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Thiel to Induct Four Into Athletic Hall of Fame

Posted December 03, 2013   Print
2013 hall of fame

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College will welcome four outstanding former student-athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame, Director of Athletics Jack Leipheimer '74 announced on Wednesday. The Hall's 34th induction class will include Patsy Combine '70 (football), Les McClimans '72 (men's golf), and Don Walters '71 (football).

"We are pleased and proud to announce this year's inductees into the Thiel College Athletic Hall of Fame," said Leipheimer. "It's a special group, and they are all truly worthy of this distinction."

Patsy Combine '70 was a four-year letter winner at quarterback from 1966-70, etching his name in the Thiel record books in eight different passing categories. Currently his statistics place him sixth in career pass completion percentage (49.1%), seventh in career touchdown passes (16), seventh in career touchdown passes (16) and seventh in career pass efficiency rating (110.8). He also has the seventh most touchdowns passes in a season (11), the ninth highest single-season passer efficiency rating (119.6), and his six touchdown passes in a 46-22 win over Carnegie Mellon on Sept. 27, 1969 are tied for the most in a single-game in Thiel's history.

Former men's golf standout Les McClimans '72 was a four-year letter winner and a three-time All-PAC honoree. In 1970, McClimans led Thiel to its first PAC championship with a fourth-place finish at the conference championship. The following season Thiel went 14-1 in dual matches, as McClimans again captured conference medalist honors by shooting a 155 over 36 holes in leading the Tomcats to their second consecutive PAC crown. His senior season, McClimans took fifth at the PAC Championships while Thiel took home top honors, winning their third-straight PAC title.

A four-year letter winner at linebacker from 1967-71 and a member of the 1967 PAC Championship team, Don Walters '71 was a three-time first-team All-PAC selection. He was also named to the Outstanding College Athletes of America list in 1971.

In addition to the four new members of the Hall of Fame, Josh Cialone '08 will be honored with the Meritorious Service and Commitment Award, which is presented to an individual or organization whose generosity and enthusiastic support has provided enrichment to all of Thiel Athletics. Cialone began as a manager for the Thiel football team in 2001, and upon graduation was hired as the Athletic operations manager, a position he held until 2012. Cialone was known to work tirelessly to ensure that Thiel's athletic facilities were top-notch, and was always around when a colleague or coach needed him, regardless of the time of day.

The Athletic Alumni Commendation Award will be presented to George Webb '67 and Jim Yohe '70.

Webb, a four-year member of the Thiel football team, was the longtime head football coach at Westinghouse High School (1978-2001) and was one of the most successful coaches in City League history. He compiled a record of 155-80-5 and led the Bulldogs to five City League Championships in nine appearances.

A former wrestler and football standout at Thiel, Yohe '70 immediately began his coaching career at Mercer High School in 1971 as the head wrestling coach. He held that position until 1973, when he then went to earn a master's in History from Slippery Rock University. He returned to the mats the following year, taking over as the head wrestling coach at Blairsville High School, where he won six Appalachian Conference championships in 17 seasons at the helm. Yohe qualified 12 wrestlers for the state tournament during this time, including three wrestlers who placed. In 1996, he was inducted into the District VI Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. He continued teaching at Blairsville until 2007, when he began teaching as an adjunct instructor of history at Horry Georgetown Technical College.

The Thiel College Athletic Hall of Fame, organized in 1978, was established to recognize individuals and teams who have brought distinction, honor, and excellence to Thiel College in the field of athletic endeavor. Since its inception, 115 athletes and teams have been honored with enshrinement.

This year's enshrinement banquet will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 3 p.m. in the Lutheran Heritage Room located in the College's Howard Miller Student Center. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased by contacting Patti Leipheimer at 724-589-2125.

Media Contact

Dominick DiRienzo
Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing

 ddirienzo@thiel.edu
 724-589-2188

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