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The Millersville University Athletic Hall of Fame has announced its 2012 and 18th annual class of inductees. The group of six consists of four former student-athletes representing four different sports, a coach and a contributor.
The 18th annual class includes: Safiyyah Bashir ’04, women’s basketball; Richard Frerichs ’64, contributor; Michael McFetridge ’99, football; Chad Schulze ’03, men’s golf; Sean Szerba ’99, men’s soccer; and Gene Wise, baseball coach.
“This year’s class represents the best of Millersville Athletics,” said Millersville director of athletics Peg Kauffman. “All four athletes were conference athletes of the year, Coach Wise won three PSAC Championships, and few have been as dedicated to Millersville as Richard Frerichs. The committee did an outstanding job selecting six Marauders that played such an important part in building and continuing our tradition of success.”
The 1999-2000 PSAC East Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Year, Safiyyah Bashir is one of just four players in program history to be named the league’s player of the year and one of three to be named All-PSAC East three times. Bashir was the PSAC’s most feared defensive player in her time, setting PSAC records for career steals and steals in a season. She was named the team’s defensive player of the year three years in a row, but also totaled 1,266 points and 457 assists to rank ninth in career scoring and fourth in career assists.
The voice of Richard Frerichs is familiar to Marauder fans, but for more than 40 years, he’s worked tirelessly and selflessly behind the scenes for the betterment of Millersville University and its athletics department. Frerichs, a 1964 graduate, is best known as the “Voice of the Marauders.” From 1970 to the present day, he’s served as the public address announcer for football games at Biemesderfer Stadium, and he’s served in the same role for women’s basketball games since 1983. His impact on Millersville University extends far beyond the microphone, however. The recipient of the Millersville University Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award in 2006 and the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award in 2010, Frerichs also served on Millersville’s Faculty Student Athletic Committee from 1983-2002 and was the chair from 1997-2001. He chaired the hall of fame committee, the Blue Ribbon Task Force, currently chairs the Athletic Fundraising Council and has spent the last two years volunteering to sell sponsorships and advertising to raise funds for athletic scholarships.
Mike McFetridge, who won the 1998 PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year award, established himself as the most productive pass catcher in school history at the time of his graduation. By the end of the 1998 season, McFetridge owned school records with 27 touchdowns, 2,783 receiving yards and 222 receptions, which shattered the previous record by 58. He remains the only player in school history with at least 70 catches in three different seasons, and he owns three of the top 10 single season performances in receiving yards including one of just five 1,000 yard seasons.
The 1999-00 PSAC Player of the Year and Millersville’s only regional champion, Chad Schulze is the first men’s golfer inducted into the Millersville University Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2003 graduate was Millersville’s ace for three seasons, earning All-PSAC honors in the 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons. His arrival at Millersville for the 1998-99 season helped the Marauders to the PSAC Championship—the first in school history. In his senior season of 2000-01, Schulze helped the Marauders qualify for the NCAA Division II North Regional for the first time in program history. He took medalist honors at the regional and remains the only golfer in the program’s history to win the tournament.
From 1995-98 Marauder striker Sean Szerba set scoring records that may never be broken. The 1998 PSAC Athlete of the Year and Millersville’s leader in career goals and points and single season goals and points set standards that haven’t come close to being approached since his graduation. As a senior in 1998, Szerba was crowned Millersvile’s all-time leading scorer with a record-breaking season of 23 goals and 52 points. His 23 goals is still sixth-most in PSAC history and his season’s point total stands as 10th most all-time. Szerba’s 55 career goals is not only a Millersville record but ranks seventh in PSAC history. Szerba is one of only two Millersville men’s soccer players to be a three-time All-PSAC First Team selection.
As part of a 31-year career as the director of financial aid at Millersville, Gene Wise coached the Marauder varsity baseball team for 12 seasons, winning three PSAC Championships and three NAIA District 19 titles. From 1966-77, Wise’s Marauders posted a 145-71-2 record and a winning percentage of .671, which places him first among the 10 Millersville coaches since 1947. His 145 wins ranks third all-time. Wise retired as head baseball coach in 1977 without ever recording a losing season. He twice won the District 19 Coach of the Year award and was named PSAC East Coach of the Year in 1974. Six of his players played professional baseball.
The class will be recognized at the induction dinner and ceremony on Friday, October 12 as part of Homecoming weekend. There is an open invitation for the induction dinner and ceremony. Reservations are required. Visit www.villealumni.com to register for the dinner or call the office at 800-681-1855 for ticket prices and more information.
Beginning on July 10, a new inductee will be featured each day on Millersville’s official athletic website.
