by Karen Sangillo
The Bucks County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame inducted its Class of 2024 on Thursday, April 18th at Brookside Manor at Somerton Springs.
Inductees included Scott Adams (Neshaminy Maple Point, ice hockey); Chet Dalgewicz (Pennsbury, soccer, wrestling); George Eastburn (Pennsbury volleyball coach); Sandy Hart (Bishop Conwell/Conwell-Egan softball coach); Michelle Hollister Houseright (Pennsbury, basketball); Courtney Hudson (Council Rock, soccer, field hockey); Benjamin Luber (Council Rock North, basketball); Joanne Pendergast McVey (Bensalem resident, Archbishop Ryan, basketball); Pam Rosanio (Archbishop Wood, basketball); and Ed Walsh (Central Bucks East, boys swim coach).
George Collins (Bristol Township, coach, athletic director) and Paul Griffith (Neshaminy, wrestling) were inducted in the Legends category. Adams was an American Hockey League official for 20 years and a National Hockey League off-ice official for 25 years.
“My fondest memory is being an off-ice official at the Winter Classic,” he said. “That really brought me full circle because I began playing ice hockey outside and the Winter Classic is an outdoor event.”
Dalgewicz was a wrestler and soccer player at Pennsbury before going on to become the assistant wrestling coach and assistant athletic director at Princeton. He also was the associate athletic director at Rider, where he was also the golf coach.
“Princeton and Rider were wonderful,” he said. “I was blessed.”
Eastburn started the girls volleyball program at Pennsbury and was the head coach for 18 years.
“I’m very happy to be here and receive this honor for my coaching career,” he said. “For me, the best part of coaching was to have girls come into the program who didn’t know much about volleyball and seeing them develop into the class act that they became as seniors.”
Griffith played soccer at Neshaminy before going on to a career in weightlifting. He was inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Strength and Power Lifting in 2021.
“I’m very excited to be here and that all of my family could make it here from Maryland,” he said. “It’s really an honor to be here and to be remembered.”
Hart led the softball team at Bishop Conwell and Conwell-Egan to 11 Philadelphia Catholic League championships and 12 District XII titles.
“Just being around the kids and seeing them excel academically as well as on the softball field is so great,” she said. “And seeing them pursue college and careers. I’m still in touch with a lot of my former players and it’s so rewarding. That’s the best part.”
Hudson was a two-sport standout at Council Rock before playing soccer and field hockey at Rutgers.
“We won the state soccer championship my senior year at Council Rock and that was such a testament to the four years of work that we put in,” she said. “This honor is very humbling and I’m very excited to receive this and I’m thrilled to see my former field hockey coach, Pat Toner.”
Toner was the emcee for the event. McVey coached the Neshaminy girls basketball team in addition to being the first recipient of a women’s basketball scholarship at La Salle University.
“I was the first freshman to make the varsity at Archbishop Ryan, which was a real thrill,” she said. “The scholarship at La Salle was a big honor. Playing with my wonderful, wonderful teammates really made it special for me.
“This is a big honor and I really appreciate it.”
Rosanio played basketball professionally in Europe for 10 years.
“There were so many highlights when I look back on my career,” said Rosanio, who grew up in Southampton. “But probably the best was when I got that first call from my agent asking me if I wanted to go to Italy.”
Walsh was the head boys swim coach at Central Bucks East. He was recovering from surgery and unable to attend the dinner, so former East girls coach Tom Kane accepted on his behalf.
“Ed is my best friend,” Kane said. “He’s a great guy. He’s been there all the way for me and vice versa. He’s a wonderful coach and he was wonderful to coach with. We had a lot of fun. I’m honored to be accepting for him.”
For more information or to join The Bucks County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, go to their website, www.buckscountysportshof.com.
PHOTO CAPS:
- Pictured from left, George Eastburn, George Collins, Scott Adams, Joanne Pendergast McVey, and Pam Rosanio.
- From left, Sandy Hart, Chet Dalgewicz, Courtney Hudson, Paul Griffith, and Benjamin Luber.