Hall of Fame
The induction of the 1961-62 men's basketball team is a fitting tribute to a team celebrating its 50th anniversary. Coached by Gannon Hall of Famer George Hesch ('55), the squad became the first basketball team in school history to compete in the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Knights fell to Wittenberg and Youngstown State in the Mideast Regional at Akron, Ohio during their first post-season trip. No Gannon team had won more than 16 games in a season at that time.
Hesch was assisted on the sidelines by Gannon Hall of Famer Howard “Bud” Elwell ('55) and Dick Fox ('58). Four members of the 1961-62 squad have already been inducted into the Gannon Athletics Hall of Fame as individuals in Willie Alford ('65), Jack Byrnes, Joe Gaeta ('62) and Al Lawson ('65). Other key members of the team included Matt Andrews ('65), Tom Carroll ('62), Jim Cipalla ('89), John Holeva ('63), Ben Kuster ('62), Jerry Lott ('60, '90M), John Mauro ('62), Jim McCallion ('65), Al Stankiewicz and Bob Ward ('64). Cliff Kirsch ('62) and Jerry Gorup ('65) served as the team managers.
The team will long be remembered as the start of the modern era of Gannon basketball with fans starting to fill the Hammermill Center. Impressive victories that season included verdicts against nationally-ranked Tennessee A&I, Belmont Abbey, Texas Southern, Pikeville and Steubenville. Gaeta and Lott served as the team captains.
