General | 9/3/2025 11:03:00 AM
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is celebrating its 75
th anniversary season in 2025-26 and will honor 300 of its most prominent contributors throughout the month of September in the fall of 2025.
The first 75 honorees are designated "Made in the PSAC", a group that recognizes former student-athletes that have gone on to influential careers after graduation (which could be in the sports industry, but not necessarily as a professional athlete.)
"For 75 years, the PSAC has been more than a conference--it's been a proving ground for excellence, leadership, and lifelong impact," said PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray. "The 'Made in the PSAC' honorees reflect the very best of what our institutions represent. Their achievements stand as a testament to the transformative power of Division II athletics and the values that define the PSAC: integrity, resilience, and a commitment to something greater than oneself."
The PSAC was founded on March 11, 1951, and comprised 14 institutions as the Pennsylvania State Teachers College Athletic Conference (PSTCAC). Since then, it has grown into one of the largest conferences in the NCAA across all three divisions.
The 75
th anniversary celebration continues with the release of the 75 Greatest Female Athletes on Sep. 10, 75 Greatest Male Athletes on September 17, and Distinguished Keystones on September 24.
The Bloomsburg honorees are highlighted below and the full list can be found in the link above.
PSAC 75th Anniversary: "Made in the PSAC"
Charlie Chronister – East Stroudsburg graduate, Bloomsburg, Basketball Coach, 1970-2000
Winningest coach in BU program history with 559 victories; finished career 13
th all-time on DII career wins list; nine seasons with 20 or more wins; 2x NCAA quarterfinalist; 1x PSAC champion; 8x Eastern Division champion; most coaching wins in PSAC Men's Basketball history
Chuck Daly - Bloomsburg, Basketball, 1950-52
Coached "Dream Team" in 1992 Barcelona Olympics to men's basketball gold medal; 2x NBA champion coach with Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990; 2x Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
Alan Eck – Bloomsburg, Football, 1987-91
Officiated football in Big 12 and Mountain West Conferences; joined the National Football League (NFL) as a side judge in 2016; promoted to referee for the 2023 NFL season
Mary Pakenas Gardner – East Stroudsburg, Swimming, 1971-74, Bloomsburg AD/Coach, 1974-2011
One of first female AD's in country at Bloomsburg, serving 23 years; Bloomsburg's first FH coach; 2003 NACWAA DII AD of the year; at ESU, 3x AIAW champion (50/100 breast 1971, 50 breast 1972), 4x Eastern champ, lettered in FH
Jen Bryan Grana – Bloomsburg, Women's Basketball, 1999-2003
3x All-PSAC selection; Eastern Division Player of the Year in 2002; earned medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine; completed Family and Community Medicine residency at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio; now practices in Central Pennsylvania, working with medical residents and students and caring for diverse range of patients.
Danny Hale (West Chester '68) – West Chester, Bloomsburg, Head Football Coach, 1993-2013
25 years as head football coach (20 at Bloomsburg, 5 at West Chester); career record of 173-56-1; 11 PSAC Eastern Division titles; 8x NCAA playoff apps; seven 10-win seasons; 9x AFCA District I Coach of the Year; 10x PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year; inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
Dan Klingerman – Bloomsburg, Wrestling, 1983-87
Founder and CEO of real estate developer The Liberty Group, established in 2001; serves community by involvement on boards such as UPMC Williamsport and Penn College Foundation; appointed to Board of Governors for Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE); as wrestler, 1985 PSAC champion at 158 pounds, team champion in 1984 and 1985
Steph Pettit – Bloomsburg, Football, 1985-89
Steph Pettit, a 1985 Bloomsburg University graduate and former standout on the Huskies football team, has built a remarkable legacy of success and philanthropy. After leading Clean Earth Systems, Inc. into a nationwide distributor of sustainable hazardous waste containers, he turned his attention to giving back to his alma mater. Pettit played a pivotal role in Bloomsburg's $62 million It's Personal campaign and co-chaired the First & Goal football scholarship initiative, while also donating $1 million to upgrade the stadium that now bears his name.
Recently, Pettit became Bloomsburg's largest donor, contributing more than $20 million to the It Starts With Us campaign. His gifts include $10 million to name the Pettit Athletic Complex, $6 million to establish the Steph and Allie Pettit Center for the Arts, and over $1 million for fully branded athletic department buses and vans. He has also funded experiential learning in Media and Journalism, his former major, and continues to support student scholarships. Through his generosity, Pettit has transformed BU's athletic and academic programs, leaving an enduring impact on future generations.
Bob Tucker – Bloomsburg, Football, 1964-68
Played 11 seasons in the NFL with New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings at tight end; in 1971, became first TE in NFL history to lead the league in pass receptions with 59 caught for 791 yards and five touchdowns
