• BRIAN BIDLINGMYER

​Brian began his basketball career at Barberton High School in 1987. During his career at BHS he played on teams that won two Metro League titles, four sectional championships, and one district championship while compiling an overall record of 73-16. He played a major role on the 1990-1991 team that broke several team scoring records enroute to a 19-1 regular season record. The Magics fi nished as the #1 team in the State of Ohio by the Associated Press. During his BHS career, Brian was selected as fi rst team All-League, All-County, All-District, team MVP and Honorable Mention on the McDonald’s AllAmerican Team. He fi nished his BHS career as the leading 3 point shooter, 7th all time leading scorer and participated in 74 varsity contests. Brian also played for several AAU teams, being named All-American in 1989. After graduating from Barberton High School in 1991, Brian received a full scholarship to play Division I basketball at Siena College. During his four year career he never missed a game, playing in 118 consecutive games. During the 1993-1994, Brian emerged as the “emotional guru” of a team that compiled a record of 25-8, fi nishing 3rd in the National Invitational Tournament. Moving from shooting guard to power forward, Brian showed his versatility by averaging 9.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game. In 1995, he received the Billy Harrell Award as the team’s leading rebounder. He holds the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record for most steals in a game (10), which also led the nation in 1994. In addition, he holds the Knickerbocker Arena record for best shooting percentage in a single game, hitting 8 for 8 from the fl oor and 2 for 2 from the foul line in the championship game of the 1993 ECAC Capital Basketball Tournament. This performance earned him tournament MVP honors. He served as team captain during the 1993-1994 and 1994-1995 seasons and fi nished his career on the school’s top 20 list in rebounds, assists and steals. Brian graduated with a degree in Marketing & Management in 1995. He pursued his lifelong dream of coaching college basketball. He began his career as an assistant at Hobart and William Smith College before moving onto Marquette University under former college coach, Mike Deane, and then served as a full-time assistant, again with Mike Deane, at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Upon hiring Brian, Mike Deane said, “Brian is one of the hardest working and smartest players I ever coached, that’s why I hired him”. After coaching at Lamar, Brian also served as an assistant coach at Binghamton University, Associate Head Coach at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and fi nished his career as an assistant at Western Kentucky University. Brian was an assistant on four league championship teams with 3 NCAA tournament appearances and 2 NIT appearances. After completing his coaching career Brian serves in many charitable organizations, some of which include the Greynolds Classic, Magic City Kiwanis, Barberton Rotary, Safe Kids Summit County, and is a member of Leadership Akron Class 36. Brian is currently employed by the Akron Area YMCA and serves as its Chief Development Offi cer. Brian is married to Jennifer and is the step father to Olivia and Vincent Muren. They reside in the City of Barberton.

• DIRK HAYHURST

​Dirk played baseball at Kent State University (2000 through 2003) and was inducted into the Kent State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018. From Kent State University, Dirk was drafted in the 8th round during the 2003 Amateur Baseball Draft. He played professionally for the San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays. He has played baseball in three countries, 40 states and for twelve minor league teams. During his baseball career he was a two time recipient of the Steve Stone Award. Dirk’s professional baseball career spanned ten years (about ten years longer than he expected). During his post-baseball career, Dirk has served as a baseball analyst for ESPN, TSN, Rogers Sportsnet, TBS and more… He has also written for the Washington Post, ESPN, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, New York Times and more… He has also authored four books, two New York Times Best Sellers including “Bullpen Gospels” (regarded as the “minor league Ball Four”). A former managing partner of an advertising agency in Akron, Dirk is currently employed as an MBA and PMP working for YRCW in Akron. He is married to Bonnie and they have a son Henry. Jointly they run a business that focuses on providing music therapy services to children and adults with special needs, ranging from autism, Alzheimer’s disease, neurological impairments and hospice.

• BROCK KREITZBURG

​Brock is a graduate of the University of Toledo where he received a Bachelor of Education degree. He has also earned a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is currently working on a Master of Administration degree from the University of Illinois. Brock played football at the University of Toledo where he received All-Conference Wide Receiver honors. During his time at the University of Toledo he also participated in track where he earned AllConference Decathlete honors. Upon graduating from Toledo, Brock went on to play wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. From 2003 through 2011 Brock was a member of the United States Olympic Bobsled Team where he trained full time, traveled and competed internationally. During his time with the U.S Olympic Bobsled Team he competed in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. The U.S. Bobsled Team were World Cup Champions, ranked #1 in the world, and received 6 World Cup gold medals and 7 World Cup silver medals. Brock has served as an Operations Specialist for many organizations since 2012. He has extensive experience devising management strategies, developing operational frameworks, providing consultative support and delivering substantial growth results for various organizations which he has served. Some of these organizations include: Program Manager (food assistance, Yida, South Sudan 2012-2013), Country Director (Juba, South Sudan 2013-2015), Country Director (Kampala, Uganda 2015-2017) and Director, International Disaster Response Unit (Boone, North Carolina 2017- Present).

• JAMES MEYER

​James is a 1973 graduate of St. Vincent- St. Mary High School. During his career he participated in football starting at the defensive end position. He received Special Mention All-State Ohio in 1972. He also participated in track and was a 1973 state qualifier in both the high jump and the high hurdles. In 2015 James was inducted into the St. Vincent- St. Mary Athletic Hall of Fame. James is a 1978 graduate of the University of Akron, where he an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice Technology, a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education and a Masters Degree in Physical Education (his thesis was titled: “Study of In-Season Weight Training”). During his career at the University of Akron he was the starting middle guard, was voted the Outstanding Junior (1975) and was the team captain in 1976. During his career the Zips recorded a team record of 10-3 (the record for most wins, which still stands), were the National Division II Runner-up Team (Pioneer Bowl 1976) and were recognized by the MAC Conference with their 50 Year Recognition Award. In 1978 James pursued a career in coaching by serving as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Akron. He then coached at Central Hower High School (Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Track Coach), the Canton Bulldogs semi-pro football team (served as an Assistant Coach), Bethany College (Defensive Coordinator), Kenyon College (Head Baseball Coach, Assistant Athletic Director, Offensive Coordinator and Head Track Coach), University of Akron, Ashland University (Assistant Head Football Coach and Defensive Coordinator), Wayne State University (Special Teams Coordinator). Since 2009 Coach Meyer has been the Defensive Coordinator at Baldwin Wallace College. During his tenure as the Defensive Coordinator, BW has progressed from 8th to 3rd place in the OAC, placed 6 players on the OAC All Defensive Team and coached a defensive end who was awarded the conference MVP Award. In 2011 Baldwin Wallace finished 2nd in the OAC and 6 defensive players were named to the OAC All Conference Team. James is also the Supervisor of Sports Management Interns and Assistant Game Day Administrator.

• GARY PINKEL

Gary is one of the most successful coaches in college football history. He was the coach of the year in three different leagues; the SEC, the Big 12 and the Mid-American Conference. He has spent thirty nine years as a head coach, with 25 as a Head Coach. Coach Pinkel is the winningest coach of all time at two major college programs (Missouri Tigers and Toledo Rockets). This distinction is currently held by three men (Coach Pinkel, Steve Spurrier and the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant). At the time of his retirement, his 118 career wins stood as the 19th - most in NCAA Division I history. At Mizzou, Coach Pinkel inherited a program that had only two winning seasons prior to his arrival. It took Coach Pinkel and his staff about four years to get his program built, and they did just that, thanks to his disciplined approach and focus on family values. Two times Coach Pinkel had his Tigers one win away from playing for a national Championship, including the 2007 season, when he led Mizzou to the school’s first number one national ranking since 1960. In his last 11 years at Mizzou, his Tigers went to nine bowl games, won six championships, five division championships (three Big 12/ two SEC) and played in four conference championship games. Two of his teams ended their seasons ranked in the top five (2007, 2013) and are unquestionably among the very best teams fielded in the 129 year history of Mizzou football. Coach Pinkel and his staff produced nine NFL first- round draft picks, 11 first- team All- Americans, 41 first- team all-conference winners and most importantly 95 percent of his seniors graduated with degrees from the University of Missouri. Coach Gary Pinkel was an honorable mention All- American tight end during his playing career at Kent State University, as well as one of the all-time coaching greats who is a member of six different hall of fames.

• PATRICK RITCHIE

​Pat is a retired teacher and coach who taught and coached at Walsh Jesuit High School for 37 years and Mogadore High School for 2½ years. Pat was a member of the Mogadore and Walsh Jesuit Mathematics Departments, teaching Algebra I, Algebra II, and Algebra II with Trigonometry. He began his head coaching career in cross country at Mogadore High School where in two seasons, the Wildcats earned one Portage County League title, one District title, and qualified two individuals to the State meet with one All-State effort. Additionally, Pat was the head boys cross country coach for 36 seasons at Walsh Jesuit High School. Under his direction, Walsh Jesuit cross country teams won 19 District Championships and was District Runner-up ten times. His teams also won eight Regional Championships and earned Regional Runner-up nine times and qualified to the State Meet 23 times. Once there, they won two State Championships, five State Runner-up awards, and finished in the top ten 18 other times. Walsh Jesuit has had 10 individual District Champions, three individual Regional Champions, and twenty athletes have earned individual All-Ohio honors. In track and field, Pat’s teams won three District Championships and three Runner-up titles. Nine relays and 17 individuals qualified to the State Meet, earning All-Ohio honors 16 times and winning a State Championship in the 4 x 800M Relay. In 2013 Pat was inducted into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame. He also received the Clem Caraboolad Coach of the Year Award in 2016. While earning an education degree at The University of Akron, Pat won four varsity letters in cross country and three varsity letters in track and field and captained the cross country team his senior year. He also competed in three N.C.A.A. national cross country meets and one N.C.A.A. national track and field meet for the Zips. Pat obtained a Masters Degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College in December of 1999. Presently, Pat volunteers at Victory Gallop, a therapeutic horse farm, by mowing pastures during the summer months. He is also an active member of the Touchdown Club Foundation of Greater Akron Executive Committee, the meet director for the Walsh Jesuit Pat Ritchie Invitational Cross Country Meet and the Walsh Jesuit John Hasenstab Warrior Relays, a scorekeeper for the Walsh Jesuit boys basketball team, statistician for the Walsh Jesuit football team, the boys and girls swimming and diving team, the Walsh Jesuit sports archivist, and a voting member of the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches state cross country poll. Finally, Pat is an active O.H.S.A.A. track and field official. On a more personal note, Pat and his wife Patricia, live in a 179-year-old farmhouse located in the Village of Silver Lake and celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary last summer. Finally, Pat and his wife have a son, Porter, a 2009 graduate of Walsh Jesuit and a former member of the Warrior swimming and diving team. Porter is also a 2015 graduate of The Ohio State University (materials science and engineering) and is employed by Det Norska Veritas in Dublin, Ohio, as a forensic materials science engineer.

• TALIA SCOTT-BRADDIX

​Talita, the daughter of Willie and Cearleane Scott, graduated from John R. Buchtel High School in 1990 where she lettered in volleyball, basketball and track. She holds the school record in high jump and finished second in that event at the OHSAA state meet in 1990. She earned a scholarship from Bowling Green State University (1990-1994) where she had an outstanding playing career. Talita Scott-Braddix was a two-time All-MAC First-Team selection. She was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in April of 1994, becoming the 11th BGSU student-athlete (and the fourth women’s basketball player) to earn one. Scott-Braddix was also a GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American First-Team selection as a senior after earning third-team honors as a junior. She concluded her career as second on the BGSU career scoring list with 1,432 points, and set the school record with a .563 career field-goal percentage, while also finishing her career ranked in the BGSU top six in six other categories. Scott-Braddix helped the Falcons to a 51-9 record and a pair of MAC regular-season and MAC Tournament titles over her last two years. BGSU was 89-29 during her four seasons. Talita Scott-Braddix was inducted to the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. She holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from BGSU and is currently employed with DXC Technology as an Information Technology Consultant. Talita resides in Cincinnati with her husband of 20 years, Darren, and their two children, Darian and Brendan.

• ED VUILLEMIN

​Edward passed away in 2017. He was a 1965 graduate of St. Vincent High School where he played football under legendary Coach Eddie Wentz and wrestled for the premier program at St. V’s in 1962-1963. While attending St. Vincent, he was a two time captain of the football team during his junior and senior year. Playing both ways in 1964, he was named as a first team member of the All-City, All-District, All-Catholic, All-Northern Ohio and All-Ohio Football Team. Coach Wentz would call Ed the “best fullback he had coached during his 41 years of coaching at St. V”. As a wrestler in his senior year, Ed won the heavyweight division in the Greater Akron Tournament, the Catholic Invitational and the Sectional Tournament. He set a St. Vincent High School wrestling record by going 22-1 that year. Ed was inducted into the St. Vincent St. Mary Hall of Fame in 1978. Ed was heavily recruited and received a full football scholarship to the University of Notre Dame under Coach Ara Parseghian. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1978 with a B.A. in Economics. While at Notre Dame, as a freshman playing fullback and linebacker, Ed won the Hering Award as one of the team’s outstanding freshmen backs. As a sophomore, Ed was a member of Notre Dames’ 1966 National Championship team and finished the season with a record of 9-0-1, playing in the “game of the century” against Michigan State University and ending the season with a 51-0 victory over Rose Bowl bound USC. Backing up both interior linebacker positions and as a defensive end, Ed was a member of one of the greatest defenses in college football history. Hampered some by injuries in his final two years, the second of two knee surgeries cutting short a starting position at linebacker his senior year, Ed was a letter winner and a member of the Notre Dame Monogram Club. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, Ed signed a free agent contract with the NFL’s Washington Redskins. He earned the opportunity to compete for a roster spot on the team of yet another legendary coach, Vince Lombardi, who was embarking on what would be his first and only year in Washington. Ed eventually returned to St. Vincent where he coached football under Head Coach John Cistone, doing some substitute teaching as well. He was an assistant coach during successful seasons in 1972 and 1974, when St. V-M won state championships in football. The following quote from Ed’s brother Larry illustrates the best qualities regarding his brother, “ Ed’s graceful and courageous struggle with mental illness over the latter two thirds of his life was an inspiration to those of us who loved and admired him and to others similarly situated. The same guy who was my “hero in victory” in his athletic career was my hero for a lifetime”.