Six inductees spanning a wide range of eras comprise Ashland University’s 2020 Hall of Fame Class. The group was selected by the university’s Hall of Fame committee. Current plans call for them to be inducted on homecoming weekend (Oct. 17) at the annual Saturday morning Hall of Fame Brunch.
“This year’s class shows more diversity of eras than we’ve had in the last few years,” noted AU director of athletics Al King. “This event is always meaningful because our student-athletes and fans get to hear a number of different perspectives. I think that will be even more interesting this year due to the range of inductees. The stories we’re going to hear are not all from the last 10 or 12 years. We’re going to get an education on different times and the unique challenges and rewards of each time period.”
This year’s induction class lists Billy Cundiff (Football, Class of 2009), Bill Gallagher (Head Coach, Track and Field/Cross Country, 1981-2005), Maria Manzo (Women’s Soccer, Class of 2006), Jack Miller (Men’s Golf, Class of 1959), Sue Ramsey (Head Coach, Women’s Basketball, 1995-2015) and Wayne Sokolowski (Men’s Basketball, Class of 1970).
Jerry White, who has worked for over 25 years on the game-day staff keeping the official scorebook for men’s and women’s basketball and running the game clock for football and men’s and women’s basketball, is this year’s recipient of the Eagle Forever Award.
The 2019-2020 AU Student-Athletes of the Year will also be honored at the Hall of Fame Brunch. Both recipients come from basketball. The female award goes to Jodi Johnson and Drew Noble will receive the men’s award.
Biographical information on each inductee can be found below.
Billy Cundiff – Cundiff was the conductor on some of the most prolific offensive football teams in school history. He is the program’s leader in career completion percentage (64.5). He holds single-season school records for passing yards (3,776), touchdown passes (37) and completion percentage (67.4). Cundiff played on two NCAA Division II postseason teams (2007, 2008). In 2008 he was the GLIAC player of the year and a first team All-American. Twice (2007, 2008) he was a Harlon Hill finalist.
Bill Gallagher – Gallagher constructed a cross country/track and field program that was successful in both the GLVC and GLIAC. No matter what conference AU played in, Gallagher’s teams had the ability to perform at a national level. His teams collected a bevy of Top 8 national finishes – four in men’s cross country, three in women’s cross country and 23 in track and field. He received 11 conference cross country coach of the year awards and two regional cross country coach of the year citations. He started the women’s cross country program in 1982.
Student-athletes under Gallagher received over 200 All-America honors and 39 national championships.
Maria Manzo – Manzo remains one of the most prolific offensive players in Ashland women’s soccer history. She’s second at AU in career goals (71) and career points (161). Manzo is sixth in career assists (19). She was a two-time GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year (2003, 2004) and was a four-time, first team all-conference selection. In 2004 Manzo was a second team All-American. Three times she was a first team all-region pick and a first team All-Ohio honoree. Manzo was also an academic all-district selection as a junior and senior.
Jack Miller – Miller began his collegiate career at Wake Forest. That in itself says a great deal because of Wake Forest’s proud collegiate golf tradition. Miller played one year at Wake and transferred to Ashland where he was undefeated in match play for three years. He led a team that won a trio of Mid-Ohio Conference championships. Miller played in the 1956 NCAA golf tournament. His senior year he was the runner-up at the Ohio Intercollegiate Golf Tournament in Columbus.
Sue Ramsey – Ramsey is the architect of Ashland’s successful women’s basketball program. Her record on the AU bench is 367-217 (.628). She led the Eagles to the NCAA Division II national championship in 2013 and her team was the national runner-up in 2012. Ramsey led AU to the NCAA postseason five times. Her teams visited the GLIAC postseason 16 times. Ramsey was the NCAA Division II national coach of the year in 2011-12. She’s a member of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. During her tenure she also served as the Senior Women Administrator and as an Assistant Athletic Director.
Wayne Sokolowski – Sokolowski was a two-time All-American. He played for Coach Bill Musselman and was an anchor on some of the best defensive teams in small college basketball history. Sokolowski could also play on the other end of the floor – as a junior in 1968-69 he averaged 12.1 ppg., and grabbed 4.9 rpg. His senior year he scored 12.4 ppg., and brought down 6.0 rpg. Sokolowski was a fifth-round pick of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers in 1970. He came to AU after beginning his career at Mercer County Junior College.
More details, including ticket information, on this year’s Hall of Fame Brunch will be forthcoming.