[Kutztown Press Release] KUTZTOWN UNIVERSTY TO INDUCT SIX INTO ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME OCT. 26

Tue Oct 2 17:28:36 EDT 2007

Oct. 2, 2007

KUTZTOWN UNIVERSTY TO INDUCT SIX INTO ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME OCT. 26

            KUTZTOWN, PA - Kutztown University will add six new members into
its Athletics Hall of Fame at the 2007 banquet on Friday, Oct. 26.

            This year's induction class includes James G. Bennett '82, an
all-conference offensive lineman on the 1980 Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference Eastern Division Championship football team; Timothy P. Clancy
'92, the all-time leader in tackles in KU football history; the late Mike
Kullman '91, an All-PSAC defensive back who went on to play in the NFL and
coach at KU; Dr. Al Leonzi, longtime coach and professor at Kutztown;
Elizabeth A. Thoryk-Longenecker '99, the only four-year All-American in KU
athletics history as a member of the women's swim team; and John Rozich '01,
a record-breaking catcher for the Golden Bear baseball team.

            The six new inductees increase the membership to 149 since the
Hall of Fame was formed in 1977.  The KU Hall of Fame Banquet will be held
in the Multi-Purpose Room of the McFarland Student Union, on the Kutztown
University Campus at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26.  Reservations for the
banquet can be made at the KU Athletic Advancement Office for $25 per
person.  For information, call (610) 683-4755.

            The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the school's
Homecoming Weekend.  In addition to Friday's induction banquet, the Hall of
Famers will be introduced at halftime of the Golden Bears' Football game
against Edinboro on Saturday, Oct. 27.  Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m..

            A biography on each of this year's inductees follows:

            James G. Bennett '82, was a four-year member of the Kutztown
University football team from 1978-81. He was a two-time All-Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division selection at offensive
tackle in 1979 and 1980.  He was a key part of the Golden Bear squad won the
school's only PSAC East football title in 1980. Bennett, who also earned
Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention in 1980, helped block for
KU's then all-time leading rusher, Don Shaver. He was a three-year starter,
breaking into the lineup in 1978 after playing for the freshman team in
1977.  Bennett was a recipient of the Coach Joe Patton Distinguished Lineman
Award from the KU Alumni Football Association.  Additionally, Bennett was a
member of Kutztown's renowned power lifting team.  He was a state and
national champion for the Golden Bears, who won a team national championship
in 1981. In 1980, he was named to the National Strength Coaches Association
first team.  Bennett is a 1977 graduate of William Allen High School.  He
graduated from Kutztown in 1982 with a degree in earth and space science.
He and his wife, Sheri, reside in Allentown, Pa.  The couple has one
daughter, Stephanie. Bennett is a science instructor at the Lehigh Career
and Technical Institute. 

            Timothy P. Clancy '92, was a four-year starter for the Kutztown
University football team from 1988-91. He earned three All-PSAC East honors
for his play at inside linebacker. His 424 career tackles are a school
record. Clancy was a two-time team captain and a defensive MVP. Clancy was
the team's only first-team All-PSAC East selection in 1989, a year in which
he had 131 tackles.  In 1990, Clancy tallied 104 tackles, en route to
earning second-team All-PSAC East honors. As a senior, Clancy had 133
tackles, third most in KU history and one short of tying the school's
single-season record. He was named first-team All-PSAC East and Don Hansen's
Football Gazette honorable mention All-America. He won the Coach Dave Evans
Distinguished Linebacker Award from the KU Alumni Football Association in
1998. Clancy graduated in 1992 with a degree in secondary education. He also
is a graduate of Whitehall High School. Clancy and his wife, Lauren, have
three children and are expecting their fourth. Clancy is a teacher at Easton
Area High School.

            Mike Kullman '91 was a four-year member of the Kutztown
University football team from 1983 to 1986.  As a defensive back and
captain, Kullman finished his career as the third all time leading tackler
at Kutztown University.  He tallied 228 career tackles, 22 pass breakups,
and 10 interceptions. Kullman was a two-time All-PSAC East selection,
earning first team honors in 1985 and second team honors in 1986.  Kullman
had a career game in a 7-7 tie against Bloomsburg University in 1986 when he
recorded 20 tackles, a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Following his four years at KU, Kullman signed a contract with the
Philadelphia Eagles and was recalled as a replacement player during the NFL
strike in 1987. He played in three games that year, recording nine tackles
and two interceptions. Kullman returned to coach at KU from 1993 to 1996
under head coach and fellow Hall of Fame inductee Al Leonzi.  Kullman
graduated from Kutztown with a degree in criminal justice. He was a graduate
of Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia.  Off the field, Kullman
developed the concept for and was co-owner of the Crocodile Rock Cafe, the
Lehigh Valley's largest entertainment complex.  Kullman was diagnosed with
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in December 2000 and passed away at the age of 41
on July 21, 2003.  He is survived by his wife, Constance; a step-son, Kim;
and a step-daughter, Nicole.  In 2004, the Kullman Family and friends
established the Mike Kullman Endowed Scholarship Fund (www.mkesf.com) to
advance the lives of student athletes and to fulfill Mike's wish, a lasting
scholarship to benefit Golden Bear Players.  

            Dr. Al F. Leonzi was a member of the Kutztown University
football team's coaching staff for more than 25 years, including six seasons
as head coach. Between 1993 and 1997, Leonzi was the full-time head coach,
during which the Golden Bears had .500 or better records three of the five
seasons. He also stepped in as an interim head coach in 1984. Leonzi served
various other capacities in his time at Kutztown, including coaching
defensive backs, defensive line, linebackers, perimeter and special teams.
His primary role as an assistant coach was as defensive coordinator,
spending 19 seasons (1969-88) in the role under coach George Baldwin.
Leonzi built defenses that were ranked atop the PSAC annually and were
ranked nationally in Division II.  He coached 112 All-PSAC players and eight
Division II All-Americans, including retired Buffalo Bills wideout Andre
Reed and Denver Broncos linebacker John Mobley. Leonzi was a professor of
secondary education at KU beginning in 1969 until his retirement in 2005 as
professor emeritus.  He served as the department chairman from 1980-83.
Leonzi coached football and wrestling at Westfield (NJ) High School from
1965-69. He was a four-sport standout at Summit Hill High School, where he
graduated in 1960.  Leonzi earned his bachelor's degree in arts and sciences
(1964) and a master's degree in secondary education (1965) from Penn State
University.  He received his doctorate in education from Pacific Western in
1992.  Leonzi has been inducted into the National Football Foundation Lehigh
Valley Chapter Hall of Fame (2000) as well as the Carbon County Area Sports
Hall of Fame (2007).  Leonzi and his wife, Roseann, reside in Allentown, Pa.
They have one son, Doug, who was an All-PSAC receiver at East Stroudsburg in
1992.  Doug and his wife, Melissa, have three children - Jenna, Maeve and
Gabrielle.

            Elizabeth A. Thoryk-Longenecker '99 was a four-year member of
the Kutztown University women's swimming team, competing in the freestyle,
butterfly and relays from 1995-99. She is the only athlete in Kutztown
University history, in any sport, to be an All-American in each of her four
years of competition.  She was an All-American in the 50-yard freestyle in
1996, 1998 and 1999, while adding All-America status in the 200 freestyle
relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay in 1997 and 1998. She also was
an All-American in the 400 freestyle relay in 1998. She was honorable
mention All-America for four other events: 100 butterfly (1996, 1998 and
1999), 100 freestyle (1999), 400 freestyle relay (1997) and 800 freestyle
relay (1996 and 1998). Thoryk-Longenecker holds school records in six
events: the 200 and 400 medley relays, 200 and 400 freestyle relays, the 50
freestyle and the 100 butterfly. Thoryk-Longenecker earned All-PSAC honors
in each of her four years. She was named one of the Top 30 Athletes of the
20th Century at Kutztown. She graduated from Kutztown in 1999 with a degree
in chemistry, and completed her master's in molecular biology at Lehigh in
2007.  She is a graduate of Norristown High School.  Elizabeth and her
husband, Luke, have one son, Gabriel Jacob. She currently is a research
biochemist at Merck & Co., Inc.

            John Rozich '01 was a standout catcher for the Kutztown
University baseball team from 1996-99.  His stellar Golden Bear career led
to his selection in the 18th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1999
Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.  Rozich was a four-year
starter, including starting behind the plate for KU's 1997 and 1999 PSAC
East and 1999 PSAC Championship squads.  Rozich knocked in a school and PSAC
record 192 runs in his career. He also holds school records with 49 doubles,
37 home runs and 378 total bases.  Upon the completion of his career, Rozich
was also the school's career record holder for at bats (625), runs (140),
hits (210) and games played (189). He still holds the single-season record
for home runs, belting 12 in 1999.  At the end of his career, he held the
school single-season records for hits (61), doubles (16), RBI (59) and total
bases (117).  Rozich was a four-time All-PSAC selection, earning first-team
honors in 1996, '98 and '99.  He was the 1996 PSAC East Rookie of the Year
and the 1999 PSAC East Player of the Year.  The catcher earned All-Eastern
College Athletic Conference and All-Region honors as a senior.  He graduated
from KU with a bachelor's in management and marketing in 2001.  He is a
graduate of Oxford High School and is a project manager for Bob Smith
Contractors, Inc. John and his wife, Jamie, have two sons, Brennan John and
Landen James.

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Josh Leiboff

Kutztown University Sports Information

Phone: (610) 683-4182

Fax: (610) 683-4676

Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu

Website: http://www.kubears.com

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