Photos from this year's Ricker-Crimmins Memorial Golf Tournament are available at the bottom of this article, courtesy of Julia Passalacqua '21.

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University football family, alumni, friends, and supporters gathered last week at Granite Links Country Club in Quincy, Mass., for the eighth annual Paul Ricker '79 and Michael Crimmins '80 Memorial Golf Tournament, continuing a meaningful tradition that honors the lives and legacies of two Norwich Athletic Hall of Famers.

The event, commonly known as the Ricker-Crimmins Memorial Golf Tournament, was held on Monday, July 20, and again brought together more than 100 golfers, numerous sponsors, and generations of Norwich alumni and friends.  What began as a gathering rooted in friendship and remembrance has grown into a signature Norwich event, one that continues to support the Paul Ricker '79 and Michael Crimmins '80 Memorial Scholarship at Norwich University.

"The Ricker-Crimmins Tournament is one of my very favorite Norwich events each year, and one I look forward to attending," said Head Football Coach Bill Russell.  "What sets Norwich apart is the very real connections our students make during their time on the Hill, and the lifelong bonds which are formed.  In almost two decades here, I've yet to find a better example of the camaraderie Norwich develops than the Ricker-Crimmins Memorial Golf Tournament.  Seeing so many come together to celebrate the memory of their classmates and teammates is a truly moving and inspiring experience."

Through the support of the tournament, the Ricker and Crimmins families, the Ricker-Crimmins Golf Committee, alumni, teammates, sponsors, and friends have helped raise more than $150,000 to endow the scholarship at the University.  The scholarship is now entering its fifth year of being awarded to a Norwich student-athlete.

"Our husbands, Paul Ricker '79 and Michael Crimmins '80, were great fathers, friends, and teammates," the Ricker and Crimmins families shared in this year's tournament program.  "We miss them every single day.  We want to help provide Norwich University students with the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of these two Cadet Hall of Famers."

This year's luncheon program included a welcome, scholarship presentation by the Ricker and Crimmins families, and remarks from LtGen John Broadmeadow, USMC (Ret.), 25th President of Norwich University; Norwich Head Football Coach Bill Russell; and Mike Yesalonia Jr. '10, Vice President of Operations at PC Construction.

The 2026 Ricker-Crimmins Memorial Scholarship recipient was Alex Riker '27, a rising senior tight end/fullback from Yarmouth Port, Mass.  A member of the Corps of Cadets and a criminal justice major, Riker has become one of the Norwich football program's hardest workers and most respected teammates while embracing a role defined by toughness, service, and selflessness.

Despite playing what the program described as an "unglamorous" position, Riker has stood out for his commitment to his teammates and his embodiment of Norwich values.  He and his family have hosted teammates from far from home during breaks, and this past spring, during Norwich football's annual donor drive for the National Marrow Donor Registry, Riker was identified as a match for a patient in need and agreed to donate marrow to help give someone another chance at life.

The scholarship carries forward the memory of two men whose impact on Norwich football, Norwich Athletics, and their teammates has endured for decades.

Crimmins was a standout student-athlete during his time on the Hill.  On the football field, he earned Norwich University Football Most Valuable Player honors as a senior and scored a then-school record 17 touchdowns.  One of his former coaches described him as "one of a kind," noting his rare determination and competitiveness.  Crimmins was equally accomplished academically, graduating Magna Cum Laude.  He was inducted into the Norwich University Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2000.

Ricker, meanwhile, graduated as one of the most successful tight ends to wear the Maroon and Gold.  After his Norwich career, he went on to play professionally with the Chicago Blitz and Arizona Wranglers of the United States Football League, totaling 78 receptions for 1,007 yards across two professional seasons.  ABC Sports once noted that Ricker had "blossomed into one of the Blitz's top receivers," high praise within one of the league's top offenses.  Ricker was inducted into the Norwich University Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 1994.

Their names remain part of Norwich football through the scholarship and annual tournament, which continue to bring teammates, families, and friends back together in their memory.

This year's event was supported by the Ricker-Crimmins Memorial Golf Committee, a dedicated group of alumni who have helped grow the tournament from a small gathering of family and friends into a special Norwich tradition.  The committee includes Peter Amalfi '80, Joe Amodeo '79, Rich Brooks '79, David Burke '79, Jon Crimmins, Steve Crowley '79, Walter Hannon '80, John Manning '81, Chris O'Connor '81, Paul Ricker Jr., Rob Tello '96, and Mark Thompson '79.

"Thank you to our Ricker-Crimmins Memorial Golf Committee," the tournament program stated.  "This group of alumni have led the charge to bring over 100 golfers and numerous sponsors into this year's golf event.  They have grown a small friends and family event into a special Norwich gathering."

Each year, the tournament brings Norwich people back together for a day shaped by friendship, family, remembrance, and football.  For those who knew Ricker and Crimmins, and for the student-athletes who now benefit from the scholarship created in their names, the event continues to keep Paul and Mike close to the program they helped define.