PITTSBURG — Pittsburg State University is pleased to announce its 2021 induction class into the Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame. The group – comprised of seven individuals and an historic team – will be formally inducted into the elite Hall of Fame membership.
 
PSU's Class of 2021 is headlined by a cast of decorated athletes and coaches:  Shari Fritzemeier (1998-2002), a four-time NCAA Division II All-American thrower in track & field; Chris Hanna (1990-93), an All-America defensive lineman in football; Lisa Litzen (1990-93), a record breaking and dominant pitcher in softball; Andy Majors (2002-05), an All-America quarterback for the Gorillas in football; and Ron Randleman, the Gorillas football coach from 1976-81 who led Pitt State to the 1981 NAIA national runner-up finish and earned National Coach of the Year honors that season.
 
The 1981 Football Team, which posted a 10-2 record in finishing as the NAIA National Runner-Up that season, also will be inducted.
 
Bob Homer (1968-71), a two-year All-District linebacker who started 41 straight games for the Gorillas, and Carl Neff (1955-56), a first-team All-CIC men's basketball performer who helped lead Pitt State to a 27-2 record and a third-place finish at the 1956 NAIA National Tournament, will be inducted in the Hall of Fame's "Legacy" category.
 
The Legacy category, created in 2005, focuses solely on individuals who completed their athletic eligibility 50 years from the current calendar year in an attempt to bolster the school's rich heritage from earlier years.
 
"Once again PSU Athletics is blessed with the opportunity to pay tribute to a handful of elite individuals and teams representing the proud history and tradition of Gorilla intercollegiate athletics," said Dan Wilkes, associate athletic director and chair of the PSU Athletics Hall of Fame Committee. "We are tremendously proud of this group that comprises the Class of 2021 and we are eager to appropriately honor and celebrate their stories and accomplishments."

2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Profiles

Shari Fritzemeier, Track & Field, 1999-2002     
~ Four-time NCAA-II All-American: discus, '02 (3rd, 161-1); hammer, '02 (6th, 176-7); hammer, '00 (6th, 169-6); discus, '99 (6th, 151-3)
~ MIAA discus champion, 2000
~ 14-time All-MIAA performer in throws
~ Set school record in the hammer (176-7), currently 4th
~ Set school record in the weight throw (52-4)  - since broken
 
Chris Hanna, Football, 1990-93                           
~ NCAA-II All-American, 1992 (HM, DL, Football Gazette)
~ MIAA All-Conference, 1990-93 (HM, '90 & '93; 3rd, '91; 1st, '92)
~ Made 46 tackles (13 solo) with 2.0 TFLs & 1.0 QB sack in '92
~ Made 120 career tackles (42 solo) with 7.0 TFLs & 5.0 QB sacks
 
Lisa Litzen, Softball, 1990-93                               
~ MIAA All-Conference, 1991, '93 (2nd, P, '91; 1st, UT, '93)
~ Pitched six one-hitters in her career
~ Finished her career with a 51-26 career pitching record (.662), setting PSU record for career win pct. & posting 2nd-highest win total in school history at the time
~ Set (and still holds) PSU single season record for ERA (0.53)
~ Finished career w/ 2nd-lowest career ERA (1.36)
~ Posted 13-1 record in '93 helping PSU to a 36-8 record and the program's first NCAA-II Tournament berth
 
Andy Majors, Football 2002-05                            
~ NCAA-II All-American, 2005 (HM, QB, FB Gazette)
~ MIAA All-Conference, 2003-05 (HM, WR, '03; HM, QB, '04; 1st, QB, '05)
~ Passed for a school record 3,065 yards and 20 TDs in '05
~ Set PSU single-game passing record (358 yds) in '05
~ Finished career 352 of 597 for 5531 yards & and 43 TDs
 
Ron Randleman, Football Coach,1976-81
~ Served for six years as the Gorillas head coach, helping revive the proud program
~ Named the 1981 NAIA Division I National Coach of the Year, leading Pitt State to a 10-2 record and the NAIA national runner-up finish
~ Enjoyed a 36-year career as a collegiate head coach, compiling a 218-167-4 record at William Penn (1969-75), Pitt State (1976-81) and Sam Houston State (1982-2004).
~ Led his teams to nine conference titles, was named Conference Coach of the Year seven times and NAIA District Coach of the Year four times
~ Led SHSU to the NCAA I-AA playoffs four times, including the I-AA semifinals in his final season in 2004.
 
1981 Football Team                                                 
~ The squad posted a 10-2 record in finishing as the NAIA National Runner-up. The Gorillas dropped a 3-0 decision to Elon College at Burlington, N.C., on 12-19-81. PSU posted a 7-0 record in claiming the CSIC Conference title for head coach Ron Randleman. The Gorillas defeated Moorhead State, 14-13, in Pittsburg in the national semifinals.
 

Legacy Category
 
Bob Homer, Football, 1968-71                             
~ NAIA All-District 10, 1970-71 (1st, LB)
~ RMAC All-Conference, 1970 (1st, LB)
~ CIC All-Conference, 1968 (2nd, LB)
~ Started 41 straight games @ LB (played in era prior to recorded tackles - likely school tackle leader at time of his graduation but no documentation available)
 
Carl Neff, Men's Basketball, 1955-56                 
~ CIC All-Conference, first-team, 1956
~ Averaged 14.5 points per game as a senior in '56 and shot .813 from the free throw line (130/160)
~ Averaged 10.2 points in 53 career games for the Gorillas
~ Helped PSU to a 27-2 record and a third-place finish in the NAIA National Tournament his senior season

This is the 34^th class of inductees who will be enshrined into the PSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The PSU Athletics Hall of Fame was created in 1987.
 
Honoring the 2020 and 2021 PSU Athletics Hall of Fame Classes
Pitt State has set the weekend of September 10-11, 2021, as the date for the induction of the Hall of Fame Class of 2020. The Class of 2020 was selected in May 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic prevented the University from honoring and inducting the group on campus last year.
 
The 2020 induction will fall in conjunction with the Gorillas' 2021 home football opener on Sept. 11. The Class of 2020 will be formally inducted at a ceremony at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts on Friday evening, Sept. 10, with the group being recognized at halftime of Pitt State's MIAA match-up against Nebraska-Kearney as well.
 
The Class of 2021 will be honored and inducted the weekend of January 28-29, 2022, in conjunction with a Pitt State home MIAA basketball doubleheader against Rogers State University. The group will be formally inducted at a ceremony at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts on Friday evening, Jan. 28, with the group being recognized again Saturday at halftime of both basketball games as well as at the Wendy's / PSU Invitational indoor track & field meet that day at the Robert W. Plaster Center.