Hall of Fame
Larry Calabrese is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Utica College. In his playing days for the Pioneer “cagers,” he combined speed, ball-handling, and pinpoint accuracy to write one of the most prolific basketball résumés the College and the City of Utica has ever seen.
Upon graduation in 1962, Larry was, and still is, the only player in school history to hold each of the major scoring records, (single-game, single-season, and career). He ranks sixth on the College’s all-time scoring list with 1,195 career points. His 45-point effort against RIT in his final season remains the top individual scoring performance in UC history. He received the Dean Ralph Strebel Award four consecutive years, after posting the team’s top free throw percentage each season. He captained the Pioneers during his senior season.
He remained close to the game by refereeing high school basketball throughout the Mohawk Valley for more than 30 years. By the end of his tenure in 1995, he was recognized by his peers as one of the area’s top officials. That same year, he was inducted into the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame.
He has also distinguished himself in his professional and civic lifework. He retired from Excellus, Inc., where he held senior management positions in finance, marketing, and operations, after 29 years of service. He is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves, having commanded the 376th Combat Support Hospital in Liverpool, NY .
He has served on the boards of The House of the Good Shepherd, the ARC of Oneida and Lewis Counties, the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of the Mohawk Valley, and the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame. He has been a Rotarian since 1995, and is currently Rotary International District 7150 Governor. He is a past president of the Utica Rotary Club, and more recently assistant governor for Area 2.
Larry was born, raised, and educated in Utica, and graduated from Utica College with a degree in accounting. His family includes his wife, Annabelle, four children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
