Pittsburg State Gorillas

Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame

1981 NAIA Division I National Runner-up Football Team
The 1981 Gorilla football team finished as the NAIA National Runner-up as the squad made the program’s third all-time appearance in the NAIA National Championship Game. The Gorillas dropped a hard-fought, 3-0, decision to Elon College on Dec. 19 at Burlington, N.C., in the title game to finish the season with a 10-2 record under head coach Ron Randleman. The Gorillas captured the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) title in 1981.
 
 
Chris Hanna, 1990-93
Springfield, Missouri
Football Athlete
Chris Hanna earned NCAA Division II All-America honors as a defensive lineman for the Gorillas as a junior in 1992. Hanna garnered All-MIAA accolades all four seasons from 1990-93, including first-team All-MIAA recognition in 1992. He made 120 career tackles (42 solo) with 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 quarterback sacks. Hanna posted 46 stops (13 solo) in 1992 while helping the Gorillas post a 14-1 record and reach the NCAA Division II National Championship Game.
 
 
Bob Homer, 1968-71
Meade, Kansas
Football Athlete Legacy
Bob Homer earned first-team NAIA All-District 10 honors in each of his final two seasons in 1970-71. Homer garnered second-team All-CIC accolades as a freshman in 1968 and he earned first-team All-RMAC recognition as a junior in 1970 when he helped lead the Gorillas to a 9-2 record and the RMAC Championship. Homer started 41 consecutive games at linebacker for PSU. He is generally recognized as the school’s career tackles leader at the time of his graduation (defensive statistics were not kept in that era).
 
 
Andy Majors, 2002-05
Overland Park, Kan.
Football Athlete
Andy Majors earned NCAA Division II All-America honors at quarterback as a senior for the Gorillas in 2005. Majors set Pitt State single game (358 yards) and single season passing records in 2005, when he compiled 3,065 yards and 20 TDs. He earned All-MIAA honors at wide receiver in 2003 and at quarterback in 2004-05. Majors finished his career completing 352 of 597 passes for 5,531 yards and 43 touchdowns.
 
 
Carl K. Neff, 1955-56
Selden, Kansas
Basketball Athlete Legacy
Carl Neff earned first-team All-Central Intercollegiate Conference (All-CIC) honors as a senior for the Gorillas in 1956. Neff averaged 14.5 points per game while helping PSU to a school record 27-2 record and a third-place finish in the 64-team NAIA National Tournament at Kansas City, Mo., during his senior campaign. He averaged 10.2 points in 53 career games played for the Gorillas from 1955-56.
 
 
Shari “Fritz” Fritzemeier Norman, 1998-2002
Stafford, Kansas
Track & Field Athlete
Shari Fritzemeier Norman finished her decorated career as a four-time NCAA Division II All-America and 17-time All-MIAA performer in the throws for the Gorillas. She placed third at nationals in the discus as a redshirt senior in 2002 (161-1) after capturing the MIAA title in the discipline as a junior in 2000. She also placed sixth at nationals in the hammer throw in both 2000 (169-6) and 2002 (176-7); and she placed sixth at nationals in the discus as a sophomore in 1999 (151-3). Fritzemeier exited her career as the school record holder in both the hammer throw (176-7) and the weight throw (52-4).
 
 
Ron Randleman
Carlisle, Iowa
Football Coach, 1976-81
Ron Randleman was named the 1981 NAIA Division I National Coach of the Year after leading Pitt State to a 10-2 record and the NAIA National Runner-Up finish. He served for six years as the Gorillas head coach, from 1976-81, helping revive the proud program. Overall, Randleman enjoyed a 36-year career as a collegiate head coach, compiling a 218-157-4 record. He 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.
 
 
Lisa (Litzen) Voelkel, 1990-93
Olathe, Kansas
Softball Athlete
Lisa (Litzen) Voelkel finished her decorated career as a two-time All-MIAA and All-NCAA Midwest Region performer (1991, ’93). Litzen compiled a 51-26 (.662) career pitching mark, setting the school record for career winning pct. and posting the second-highest victories total in school history. She set the PSU single season record for ERA (0.53) and finished her career with the second-lowest career ERA (1.36). Lizten posted a 13-1 mark in 1993, helping PSU to the program’s first NCAA-II Tournament berth. She tossed six career one-hitters and also set PSU and MIAA records for consecutive scoreless innings pitched (44.0 IP) in 1993. Litzen also earned first-team GTE Academic All-America honors in 1993.