Inductees

Former Bishop Hoban High School (Wilkes Barre, PA), James Madison University and WNBA Washington Mystics/Connecticut Sun basketball player, she capped her collegiate career by being named to the Colonial Athletic Association Silver Anniversary All-Star Team. Was the CAA Player of the Year for the 2006-07 season and was first player at James Madison to amass 1000 points and 1000 rebounds in a playing career.

Meredith Alexis's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Penn State Defensive Coordinator and Nittany Lions Interim Head Football Coach in 2011. During his 36 year collegiate coaching career, he developed 20 First Team All-Americans, 67 All-Conference players and coached 50+ players onto NFL rosters. He was named the Associated Press Collegiate Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2005 and was awarded a similar honor by Rivals.com in 2008.

Tom Bradley's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Susquehanna Township High School (Harrisburg, PA) , Hofstra University and New Orleans Saints wide receiver who retired as the Saints all-time leader in pass receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. Caught 7 passes for 83 yards in the Saints Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Colts. His 10 year New Orleans Saints career stats include 711 receptions for 9759 yards and 72 touchdowns. He is also the Saints career leader in receiving yards per catch (13.7 yds), most seasons with 100 receptions (6), most 100 yard receiving games (28) and most games played by a wide receiver (146).

Marques Colston's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Immaculate Conception High School (Washington, PA) and Villanova University basketball player who was the Philadelphia area's 3-time "Big 5" Women's MVP in 1974, 1975 and 1976. Was the first female inducted into the Villanova Wildcats Varsity Club Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. In addition to her collegiate basketball career, she was also the Wildcats 2 year tennis captain in 1975 and 1976. In her senior year, the Philadelphia Inquirer called her "possibly the best athlete, male or female in Philadelphia" and "Spires" (the University newspaper) named her "the best female athlete ever to attend Villanova".

Mary Ellen Boylan Jutca's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Ft. Le Boeuf High School (Erie County), Penn State University and Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints short yardage running back. In track he was a three time PIAA discus champion and his throw of 206' 3" was a 20 year state record. He also was a 2 time PIAA shot put champion and at Penn State was the NCAA discus champion his sophomore year. The Erie Times named him among the top 10 of "Erie's Best Athletes of the 20th Century".

Brian Milne Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Academy of New Church High School (Bryn Athyn, PA), Temple University and Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns football player, he was named First Team All-American Offensive Guard for the Temple Owls in 1981. Was also the NCAA Power Lifting Champion in 1981 and was a first round selection (9th overall) by the Steelers in the 1986 NFL draft, where he was a 5 year starter at guard followed by two years as a starting guard for the Cleveland Browns.

John Rienstra's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Retired Upper St. Clair High School football coach, he has recorded the most victories (406) in WPIAL football history during his 49 year scholastic head football coaching career. His 1989 Panthers were the first PIAA AAAA championship team to go undefeated at 15-0 and his 2006 USC team was first PIAA AAAA team to go undefeated at 16-0. Was previously inducted into the PA. High School Football Coaches Assn and the WPIAL Halls of Fame.

Jim Render's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Dunmore High School (Dunmore, PA), University of Notre Dame and Miami Dolphins offensive lineman (Center) who was selected by Sporting News as a scholastic Honorable Mention All-American, and was a four year starter at center for the Fighting Irish where he was named Second Team All-American by both The Football News and the Associated Press. At Miami he was Dan Marino's starting center for 140 games, and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2001.

Former Plum High School (Plum Borough, PA.), Ohio State Buckeyes and Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers center and left winger, he was drafted in the first round (pick # 16) in the 2001 draft by the Vancouver Canucks and played 11 seasons in the NHL. With the Plum Mustangs he scored an impressive 116 points in only 16 games. Previously inducted into the Plum High School and the Ohio State Sports Halls of Fame.

R J Umberger's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former NCAA, Pan Am Games and Olympic Games champion, she was a Silver Medalist in the 400 Freestyle at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, a Gold and a Silver Medalist at the 1951 Pan Am Games and both a Gold and a Silver Medalist at the 1955 Pan Am Games. She set a new American and World record in the 100 yard Butterfly at the 1955 NCAA Championships and was inducted into the Purdue University and Indiana University (Indiana) Halls of Fame..

Betty Mullen Brey's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Uniontown St. John's High School and Uniontown (Red Raiders) High School (Uniontown, PA) head basketball coach whose teams won 680 games between 1948 and 1976. His 1965 St. John's team won the PCIAA championship and his 1962 and 1976 teams both made the PCIAA Final Four. His 1981 Uniontown Red Raiders team won both the WPIAL 9District 7) and the PIAA (State) championships.

Lash Nesser's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Former Canonsburg High School (Canonsburg, PA), University of Pittsburgh and U.S. Olympic Team wrestler, he won three straight WPIAL crowns and was the 145 pound PIAA champion in 1950. At Pitt he was the 167 pound NCAA champion in 1954 and was a four-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association champion. He was previously inducted into the Southwestern PA Wrestling, the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Officials, the Pitt Golden Panthers and the National Wrestling Halls of Fame as well as the Canon-MacMillan School; District Hall of Honor. Officiated at 5 NCAA Championship tournaments and wrestled for the USA in the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics.

Joe Solomon's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Hard work, determination and a never give up attitude were instilled in Ron Sepic by his parents and those attributes served Sepic well in athletic competition and in life.

Sepic made the sacrifice to be a great player.

“I was always a goal setter,” Sepic said. “I did that in everything I did. When practicing I'd go up to the playground. It would be, ‘Can I make it around the world?’ I wouldn't go home until I made it all the way around, and it had to be a swish.
“When you're doing that for hours at a time, eventually you have to get pretty good at shooting.”

Sepic was a star football and basketball player at Uniontown High School in the 1960s.

The Uniontown playground system was an incubator for Red Raider stars and the two junior highs — Ben Franklin and Lafayette — also were big factors in Uniontown's athletic success.

“We had a great feeder system,” Sepic said. “The playground system, the junior high school system and in grade school we had the Saturday morning basketball league. One of the things we did in the junior highs in football and basketball was that they had us running a lot of the plays and the system that the high school teams were being taught by Bill Power and Abe Everhart. When we got to the high school we were pretty much ready to go.”

The Red Raiders were a dominant football power and won a WPIAL title in Sepic's junior season, posting a 10-0 mark. In basketball, Sepic was a part of a Uniontown juggernaut that lost a total of five games in three years and captured a state championship in 1962.

Sepic has fond memories of his high school coaches.

“Bill Power was a very smart football coach,” Sepic said. “He was very well organized. His scouting program was excellent, as was the team concept of how he broke the team down into different groups. I thought he was just a great organizer. He was never a man that really lost his temper. You wanted to play for him out of respect and that was the same thing with Abe in basketball. He was the same way. Abe was a guy that you wanted to play for. You didn't fear him, but you respected him. You knew that they both knew what they were doing and they got the most out of their athletes.”

The basketball Raiders posted a 29-2 record on their way to a state championship in 1962. Uniontown defeated Norristown 70-57 in the state title game.

Uniontown lost to Bethlehem on Jan. 27, 1962. From there the Red Raiders went on to win 36 games in a row before they ran into John Naponick and Norwin in the 1963 WPIAL basketball playoffs.

Sepic was All-County in football and basketball and also garnered first-team All-State honors in both sports as well, being named to the Parade High School All-American basketball squad in 1963.

He was heavily recruited in both football and basketball when he graduated from Uniontown in 1963.

“It came down to Ohio State, Duke and West Virginia because I thought they would be the closest. Duke was too far and Ohio State was the closest of the Big Ten schools. I was torn between playing football or basketball, but Woody Hayes only threw the ball about three times a game and I was a tight end, so I knew I was going to be a blocking end. I wanted to have my hands on that leather and I chose basketball.”

The Buckeyes were a basketball power, but didn't match their earlier success when Sepic played in Columbus

“We were pretty good,” Sepic said. “We didn't have the big man because; actually, my junior year I played guard. I started as a sophomore after about the third game. We played Michigan, who was the No. 1 team in the country. They had Cazzie Russell and Bill Buntin. We played them toward the end of the season, and I guarded Russell, who was about 6-5. They moved me out to guard. I had played forward all year long. We beat them and the next year I played guard. My senior year I played both forward and guard.

“We never made the NCAA tournament. At that time you had to win the Big Ten. They didn't take the number of teams that they do now.”

Sepic was the Buckeyes’ captain in 1967 and tallied 1,107 points in 72 games for an average of 15.4 points per game.

Pro football and pro basketball came knocking after Sepic's senior season at Ohio State.

The Washington Redskins drafted Sepic in football, even though he didn't play in college. The NBA Cincinnati Royals drafted him and he made the final cut to six rookies.

“In those days we didn't have agents, and the Redskins' camp started in July. I had been accepted to dental school and I had to let them know by July if I was going to go to dental school or play pro ball. I was considering playing either one, but I knew I couldn't go to the rookie camp for football with dental school.

“Always in the back of my mind were mom and dad saying you have to get an education. My wife, Susan, and I were married and we had our first son, Ron Jr. I told the Royals if I get a no-cut contract I'll play pro basketball and I was going to give up a year of dental school. They said no to the no-cut contract and I said I'm going to dental school.

“The education paid off. From dental school I went on to become an orthodontist in Uniontown and it's been a great life.”

He married his high school sweetheart, the former Susan McMillan, and they were married for 45 years. They have two sons, Ron Jr. and Chris, and a daughter, Lynn.

He died March 28, 2020, at age 75 after a battle with cancer.

Born in Harrisburg, Andy grew up in Central Pennsylvania and at a tender age became the batboy for the Harrisburg Senators. The die was cast in 1956 when Andy won a Junior Sportscaster Award and broadcast several innings of a Phillies game with Gene Kelly and the legendary By Saam. After graduating from Syracuse University in 1956, Andy returned home to work at WHP-TV. From there he traveled west to KSDO in Sam Diego to broadcast Charger Football games. He returned to Philadelphia where he did Eagles (1965-1971), Sixers (1965-1971) and Villanova games. He worked for CBS Television from 1971 to 1974 covering the World Series, the Super Bowl and the Masters. By Saam left the Phillies broadcast booth in 1974 and was replaced the next year by two pros. Robin Roberts and Andy Musser. Andy stayed with the Phillies for a quarter of a century until his retirement in 2001.

Andy Tall won more than 250 games during his legendary head coaching career which spanned 37 seasons overall and 32 years at Villanova. He is the winningest head coach in Villanova history and during his last season in 2016 he had the most wins of any active BS or FCS head coach. Villanova won a share of six conference championship. They had their first ever national championship team in 2009, and made 12 appearances in FCS playoffs under Tally’s tenure. In addition his team won the Lambert Meadowlands Cup three times to go along with three ECAC Team of the Year awards.
In addition to the great teams he built, Andy was able to lead great players. He mentored three Walter Payton Award winners and one Jerry Rice honoree. He had 16 first team All-Americans, 243 All-Conference performers, 15 major conference award winners and 62 All-East honorees.

Caryn began skating in Erie Pa at the age of four where her talent was recognized quickly. She qualified for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships for the first time at age 17 in 1985, training under Carlo Fassi at the Broadmoor World Arena. Shocking the skating world with her bronze medal placement, she went on win the silver medal at the 1986 U.S. Championships and the bronze medal in 1987 and 1988. She won gold medals in Canada, Russia, England and Yugoslavia. In 1987 she was the bronze medalist at the World Championships. She represented the U.S. at three World Championships and numerous international competitions, Including the Winter Olympics. In 1989 she turned professional to great acclaim. As a professional Kadavy won six major titles , including the U.S. Pro-Am, U.S. Ladies Professional Championships and the Canadian Professional Championship. She toured extensively with other rofessional
skaters. Over the years, she has done considerable work as a coach and Choreographer.

Chuck began his coaching career at Punxsutawney High School and after eight seasons moved to Duke University as an assistant coach under Vic Bubas. During his six seasons at Duke, the Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA Final four in 1964 and 1966. In 1969 he was named head coach at Boston College and then to the University of Pennsylvania in 1971. Penn won twenty plus games in each of his first four seasons and captured the Ivy League title in each. His team made the NCAA East Regional Final Four in 1971-’72. In 1978 he began his NB career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He would go on to serve as head coach in the NBA for 11 seasons with stops at Cleveland, Detroit, New Jersey and Orlando.
His greatest success came with the Pistons from, 1983 – 1992. His club made the NBA playoffs each year and made the NBA finals three times. Chuck was the coach of the gold winning USA Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics. His high school, college and pro career wins totaled 900 exactly.

Dennis Green graduated from John Harris High School and played running back for Coach George Chaump. He garnered a football scholarship to the University of Iowa, graduating in 1971 He began his coaching career at his alma mater and in 1972 he was hired as an assistant coach at Dayton University. After another stint as a coach at Iowa he moved to the West Coast and joined the staff at Stanford and then the NFL San Francisco 49ers under legendary coach Bill Walsh. In 1981 he was named the head coach of Northwestern University. Dennis became the first Afro-American head coach in the Big Ten and the 2nd Afro-American head coach in Division I-A history. In 1982, he was the Big 10 Coach -of-the-Year. From 1985 – 1991 he returned to the West Coast and earned a Super Bowl Ring with the 49ers in 1988. After a brief stint as head coach at Stanford, Dennis was named head coach of the Minnesota Vikings becoming the second Afro-American NFL head coach. He remained with the Vikings through 2001 and remains the second winningest coach in Viking history behind NFL Hall of Famer Bud Grant.

Fran Dunphy is an original. All time winningest coach in the Big Five recording 580 wins in 30 seasons. He was 310 in 17 seasons at Penn and 270 wins in 13 seasons at Temple. At Penn, he won 10 Ivy League Titles and tool the Quakers to 9 NCAA Tournaments. From 1992 to 1996the Quakers won 48 straight Ivy League games and from 1999 to 2001 they won 25 straight games.In 2006 he moved to Temple University and led the Owls to 8 NCAA appearances and five conference titles. His 2009-2010 team may have been his best. He guided the Owls to a 29-6 mark and a number 12 national rating. A 1970 graduate of LaSalle University has been a lecturer at Temple’s Fox Business School and Penn’s Wharton School .

Simmons basketball career began at South Philadelphia Hig School. He led the team to a Philadelphia Public League Boys Championship in 1986 and garnered an MVP award in the process. He decided to stay close to home and attend LaSalle University. At LaSalle the versatile forward had a freshmen average of 20.3 Points and 9.8 rebounds as the Explorers went 20-13 and advanced to the finals of the NIT. As a sophomore the Philadelphia native continued his leadership Role; as the Explorers went undefeated in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), went 3-0 in MAAC Tournament and earned an NCAA bid. At seasons end, Lionel was named the MAAC and Big 5 Player- of- the- Year.
He may have had his beat year as a Junior with a28.4 ppg average and 11.4 rebounds earning MAAC and Big 5 Player-of-the-year accolades. Again in 1989 the Explorers went 3-0 in the MAAC Tournament and went to the NCAA only to lose in the Southwest Regional. Simmons was named MAAC and Big 5 Lionel scored his 3,000 point in February 1990, led the Explorers to another MAAC sweep and a loss in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. This brought him his third straight MAAC and Big 5 Player-of-the-Year recognition. For his career, Simmons closed with 3,217 points, third in NCAA history, and 1,429 rebounds to rank second in LaSalle history. Ending his basketball career with the Sacramento Kings after seven seasons.

George Novak played football, basketball and baseball at Munhall High School earning 10 varsity letters from his freshman year through his senior year. As A Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket he played in the Sun Bowl (1970) and the Peach Bowl (1971). He was a scholastic football coach for 38 years; the first 8 at Steel Valley and the final 30 at newly formed Woodland Hills, where he served as the Wolverines first head coach. His combined coaching record was 306-139-1, third most head coaching victories in WPIAL history. During this period, his teams were in the WPIAL or PIAA playoffs 32 out of 38 years, winning 15 Conference and 6 WPIAL titles (1 with Steel Valley and 5 with Woodland Hills). His Woodland Hills teams played in the PIAA Quad A title game 3 times. George’s 1982 AAA Steel Valley team finished #1 in the state at 13-0 ( prior to the onset of PIAA state playoffs). He won numerous Conference and WPIAL “Coach of the Year”
honors and was the “PIAA Triple A Coach of the Year in 1982. In 2003 he was honored as the Schutt Sports Scholastic Football Coach of the Year for the U.S. Eastern Region. He was inducted into the PA Scholastic Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001 and the WPIAL Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. George was the “Big 33 Game” head coach in 1995 and an assistant coach in 1987. The majority of Novak’s graduating seniors played college football with over 100 of them receiving Division I scholarships. George coached Miami Dolphins All-Pro defensive end and 2017 NFL Hall of Fame inductee Jason Taylor, Patriots All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski and 19 additional NFL players during his Scholastic
coaching career. Five of these players (Adam Walker – Steel Valley and Steve Breaston, Ryan Mundy, Lousaka Polite and Rob Gronkowski – Woodland Hills) participated in 6 Super Bowls. Jim Tomsula (Steel Valley) was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2015.

An All-Pro Running Back for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks. Records include rushing for over 1,000 yards for 3 different teams, scoring 5 touchdowns in a playoff game and scoring 3 touchdowns in Super Bowl XXIX. Watters earned 5 Pro Bowl selections and four All-Madden Team Honors during his elven year tenure in the
NFL. He is right behind Walter Payton for most consecutive starts by an NFL running back and amassed over 10,000 career rushing yards and 4,000 receiving yards. In addition, Watters won a National Championship in 1988 at the University of Notre Dame under coach Lou Holtz. His unique high-stepping style earned him the nickname of Ricky “Running” Watters,

Steve wrestled four varsity years with the Spartans with a record of 155-22-2. He remained the winningest wrestler in District 11 until 2004 and was fourth in career wins in Pennsylvania wrestling history. Steve was the first four time District 11 Champion. In the state tournament; he won three Regional titles, was a three- time state place winner and won the 145lb. state title in 1985. He attended North Carolina State University and captained the Wolfpack to a ACC Title. Steve was an Academic All-American in high school and college. He has been inducted into several Halls of fame, including the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007.

Suzie McConnell – Serio led Pittsburgh Seton LaSalle High School to a 35 – 1 Record and a PIAA Championship in 1984. She was a Parade first team High School All-American and was the 1983 –’84 Pittsburgh Post Gazette Female Athlete- of- the-Year. Her Penn State basketball records include most career Assists (1,307), most single season assist (355) and highest single game assist Average (11.8). She was a 4 time first team All-Atlantic 10 selection and was named first team AP and UPI All-American in the 1987-’88 season. She received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation’s best female athlete under 5’8” and she led the Lady Lions to the NCAA Tournament all four years. Suzie was named to the USA Today’s All-Time High School Team and was a two-time member of the U.S. Women’s Olympic teams, winning a gold medal in Seoul in 1988 and a Bronze Medal in Barcelona in 1992. She also won a Gold Medal with the U.S. World University Games team in 1991. In 1998 she was drafted with the 16th overall WNBA pick by the Cleveland Rockers and was named to the 1999 All-WNBA team. Other laurels include her selection by Sports Illustrated as the “Best Ever 5’4” Female Basketball Player”, inducted into the “Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame” and selected with the inaugural class of the WPIAL (District 7) Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. She was also named as one of the “Top 50 Pennsylvania Athletes of the 20th Century.

Mark Stepnoski was a Parade and Street & Smith All-America offensive tackle in 1984 at Cathedral Prep High School in Erie, PA. He was a four year starter at the University of Pittsburgh, a Kodak and Walter Camp All-American offensive guard. Selected number one in the third round of the NFL draft in 1989, he became a starting center his rookie year and played 13 professional seasons, nine with Dallas Cowboys and four with the Houston
Oilers. He was voted to the Pro-Bowl five times (1992-’95) He was named second team center on the NFL All-Decade team for the 90’s and was chosen center on the Cowboy’s 50 year anniversary all-time team.