ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend Department of Athletics is proud to announce the selection of 10 former student-athletes for enshrinement into the Athletic Hall of Fame this upcoming fall.
The 10 individuals will be formally inducted in the College's Reed Union Building in McGarvey Commons on Saturday, October 7. The class includes Clay Altemose '13 (men's swimming and diving), Matt Bittner '13 (baseball), Russ Conley '13 (men's basketball), Jake Gamble '13 (men's soccer), Dennis Grace '73 (men's soccer), Victoria Harwood '13 (women's track & field/cross country), Ryan Jacobs '13 (baseball), Ali Khan '13 (men's water polo), Ryan Kragnes '13 (baseball), and Valerie Wagner '13 (women's soccer).
In addition, the 10-year anniversary AMCC Championship teams will be honored along with the 25th anniversary AMCC Championship teams.
Clay Altemose (Apollo, PA/Apollo Ridge)
Altemose left his mark on the Behrend swimming and diving team with numerous records and titles spanning from 2009-13. He was a 21-time AMCC Champion and First Team All-Conference honoree. Altemose was a three-time AMCC All-Academic selection and a CSCAA Scholar All-American honorable mention his junior year. He helped the Lions to four consecutive AMCC Championships, while being named AMCC Newcomer of the Year and capping his career with the Behrend Male Scholar Athlete of the Year award. Altemose continues to hold four records, including three relay and the 100 butterfly. He also holds the AMCC record in the 200 free relay set back on January 14, 2013.
Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary's)
Bittner was a four-time All-AMCC selection for the Behrend baseball team from 2010-2013. Bittner was a perennial hitter for the Lions, registering 199 hits and 176 RBIs over his four years. He led the team in RBIs for three seasons and finished with a .366 batting average. Bittner was a two-time All-Region choice, including ABCA Mid-Atlantic Player of the Year and Second Team All-American his junior year. He led the team to a pair of AMCC Championships and one ECAC South Championship.
Russ Conley (Transfer, PA/Reynolds)
Conley is one of the most accomplished Penn State Behrend men's basketball players in program history. Not only did he become the all-time leader in points scored with 1,771 and field-goals made with 674, but he also is the first and only men's basketball player to compete for the NBA G-League. Conley was also a two-time AMCC Player of the Year and two-time All-Region selection. His senior year, he led the team and the AMCC in scoring (19.4 ppg) and in field-goal percentage (59.7). Conley also helped the Lions to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and one ECAC Championship.
Jake Gamble (Butler, PA/Butler)
No one in the history of Penn State Behrend men's soccer has accomplished what Jake Gamble did for the Lions from 2009-2012. He broke four records in four years: career goals, career points, most goals scored in a season and most points in a season. Gamble was also the first Behrend player to be named an NSCAA All-American. He was a three-time All-AMCC selection and two-time All-Region, while earning AMCC Offensive Player of the Year. Gamble led the Lions to an AMCC and ECAC Championship.
Dennis Grace (Posthumously)
Grace was a member of the Behrend men's soccer team in 1971 and 1973. He was the leading scorer with 16 goals in 1973, earning Second Team WPISC and the White Letter Award. Grace set the season record for most goals and tied teammate Jim Channas for points with 34. He also helped the Lions capture the 1971 Penn State Commonwealth Campus Championships with an overall record of 7-4-0.
Victoria Harwood (Rumson, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven)
Harwood broke six Behrend records during her four years with the women's track & field team from 2009-13. At graduation, she held the record in the indoor and outdoor pole vault, outdoor heptathlon, indoor and outdoor 400m and the 4x100m relay. Harwood was also the indoor and outdoor Rookie of the Year, while also earning Team MVP and capping her career with the coveted Behrend Female Athlete of the Year. She was also the Mason Dixon Conference Champion twice in the pole vault and twice in the 400m. Harwood collected 12 All-Conference honors and qualified for the ECAC Championships 13 times.
Ryan Jacobs (Port Vue, PA/South Allegheny)
Jacobs set the program record for career wins and career innings pitched for the Behrend baseball team from 2010-13. He became the first player in Behrend baseball program history to throw a perfect game on April 14, 2013. That same season, Jacobs earned this third straight All-AMCC accolade while being named Third Team, AMCC Player of the Year and the Team's Most Valuable Pitcher. He graduated with 28 wins and pitched 263.4 innings. Jacobs also helped the Lions win two AMCC Championships and one ECAC South Championship.
Ali Khan (Lake Zurich, IL/Stevenson)
Khan was a three-time All-American for the Behrend men's water polo team from 2009-12. He was also a two-time Division III Eastern All-Tournament Team selection. Khan led the Lions to a third-place finish at the DIII Eastern Championships in 2011. He ranks second all-time in goals with 193 and drawn kickouts with 138. Khan holds the program record for most shots (537) and is ranked third for most goals in a season with 57 in 2012.
Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park)
Kragnes set three program records and was a three-time All-Conference selection for the Behrend baseball team from 2010-13. He still holds the record for stolen bases (105) and walks (114), and the single-season record for stolen bases (36). His senior year, Kragnes earned Third Team All-Region and landed on the First-Team All-AMCC for a third straight season. He led the team in batting average (.397), hits (54), runs (46), walks (32), and stolen bases (25), while ranking 11th nationally for bases on balls. Kragnes helped the Lions capture a pair of AMCC Championships and one ECAC South Championship.
Valerie Wagner (Pittsburgh, PA/Montour)
Wagner was a powerhouse forward for the Behrend women's soccer team from 2009-2012. She was a four-time All-AMCC selection, while being selected All-Region her senior year. In 2011, Wagner was named AMCC Offensive Player of the Year and Team MVP for producing her best season with 11 goals and five assists for 27 points. She finished her career with 32 goals and 21 assists for 85 points. Wagner is tied for most games played with 85, while ranking third in points and assists, and fourth in goals at time of graduation.
