor of the United States Team to the World Maccabiah Games, and the Pan American and European Maccabi Games, as well as a sponsor of the JCC Maccabi Games for teens in North America.

Tracy Wolfson

Tenafly resident Tracy Wolfson is a five-time Emmy-nominated sports broadcaster for CBS Sports. She is currently in her 17th year with the network and is the lead reporter for the NFL on CBS, and has been part of the coverage team for three Super Bowls. Tracy is also the lead reporter for CBS’ NCAA Men’s Basketball coverage including March Madness and the Final Four. Tracy also spent 19 years as lead reporter for the SEC on CBS. She is one of the hosts of the groundbreaking all-female sports show “We Need to Talk” that airs on the CBS Sports Network.

For further information, please contact Alyssa Schiffman at [email protected] or (201) 408-1429.