PITTSBURG — Pittsburg State University Athletics will honor and enshrine its Hall of Fame Class of 2025 next Friday (Oct. 31).

The ceremony will take place at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at 6 p.m. (CDT). A reception will follow the enshrinement. The event is open to the public at no charge. Advance reservations and tickets are not required. The ceremony also will be live streamed at pittstate.tv.
 
PSU's Class of 2025 is headlined by a cast of decorated athletes and coaches: Gretchen (Clark) Love (2010-11), a four-time NCAA Division II All-America high jumper in track & field; Zac Dickey (2009-11); an All-America quarterback in football; Dennis Franchione (1985-89), the legendary football coach who guided the Gorillas to five straight trips to the national playoffs including a pair of national semifinal finishes; Lizzy Jeronimus (2012-15), a four-time All-America in women's basketball; Leah (Shireman) Smith (2003-05), a three-time All-America javelin thrower in track & field; and Shane Tafoya (1990-91), a two-time All-America linebacker in football.
 
Phil Schepens (1992-95), a two-time NCAA Division II All-America offensive lineman in football, and the 1994 Softball Team, which won a program record 48 games and qualified for the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional, 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 30 years or prior from the current calendar year in an attempt to bolster the school's rich heritage from earlier years.
 
The Hall of Fame Class of 2025 also will be recognized at halftime of the Gorillas football game next Saturday (Nov. 1) against MIAA rival Missouri Southern State University.


2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Profiles

Gretchen (Clark) Love, Women's Track & Field, 2010-11
~ Four-time NCAA-II All-American: high jump, '10 (8th, 5-6, indoors; 8th, 5-7, outdoors); high jump, '11 (3rd, 5-8.5, indoors; 3rd, 5-6, outdoors).
~ All-MIAA, high jump, 2011 (outdoors).
~ Set both PSU indoor (5-8.75) and PSU outdoor (5-10) records in the high jump, currently 5th all-time indoors & 4th all-time outdoors.

Zac Dickey, Football, 2009-11
~ NCAA-II All-American, 2011 (H.M., QB, Don Hansen, '11).
~ MIAA All-Conference, 2011 (2nd, QB, '11).
~ Passed for 2,290 yards & 17 TDs and rushed for 1,165 yards (2^nd highest QB rushing total in school history) & 10 TDs as a senior in 2011.
~ Helped lead PSU to 13-1 record & 2011 NCAA-II National Championship.

Dennis Franchione, Football Coach, 1985-89
~ Served as head football coach from 1985-89, compiling an amazing 53-6 (.898) record in five seasons leading the Gorillas.
~ Led PSU to five straight conference championships and five consecutive national playoff appearances. His 1986, 1987 and 1988 squads all advanced to the semifinals of the NAIA Division I playoffs. His 1989 squad captured the school's first MIAA crown and first NCAA-II playoff berth in its inaugural year transitioning from the NAIA to the NCAA.
~ He went on to enjoy successful NCAA Division I coaching stints at Texas State (1990-91, '2011-15), New Mexico (1992-97), TCU (1998-2000), Alabama (2001-02) and Texas A&M (2003-07).
~ He finished his career with 213 all-time victories and nine conference championships & secured four NCAA Division I bowl victories.

Lizzy Jeronimus, Women's Basketball, 2012-15
~ Four Time NCAA Division II All-American, 2012-15.
~ First Team All-America, 2014; H.M. All-America, 2012-13, '15.
~ MIAA All-Conference, 2012-15 (1st, '12-15).
~ 2012 MIAA Freshman of the Year.
~ Scored 2,226 points (17.8 ppg) and grabbed 838 rebounds (6.7 rpg) in 125 career games.
~ Set PSU career scoring & rebounding records.
~ Set PSU single season scoring record in 2015 (626 pts).
~ Started 124 career games & helped PSU to the program's first Elite Eight appearance in 2012.

Leah (Shireman) Smith, Women's Track & Field, 2003-05
~ Three-time NCAA-II All-American: javelin, '03 (5th, 149-11); javelin, '04 (2nd, 149-0); javelin, '05 (5th, 144-3).
~ MIAA javelin champion, 2005.
~ Five-Time All-MIAA performer (javelin - 1st, '05; 2nd, '03-04; heptathlon - 4th, '04-05).
~ Ranks fourth all-time at PSU in javelin (155-11).

Shane Tafoya, Football, 1990-91
~ NCAA-II All-American, 1990-91 (2nd, LB, '90-91, Football Gazette).
~ A.P. Little All-American, 1991 (2nd, LB).
~ MIAA All-Conference, 1990-91 (1st, LB).
~ 1991 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
~ Helped lead PSU to 13-1-1 record & program's first NCAA national title.
~ Made 123 tackles in '91, including 16 stops & a fumble recovery in the NCAA National Championship Game.


Legacy Category

Phil Schepens, Football, 1992-95
~ Two time NCAA-II All-American, 1994-95 (2nd, OL, FB Gazette, 3rd, OL, Daktronics, '94; 1st, Daktronics/FB Gazette, 2nd, A.P., '95).
~ MIAA All-Conference, 1993-95 (H.M., OL, '93; 1st, OL, '94-95).
~ Helped PSU lead NCAA-II in rushing offense in '95 (318.8 ypg).
~ Helped PSU to a 44-6-1 record during his four-year career.

1994 Softball Team
~ The Gorillas posted a school record 48 victories while advancing to 16-team NCAA-II National Tournament for a second straight season under head coach Brad Horky.
~ Pitt State captured the program's first MIAA regular season title, finished as the MIAA Tournament runner-up and qualified for the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional while compiling a 48-15 overall record.