LHU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Announced
LOCK HAVEN – The Lock Haven University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019 has been announced, recognizing seven individuals and one team.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2019 will be inducted at the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which for the second consecutive year will be part of LHU’s Homecoming weekend festivities. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is slated for Sunday, September 29. More information will be available in the coming months regarding Homecoming and Hall of Fame weekend.
The Hall of Fame selection committee consists of 11 members: the Athletic Director, the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA), the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), the Director of Athletic Communications & Marketing, one representative from the Office of University Advancement, four LHU alumnae/alumni, one local resident, and one “at-large” member. This group independently reviews the nominations received from any source, except self-nominations. Once an athlete, coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or significant supporter is nominated, that nominee remains on the roster until selected (resubmissions are not required). The committee narrows the field through a voting process which uses a defined scoring system to determine each year’s Hall of Fame Class.
Georgina Adams-Donnelly (soccer, athlete)
Adams-Donnelly became the first LHU women’s soccer player to ever reach All-American status. She was named a First Team All-American following the 1999 season. In 1999, she was also named the PSAC Player of the Year. In all, Adams-Donnelly was a four-time All-Conference player and a two-time All-Region selection. Her play led Lock Haven to the program’s first PSAC title and first NCAA tournament berth in 1999. Adams-Donnelly’s name remains among the program’s all-time statistical leaders.
Bill Blacksmith (wrestling, athlete)
Unseeded at 145 pounds in 1966, Blacksmith etched his name in LHU wrestling lore as he claimed an individual NCAA Division I national title. In the finals, he downed No. 3 seed Dale Bahr of Iowa State, 7-1. He also won two NAIA national championships, claiming titles in 1965 and 1966. Blacksmith was a four-time PSAC champion from 1963-66. He is one of six LHU wrestlers in history to win a Division I national championship.
Sarah Curtis-Schall (volleyball, athlete)
Curtis-Schall led the LHU volleyball program to its first ever PSAC (1996) and Regional championship (1999). In all, the 1996 PSAC Freshman of the Year went on to become a four-time All-Conference player, a four-time All-Region player, and she was named the PSAC West Player of the Year three times (1997-99). Following the 1999 season, Curtis-Schall was named to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight All-Tournament Team. Her name remains prominent throughout the LHU statistical record books.
Tim Gargan (soccer, athlete)
Gargan was a three-time NCAA All-American for the LHU men’s soccer team. He earned All-American honors in 1979, 1980 and 1981, becoming the first player in school history to become a three-time All-American. Gargan’s exceptional play led LHU to a pair of national championships. As a co-captain, Gargan led the undefeated 1980 team (LHU HOF, 2015) to the Division II national title. In all, the four-time All-Conference player helped Lock Haven win 67 matches.
Tom Justice (volleyball, coach)
Justice coached a number of sports at LHU, but he built the volleyball program from the beginning and turned it into a regional Division II power. Justice led LHU to six PSAC Tournament titles, seven NCAA Division II Atlantic Region titles, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and seven NCAA Elite Eight trips. He coached 14 All-Americans, 11 PSAC Athletes of the Year, seven PSAC Freshman of the Year, 49 All-Region players, and 60 All-Conference players, while winning nearly 500 matches.
Brad Lloyd (wrestling, athlete)
Lloyd, a three-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, still holds the school record for career wins (146). At the NCAA DI Tournament, he finished seventh (1986), third (1988), and second (1989). In 1989, he became the first Bald Eagle to reach the national finals since 1968. Lloyd remains ranked among the all-time leaders in single-season wins and career tech falls. He is one of only three LHU wrestlers to earn All-American honors three times.
Joe Speese (football, athlete)
Speese was a three-time All-American for the LHU football team. The tailback was a three-time All-PSAC West First Team selection, and his 3,399 yards remain the career school record for rushing yards. Speese led the Bald Eagles to the 1979 PSAC title. His 1,321 yards during the 1979 season remain the No. 1 mark in school history for a single season. Following the 1980 season, Speese added an ECAC All-Star selection to his resume.
Softball Team of 2006
Behind All-Americans Kristin Erb (LHU HOF, ’15) and Courtney Hughes (LHU HOF, ’17), the 2006 LHU softball team powered its way to the national title. On the way to the NCAA Division II championship, Lock Haven won a school-record 56 games (56-4). The Bald Eagles also won region and conference titles. Erb won 36 games in the pitcher’s circle, and Hughes hit a single-season school record 19 home runs. As a team, LHU hit a single-season school record 79 home runs. Lock Haven was a perfect 20-0 in PSAC West action, and the Bald Eagles went undefeated at home (16-0).
