Edinboro Athletics Announces 2024 Hall of Fame Class

The Edinboro Athletic Department announced the eight new inductees into the Edinboro Athletic Hall of Fame. 

The university says the induction ceremony is scheduled for September 20, 2024. 

The Class of 2024 includes standouts from track & field, volleyball, football, men's basketball and wrestling. 

The following individuals were inducted into the Edinboro Athletic Hall of Fame: 

Bruce Baumgartner
Baumgartner joined the Edinboro Athletics staff in 1984 as an assistant wrestling coach with the then Division II wrestling program beginning 34 years of service to Edinboro. After seven years as the assistant coach, he was promoted to head wrestling coach in 1991. Baumgartner transitioned to interim athletic director in 1997 and took on the role permanently in 1998. After 20 years as the Director of Athletics, Baumgartner moved to the Advancement Office where he served three years as the Assistant Vice President for Advancement. Baumgartner retired from Edinboro University in 2020.

In his tenure as Director of Athletics, Baumgartner oversaw growth in facilities, fundraising, student-athlete welfare in addition to the Scots competitive success claiming 52 PSAC Team Championships.

All of the facilities in and on which the Scots competed saw upgrades and enhancements while Baumgartner was the Director of Athletics. Three of those facilities were built during his tenure, the Mike Zafirovski Sports and Recreation Center, the tennis courts and the softball field. Improvements to Sox Harrison Stadium included the first synthetic turf surface, lights as well as expanded and renovated locker room facilities. Inside McComb Fieldhouse, new and improved spaces were created sports information, athletic training as well as a team video room and concession area in the lobby. The McComb lobby as saw an upgrade with a digital hall of fame display as well as branded Championship Wall and Student-Athlete Honors display.

Also during his tenure, Baumgartner began a number of fundraising initiatives while enhancing those that were already in place. He started the Annual Athletic Fund drive, initiated the Friends and Family donor program as well as opened the door to online giving for athletics. He worked to enhance the Curly Halmi Memorial Scholarship, a committee he still is on today, as well as enhancing the summer camp and facility rentals increasing revenue to the institution.

Baumgartner also enhanced the student-athlete experience at Edinboro by initiating the NCAA Make-A-Wish program with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He also enhanced or began numerous community service programs involving Fighting Scot student-athletes.

Baumgartner was a four-time Olympic medalist claiming gold in 1984 and 1992. He was the USA's captain and flagbearer at the 1996 Olympic games. He was a three-time World Champion among numerous other accolades.

Tabitha Bemis ('14)
A standout for the Fighting Scot Track & Field teams, Bemis is one of the most decorated athletes in Edinboro history both athletically and academically. Bemis finished her career as a six-time All-American. She was also an NCAA qualifier 14 times. Over the course of her career, Bemis was a United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honoree 18 times. She claimed 15 PSAC Championships and 26 All-Conference awards. She was named the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year five times. While competing for the Fighting Scots, Bemis broke 11 school records, 10 of which she still holds today. Bemis holds the indoor record in the 60-meter hurdles, 60-meter dash, long jump, triple as well as being a member of the record holding 1,600-meter relay team. In outdoor, Bemis holds the record in the long jump, triple jump, 100 meter-hurdles as well as being a member of the 400-meter and 1,600-meter relay teams.

Bemis was the first athlete to earn the PSAC Top 10 Award, honoring the conferences highest achieving student-athlete in both competition and in the classroom, six times. She was a three-time winter and spring winner of the Top 10 Award. After her senior season, Bemis was named the PSAC Pete Nevins Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She was also named Edinboro's Nancy Acker Award winner given to the Scots top female senior athlete. A nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year, Bemis was a recipient of the prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship for her excellence on the track, in the classroom and in the community. Bemis was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American including a pair of First-Team selections.

After graduation she spent a season coaching at McDowell High School as well as coaching competitive cheer. She earned her master's degree from Slippery Rock in Student-Affairs in Higher Education while also serving as the graduate assistant coach for the Rock. She spent three years as a Career Advisor and Assistant Track Coach at Susquehanna University before returning to Slippery Rock as a full-time Assistant Coach. Over the course of her nine-year coaching career, she has coached 18 All-Americans, 85 conference champions, 158 all-region performers, 176 all-conference honorees and seen 31 school records broken.

Chris Honeycutt ('12)
Honeycutt was a standout and four-time NCAA qualifier for the Fighting Scot wrestling team. In the course of his career, Honeycutt posted a 130-22 overall record ranking 10th all-time in total wins and ninth in winning percentage at Edinboro.

He was a two-time All-American finishing fifth in 2011 and then posted a second-place finish in his final season at Edinboro in 2012. During the 2012 run, Honeycutt went 40-2 marking the 12th time a Fighting Scot wrestler reached the 40-win plateau. He was the 14th Edinboro wrestler to bring home multiple All-American honors. He finished 2012 as the NCAA leader in technical falls with 11.

Honeycutt was named the Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Year in both 2011 & 2012. He was also the 2012 Sox Harrison Award winner as Edinboro's most outstanding male senior scholar-athlete. In the 2011 season, Honeycutt was the PSAC Wrestler of the Year in addition to his EWL honor. He won the 2011 Southern Scuffle, his second straight win at the prestigious tournament. He also won both the PSAC and EWL Championships at 184. He closed out 2011 with a 31-2 record.

He won his first EWL Championship in 2009 as well as claiming the PSAC Championship. In his freshman season, he became the starter midway through the season qualifying for nationals while claiming the EWL and PSAC Rookie of the Year Awards.

Honeycutt is currently a mixed martial artist competing in the Absolute Championship and is a former Bellator fighter. He was the Main Event card at the 2019 Eastern Economic Summit competing in front of 2,500 diplomats and five other world leaders.

Joe Jones ('09)
Jones played three seasons for the Fighting Scot men's basketball team and left his impact ranking among the statistical leaders across numerous categories. Jones still finds himself inside Edinboro's Top 10 all-time in eight different categories.

Jones is the seventh leading scorer in Fighting Scot history with 1,465 points in three seasons. His 16.8 point per game ranks ninth all-time. His 359 assists rank sixth all-time and his 143 steals is the ninth best mark among Fighting Scots. A prolific 3-point shooter, Jones ranks fifth in both 3-pointers made with 166 and 3-pointers attempted with 466.

In his senior season, Jones earned National Basketball Coaches Association All-American honors. He was one of 16 Division II players to earn that honor and the only PSAC player to be on the All-American squad in 2009. He also earned a spot in the NABC All-Star game one of just 10 players to represent the East squad. He averaged 21.4 points per game ranking second in the PSAC and 13th in the nation. He also dished out a team-high 110 assists and tallied a team-best 53 steals. Jones was also a Division II Bulletin All-American as well in 2009. Jones was a two-time PSAC West First-Team All-Conference selection.

After college, Jones pursued a professional basketball career spending time with the Erie Bayhawks of the G-League, the Vermont Frost Heaves of the Professional Basketball League as well as playing overseas in the China NBL. After his playing career, Jones began his coaching career and running his own training business Joe Jones Training. He was an assistant coach on the PIAA State Championship Cathedral Preparatory team. He also spent four years at North East Junior College under Coach Shannon Pullium.

Bob Shreve (Distinguished Service)
Shreve enters the Hall of Fame for Distinguished Service after overseeing Athletic Communications for 22 years at Edinboro.

Shreve is currently in his third season in the Gannon Athletic Communications Office, his second stint with the Golden Knights, marking over 40 years in collegiate and professional athletics. Shreve has the unique distinction as serving in the Athletic Communications Office at all three of Edinboro, Gannon and Mercyhurst as well as having stints in Sports Information at Frostburg State and West Chester.

Shreve has claimed numerous accolades and awards, highlighted by his 2018 induction into the Erie Metro Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In 2016, Shreve earned the ECAC-SIDA Irving T. Marsh Service Award presented to one SID in the ECAC who exhibits excellence in the field of Sports Information.

Shreve has been honored with the top award in the country for his football media guides both at Edinboro and Mercyhurst. He has promoted many All-Americans including Edinboro's two time Harlon Hill finalist and Hall of Fame quarterback Trevor Harris. He served on the CoSIDA, now CSC, Academic All-America program, serving as a district coordinator since 1993 before moving into a national coordinator role. He currently serves on the publicity staff. He was the national coordinator for the D2CCA (formerly Daktronics) from 1996-2017.

Shreve has also been an active participant in other Erie area sporting events. He was the long-time public address announcer for the Erie Seawolves, the Class AA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, until assuming the role of official scorer. He was also a statistician for the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G-League.

Wade Smith ('93)
Smith was a member of one of the strongest defensive backfields in Edinboro history. He finished his career with 251 career tackles and 12 interceptions.

He entered the 1990 season as a Street & Smith Preseason All-American. He backed that selection up with 81 tackles, and four interceptions on his way to first-team All-PSAC honors and honorable mention All-American honors. The Scots made their second-straight appearance in the NCAA postseason earning their first NCAA postseason win. The season before, Smith finished with 53 tackles, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries and a team-best 13 pass breakups. He was honored as a second-team All-PSAC choice. Edinboro earned their first NCAA postseason appearance in 1989 after winning a PSAC Championship and going 8-3.

Smith started eight games in his first season leading the Scots in interceptions with five and ranking second on the squad with 12 pass breakups. He also tallied 41 tackles. He still holds the Edinboro career record in fumble recoveries with eight and his 12 career interceptions is the eighth best mark in school history. Smith is joining backfield mates Mike Willis, Mike Barnes, Mario Houston and Georj Lewis in the Hall of Fame.

Smith is currently the Manager of Student Support Services Northland Workforce Training Center at Alfred State. In his role he supervises 10 career advisors at the Alfred State satellite location in Buffalo, N.Y.

Kent Urbanski (Lifetime Achievement in Sports) ('88)
As a 1988 graduate, Urbanski started his career at WJET TV 24 while still a senior at Edinboro and this year marks his 36th year with WJET.

Urbanski has covered a wide variety of sporting events, behind the camera, including high school state championships, NCAA Bowl games, the NFL, NHL Stanley Cup, MLB World Series as well as the NBA. He has been a part of WJET's coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1991 and has been on the field to cover nine Super Bowls. Several of his shots have been have been used nationally on FOX Sports, NFL Films and ESPN. One of his most famous shots was being front and center for Santonio Holmes game-winning touchdown catch at Super Bowl 43. Urbanski got the footage and was in the background of the photograph that ran in the USA Today the day after the game.

Over the course of his career, Urbanski has been honored by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters 18 times including best coverage for Super Bowls 40 and 43. He was honored for best documentary for Ben Roethlisberger's final game.

During his time at Edinboro, Urbanski ran both Track & Field and Cross Country. He was a member of the 1986, 87 and 88 squads that all claimed NCAA Division II National Championships. He was also a two-time PSAC Track & Field Championship qualifier in the 800-meters.

Also during his collegiate career, Urbanski wrote sports articles for the Spectator and produced feature stories for the Fighting Scots Sports Show with Todd Jay. He received a letter of recognition from the University president for his documentary Hard Road to Success which he completed in his senior year.

Rosie Norton (Weisenseel) ('97)
Norton was a standout for the Edinboro women's volleyball team helping the Scots to their first NCAA National Tournament and serving as the primary setter on the Scots 1994 and 1996 NCAA tournament teams.

Norton ranks sixth all-time in career assists with 3,227 assists. She has two of the top-20 seasons in total assists and ranks third in service aces with 160. Norton also tallied 1,030 career digs and ranks eighth in Edinboro history with 3.42 digs per set.

As a freshman in 1992, Norton notched 909 assists earning All-PSAC honors. She posted a career-high 1,190 assists in 1994, the 15th best mark in Edinboro history, earning her First-Team All-PSAC West and First-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors. The Scots won a PSAC Championship and made their first appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Scots won the NCAA Atlantic Regional and advanced to the Elite Eight in Bakersfield, Calif. Norton was named to the NCAA Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team.

She had another 1,000-assist season in 1996 finishing with 1,047 the 20th best single-season mark in Edinboro history. She was once again the First-Team All-PSAC West and First-Team All-Atlantic Region setter. The Scots finished as the PSAC runner-up before winning the NCAA Atlantic Regional and advancing to the Elite Eight. Norton is a member of the Edinboro All-Time Team.

Norton is currently the Assistant Principal at St. Peter School in Lorain, Ohio. She has served in the Diocese of Cleveland School district for 20 years teaching a variety of subjects including Science, English and Theology.

More information on the new inductees can be found on the university's website.