NFL fullback, PIAA champs and more: Meet the Centre County Sports Hall of Fame’s new class
The newest inductees to the Centre County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame include a State High standout-turned NFL player, PIAA champions and a Special Olympics global ambassador.
Leading the way in votes to the 2024 Hall of Fame class is Matt Suhey, who continues to break records. The three-time All-State running back at State College Area High School, and four-year starter for the Penn State Nittany Lions, received more votes than anyone has since the Centre County Sports Hall of Fame began in 2016. Suhey, who played for a decade in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, including scoring a touchdown in their win in Super Bowl XX, was named on more than 96% of the ballots. He teamed with Walter Payton to form the most dynamic NFL backfield of the 1980s.
Joining Suhey in being elected to the 2024 Hall of Fame Class are seven living inductees and two deceased inductees. The full membership of the Hall of Fame votes every January for the new class, with results released this week.
Here’s a look at the inductees:
Skip Pighetti follows other Bald Eagle Area PIAA state wrestling champions into the Hall. Pighetti capped off a 69-5-3 career record at BEA with an undefeated senior season and his own PIAA state championship. He later coached the Eagles for five years.
Amanda Breon Hamilton earned 12 varsity letters at Bellefonte Area High School, including four letters in softball when she was named All-State in 2001. She continued her career at Bloomsburg University where she set several school records and was named All-PSAC.
Greg Focht from State College is a global ambassador for the Special Olympics. Excelling in multiple sports, Focht is already a member of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics Hall of Fame, and participated in the World Games in Athens, Greece.
A pair of female All-State athletes from Penns Valley Area were elected to the 2024 Class — Kari Lucas Leah and Katrina Greer. Leah won 16 varsity letters for the Rams and particularly excelled on the softball field. The first team All-State infielder led the Rams to the PIAA state championship. Recovering from a battle with leukemia, she went on to play for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Greer scored nearly 2,000 points for the Penns Valley Lady Rams basketball team and was named first team All-State her senior year. She then set multiple records at Clarion University in scoring and free throw percentage, including several PSAC conference records.
Two Penn State graduates who have chosen to make Centre County their permanent home also join the 2024 induction class. (Penn State coaches and athletes are eligible if they spend significant time here other than their time attending the university.)
Dr. Jim Martin won three state PIAA wrestling titles, followed by a Four-Time All-American wrestling career at Penn State. Martin won the 126 pound NCAA title, and to this day remains the career leader in wins for the Nittany Lions.
Steve Jones has been the voice of Penn State basketball for more than 40 years, and he is in his third decade announcing Penn State football. The nationally recognizable voice has called State College Spikes games since their inception. Jones is a walking Penn State encyclopedia.
The two deceased individuals elected this year both starred at Bellefonte High School in football and baseball.
Denny Dewitt was a great Bellefonte running back who later played at North Carolina State. Transferring to Penn State, Dewitt became an NCAA All-American baseball centerfielder for the Nittany Lions. No left-handed batter ever had a sweeter, smoother swing.
Joe Kresovich was named the Bellefonte team’s best baseball player his senior year, and as a running back was the first Centre County football player to achieve Big 33 status. Kresovich was subsequently recruited to the University of Maryland by ESPN Game Day icon Lee Corso.
In addition to these 10 inductees being elected by the full membership of the Centre County Sports Hall of Fame, the board of directors on occasion names an inductee for Community Service in the area of sports. This year the board named Bud O’Brien from Philipsburg for this special induction. O’Brien is being inducted for his outstanding service in the Philipsburg area as a player, coach, announcer, fund-raiser, and all-around good guy who always answers the call.
The 2024 class will be inducted on Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Penn Stater Conference Center. For more information, visit CentreCountySportsHOF.com.
Keith Bierly is the president of the Centre County Sports Hall of Fame and Ron Bracken is a Centre County Sports Hall of Fame board member.
