Championing Legacies: Pitt-Greensburg Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Induction Ceremony

Feb. 9, 2024, marked the induction of Dr. Frank Cassell, Adam DiCarlo, Zach Kocian, and the 2002-2003 women’s basketball team into the Pitt-Greensburg Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024. With catering provided by Chartwells Food Services, the ceremony and dinner took place in Wagner Dining Hall, complete with upbeat music, a buffet, and fond recollections from alumni.

(Photo Courtesy of Pitt-Greensburg University Relations & Institutional Advancement)

Inductee, Dr. Frank Cassell (center), alongside Jeromy Yetter (left) and Dr. Robert Gregerson (right).

At the ceremony, Dr. Frank Cassell, the third president of Pitt-Greensburg, and Cassell Hall’s namesake, joined Hall of Famers Dan Swalga and Rick Fogle who helped Dr. Cassell lead the Pitt-Greensburg athletics department into the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“The athletics part of it has taught me a lot,” Cassell said. “It seems to me that the university years are a learning experience. I think there’s a series of values that are very desirable in college graduates — the ability to compete, the ability to deal with victory and defeat, and the ability to carry on and sustain highly disciplined activities both individually and as a team. When you think about the world that most of you are going to inhabit when you graduate from here, those are all invaluable lessons to absorb.”

Dr. Cassell, a Wabash College alumnus, played varsity basketball for the Wabash College Little Giants for four years. Following in his father’s footsteps, Cassell — closely followed by his younger brother — graduated from Wabash. Other Wabash alumni include current Pitt-Greensburg president, Dr. Robert Gregerson. 

“Do I like sports? Yeah, I sure do. And I played sports,” Dr. Cassell said. “If you’re competing on the basketball court, they don’t care what your mother did to bring you up. They’re gonna shoot that elbow into your side, anyway. Nowadays they trash-talk you, too. You gotta be able to either learn how to talk back or just ignore it. But, those are not bad lessons generally for life. I was still playing basketball when I was 62, so you know I loved it. Of course, a heart attack and a knee replacement kind of put an end to that.”

(Photo Courtesy of Pitt-Greensburg University Relations & Institutional Advancement)

Inductee, Adam DiCarlo (center), alongside Jeromy Yetter (left) and Dr. Robert Gregerson (right).

Joining Dr. Cassell in this year’s induction class was Adam DiCarlo, a 2006 graduate and record holder who scored 63 goals from 2002 to 2005 for the Bobcats. Named AMCC Newcomer and Player of the Year in 2002, DiCarlo also secured a spot on the first All-AMCC team from 2002-2004. As part of the AMCC’s 25th Anniversary celebration in 2022, DiCarlo was recognized as one of the top players in the conference’s first 25 years, earning a spot on the All-Anniversary team.  

“Man, you had a camaraderie, inside and outside the facilities,” DiCarlo said. “Even when the season was over, you knew who you could go to and hang out with. Now I have kids — my son’s starting to get into sports. So, I try to help him out.”

In his acceptance speech, DiCarlo brought to the podium a pair of 20-year-old soccer cleats he kept as a memento to commemorate his time on the team. In his speech, he recounted a recent memory in which he played soccer with his young son and his friends. 

“There were all these kids, and I was running around like I owned the place, like I won the World Cup,” DiCarlo said. 

(Photo Courtesy of Pitt-Greensburg University Relations & Institutional Advancement)

Inductee, Zach Kocian (center), alongside Jeromy Yetter (left) and Dr. Robert Gregerson (right).

Zach Kocian, class of 2008, was a highly accomplished athlete at Pitt-Greensburg and achieved all-conference honors throughout his four-year tenure. Kocian’s notable achievements include finishing eighth twice in the AMCC Championship Meet, marking his best performance in the event. During his speech, Kocian returned his uniform to his coach and told a story where, while being lost on the Seton Hill campus, he raced an extra half mile in an 8K race and was still the first to cross the finish line.

“Being back here, it’s bringing back a lot of memories,” Kocian said. “Most of my personal growth, like with most people, takes place when they go off to college. It was so long ago, but since then I switched focus from running to wellness and personal health.”

(Photo Courtesy of Pitt-Greensburg University Relations & Institutional Advancement)

Induction of 2002-2003 Pitt-Greensburg women’s basketball team (pictured).

The 2002-03 Pitt-Greensburg women’s basketball team, the only team to win a game in the NCAA Tournament, concluded their season as AMCC champions with a 10-2 record, boasting an overall 23-7 performance and clinching the program’s inaugural AMCC Championship. The Bobcats triumphed over Mount Saint Mary 62-54 in the tournament’s first round, featuring standout players Annie Sral, Erin Arnold, and Jess Porter, all recognized as All-AMCC. The team was led by Pitt-Greensburg Hall of Famer Carol Gelet as the head coach. 

“It feels amazing to be inducted because I’m here with the women’s basketball team. It’s always a lot more fun when you come with your friends. It was an amazing group of women back then. They were history makers. They set a standard for women’s basketball that to this day has yet to be achieved,” Gelet said. “We included our families in our road trips, so they would travel with us. We’ve made a lot of memories through those road trips. I certainly encourage young students to get involved in sports and for parents to encourage their little ones to try new things. Not with force, but to let them explore.” 

Along with a rousing speech from Annie Sral where she told stories from her days on the Pitt-Greensburg women’s basketball team like spending food allowances on tattoos and mooning unsuspecting bystanders from hotel windows, Erin Arnold helped close out the night with congratulatory words of encouragement for her fellow teammates.

“We moved like poetry on the court. We saw challenges as stepping stones to accomplish our dreams. We’ve utilized our education here at Pitt-Greensburg to make a significant impact off-court,” Arnold said.