COLLEGIATE NOTEBOOK: Thiel Hall to induct 5; Woods begins senior year

August 10, 2007 12:59 pm

— By Ed Farrell
Herald Assistant Sports Editor

THIEL COLLEGE’S Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2008 will include Warren Roth (’24), Charles Manes (’58), William Antil (’70), Gerald Massaro (’65) and John Lischner (’97). The induction ceremony for the school’s 28th class is scheduled Feb. 10, 2008.
While serving as the college’s AD from 1978-81 he was instrumental in the formation of Thiel’s Athletic Hall of Fame, but “Bud” Manes made his mark both as a student-athlete and coach.
Manes played football and basketball for the Tomcats from 1955-58 and was named the college’s Student-Athlete of the Year as a senior. After spending a year as a teacher at Middlefield-Cardinal High (Ohio), he returned to Thiel in 1959 to teach physical education and serve as head track & field head coach and as an assistant for the football and basketball teams. Manes took over as the head basketball coach from 1960-75, was named the 1967-68 Small College coach of the year by the Pittsburgh Basketball Writers, and led the Tomcat cagers to a share of the 1969-70 Presidents’ Athletic Conference title with an 11-6 overall mark. As the head track and field coach Manes helped produce 21 All-PAC performers, including Bill Wise (’64), who earned All-American status in the 3-mile run at the NCAA College Division Championships. He added head cross country coach to his duties in 1967 and saw 7 student-athletes earn All-PAC honors and made trips to the NCAA College Division Championships in 1977-78.
Antil was one of the anchors for Manes during that ’69-70 season as Thiel tied for 1st in the PAC and ranked 25th nationally (College Division) in team defense. During that season, en route to All-PAC laurels, Antil averaged 10.8 points and 13.7 rebounds per-game, a year after his 14.2 rpg. mark established the program’s single-season records. A 4-year letterman, he stands 2nd among Tomcat cagers for career rebounds (995).
Massaro, a 4-year letterwinner and captain of the ’64 football team, was a halfback who concluded his Tomcats’ career 6th in yards rushing (1,862) and rushing attempts (454), and twice (1962-63) paced the PAC in rushing. As a sophomore he earned 1st-team All-PAC and Pittsburgh Press All-District honors.
 Lischner was the 1995 NCAA Division III champion in the javelin after his throw of 220-6.5 defeated defending kingpin (and current D-III record-holder) Kris Theriault of Fitchburg State College. Thiel’s 2nd track & field national champion, Lischner was a 4-time NCAA D-III All-American, also ending 7th (’94), 3rd (’96) and 6th (’97).
In a different era, “Eph” Roth played his first football game for Thiel as a 15-year-old. According to the college, he was part of Thiel varsity sports teams for 9 years as both a prepster (1915-20) and collegian (1920-24). He was the first gridder in school history to be elected by his teammates as captain during his freshman and sophomore seasons. He earned 4 letters in football as an offensive lineman and another monogram as baseball pitcher.
For reservations for the 3 p.m. ceremony set for the Howard Miller Student Center’s Lutheran Heritage Room, contact Patti Leipheimer, 724-589-2125, or e-mail pleipheimer@thiel.edu.
ä Ben Woods (Hickory High) is set for his senior season as the University of Buffalo’s punter. According to the university’s media guide, Woods, who has started every game in his collegiate career, is on course to establish every program punting mark.
In 34 career games, the 6-foot-2, 201-pound 3-year letterman has punted 219 times for an average of 38.7 (highlighted by a 68-yarder), with 37 kicks downed inside the 20-yard line, 8 touchbacks and another 15 fair caught. He has had 8 punts blocked.
The Bulls, led by 2nd-year head coach Turner Gill, are coming off a 2-10 overall, 1-7 Mid-American Conference campaign, and commence the ’07 season Aug. 30 at Rutgers University.
ä Westminster College has a trio of area athletes on its preseason roster, led by 6-3, 215-pound junior defensive end Andrew Robison (Wilmington High), a 2-year letterwinner. Robison registered 45 tackles, including 16 solos and a half-dozen tackles for lost yardage, a year ago while starting all 10 games. His highlight was a 7-tackle performance at Grove City.
Also included are Ian Turner (Grove City High), a 6-2, 255-pound sophomore offensive lineman, and Mike Kudelko (Sharpsville High), a 6-2, 260-pound freshman offensive lineman.
Led by 3rd-year head coach Jeff Hand (6-14), Westminster concluded the ’06 campaign 2-8 overall and 1-5 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. The Titans commenced the ’07 campaign 1 p.m. Sept. 1 at Robertson Stadium, Meadville, against Allegheny College.
´´ Westminster’s gridders will host a community day Aug. 18, beginning at 1 p.m. at Harold Burry Stadium. There will be photo opportunities and a chance to meet the Titans and coaches, followed by the team’s intrasquad scrimmage at 2:45 p.m. The 1st 500 fans attending the scrimmage will receive a free T-shirt.

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