Behrend Lions Athletic Hall of Fame
1997 Inductees
ED BELL
Ed Bell, a graduate from Mannheim American
High School in Mannheim, Germany, is a four-year letterman for the
Behrend Lions soccer program.
Bell earned varsity awards from 1979-83 while playing under the late Herb Lauffer. In 1982, Bell was tabbed with All-League honors, while scoring 10 goals-the fifth best in a single season. Bell scored 18 goals throughout his career, which is sixth all-time, and he assisted on nine others to tie for the fifth all-time. He used his athleticism to lead his team to 23 wins during his career, while playing in 52 career games which is seventh best on the charts.
Among
his academic achievements, Bell was a member of Who's Who Among
American Colleges and was the founding president of the Omicron Beta
Kappa Honor Society at Penn State Behrend.
After graduating from Penn State Behrend, Bell went to earn his
master's degree at Miami University and is completing his Ed.D. in
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of
Northern Colorado.
Bell
is married has two children and is the Director of Residential Life
and Housing at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
CLIFF
CALDWELL
Cliff
Caldwell is a 1978 graduate of Cambridge Springs High School. Caldwell
earned three varsity letters under Hall of Fame baseball coach,
Shorty Stoner. In 1980, Caldwell and his 2.08 ERA helped his team
to the College's best 20 wins and the NAIA District 18 Baseball
Championship.
In
1981, Caldwell was named a first team All District pitcher for his
outstanding season. He built a strong 7-2 mound record, which is
the most pitching wins in a single-season. Caldwell also struck
out 54 hitters while working 70.3 innings. He left his mark on
the Penn State Behrend baseball record books before pitching at
University Park in 1982. Caldwell compiled 93 strikeouts in his
126.3 innings pitched. Both figures are fifth best all-time.
His career ERA is a sharp 3.15-good for tenth place on the charts.
Caldwell
is now employed by AGA Gas, Inc. in Cleveland. Caldwell is
married and is the father of two.
RANDY
GORNIAK
Randy Gorniak, a graduate of North East High School, was a four-year
letter winner and starting center for the Penn State Behrend Lions.
Gorniak was a rebounding machine. He used his 6'8" frame to
set records for the most rebounds in a game with 28, rebounds in a
season 410, and in a career with 1,092. In addition, he put the
ball in the basket frequently-tallying 1,263 career points.
Gorniak is only one of two Penn State Behrend basketball players to
surpass the 1,000 points and rebound plateau.
In
his junior campaign, Gorniak garnered national attention by finishing
fifth in the country averaging 13.9 boards a game. In 1986-87,
his aggressive off-the-boards play earned him the NCAA Division III
national rebounding championship by hauling in 16.4 rebounds per
contest. As a senior, Gorniak averaged 21.2 points per game and
totaled 530 points, while shooting 54% from the field.
In
1986 and 1987, he earned back-to-back Penn State Behrend Male Athlete
of the Year awards. Gorniak also captured the team MVP award his
senior year of 1987. Gorniak is married, has two children, and
is employed by Calsicat Chemical in Erie.
GARY
MANUEL
Gary
Manuel came to Penn State Behrend after graduating from Butler County
Community College. Manuel's resume is impressive. As the
co-captain in 1983-84, he led his team to a Pennsylvania State Junior
College Championship.
Manuel
joined hall of fame head coach Doug Zimmerman's team mid-semester
during the 1984-85 season and immediately became the starting point
guard. He led the team in assists, while setting a College
record for assists per game at 7.1. Manuel passed the ball
around the court and placed himself into the Penn State Behrend record
books. Manuel is at the top for assists per game in a career
with 6.9. He also holds the record for assists in a single
season when he distributed 178 as a senior co-captain in the 1985-86
season. His name can also be found in the fourth spot on the
all-time list for total assists with 271.
Manuel
is currently employed by Servistar Coast to Coast as a Corporate
Recruiter and Employment Manager in Butler. Manuel is married to
former Penn State Behrend softball star Lisa (Hites) Manuel and they
have two children.
ROGER
SWEETING: COACH AND ADMINISTRATOR
Roger Sweeting is a graduate of North Fairfield High School, Ohio.
After completing his undergraduate degree in education at Bowling
Green University, he acquired his master's degree from Penn State
joining the staff in Erie Hall. While working at Penn State
Behrend, Sweeting earned his Ph.D from the University of Illinois.
Sweeting
was synonymous with Penn State Behrend sports for 33 years. He
served as athletics director from 1963-1969 & 1972-1981, coached
men's soccer from 1963-69, baseball 1954-69, men's basketball
1963-69 & 1971-76, and club volleyball 1966-69 & 1977-80.
As
the men's basketball coach, Sweeting's 1966-67 team won the NJCAA
Pennsylvania State Championship. His 1967-68 team finished the
regular season undefeated with 20 victories-the first team in
college history to do so. Sweeting coached a second team to 20
wins in 1968-69. These are the only two 20 win seasons in 40
years of men's basketball. While guiding the club volleyball
team, Sweeting's team won two CCAC championships and three second
places in his eight year tenure.
As
the Athletics Director, Sweeting guided the college in transition from
a two year (NJCAA) to a four year NAIA. He was also instrumental
in implementing Title IX, which introduced women's sports to Behrend
and assisted the athletics department in growing form three to ten
varsity sports.
Sweeting
received the Richard Dill Outstanding Service Award in 1996 and
emeritus faculty status from Penn State Behrend in 1996.
SUE
(HOLMES) PRESTON
Sue
(Holmes) Preston came to Penn State Behrend from Mercer High School
where she was a multi-sport star. She served the women's
basketball and volleyball teams while earning two letters in each
sport for the blue, white, and red.
Preston's name is scattered throughout the women's basketball
record book. In her junior basketball season, she poured 350
points and pulled down 228 rebounds. Preston averaged 14.1
points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game and was named the Penn State
Behrend Female Athlete of the Year in 1985-86.
In
addition, she scored 623 points in two years and grabbed 391 boards.
Her 12.5 career scoring average is fifth best all-time, while her 7.82
rebounding average is sixth all-time.
Preston
was an outstanding athlete who also competed on the volleyball court.
She guided her 1985-volleyball team to an impressive 25-12 record and
earned 220 career kills. Preston is married and is in charge of
the Quality Control Department at Wheatland Tube.