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A set of touch screen tablets show every Big East Championship won in Seton Hall history. © Joey Khan Photography[/caption]
The Seton Hall Athletic Hall of Fame officially opened on Saturday, Sept. 24, in the lobby of the Richie Regan Recreation and Athletic Center.
Located just outside of the Walsh Gymnasium, the exhibit honors more than 220 inductees of the Athletic Hall of Fame, as well as the teams that made a significant impact on the university.
Numerous plaques are erected throughout the exhibit, each honoring a different part of the legacy of Seton Hall Athletics. They list the All-American athletes, retired numbers, the Big East championships, the NCAA and NIT tournament appearances and coaching legends throughout the history of Seton Hall.
Also featured in the exhibit are numerous touch-screen displays. One set located near the front of the exhibit showcases the various Big East Champion teams throughout the history of Seton Hall, giving a brief description of the team’s season and highlighting key players and contributors. Another display features large monitors where visitors can select a sport and view profiles of every Hall of Fame member inducted per sport. Each profile includes pictures of the athletes, their achievements in their sport and their contribution to Seton Hall Athletics.
“This is such a tremendous space for us, just to be able to showcase all of our heritage and traditions and our legacies,” Senior Associate Athletics Director Bryan Felt said. “We want this at the front of the house, we want people to see it.”
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The new Hall of Fame is located between Walsh Gym and the recreation center swimming pool. © Joey Khan Photography[/caption]
Many former athletes and coaches were present for the opening of the Hall of Fame. Among them was George J. Germann, a track and field star and a member of the Hall of Fame class of 1977.
“There was always talk of building an exhibit like this, and it’s so nice to see it finally come to fruition,” Germann said. “There is something unique about being an athlete and having comradery.
We have a special bond with each other because we all know what it took to deserve this honor. It brings back so many good, pleasant memories, and I just love it.”
Also present at the opening Saturday afternoon was former Seton Hall men’s soccer coach Manfred Schellscheidt, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.
“It’s a wonderful thing to have the history of athletics in Seton Hall on display, and there is so much depth in one spot,” Schellscheidt said. “It brings back 24 years of memories for me, which is a long time.”
Schellscheidt also added that he enjoyed the Hall of Fame’s inclusiveness, saying that while certain sports have bigger appeal, all of the accomplishments were honored the same in this exhibit.
“To be able to have people who are a part of our legacy come and see themselves…it’s really cool to watch people come home,” Felt said. “They spent four years here not only going to school, but competing for us as Pirates. It’s a special moment for them to come back and see it.”
Matt Lapolla can be reached at matthew.lapolla@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @MatthewLapolla.
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