EDINBORO, Pa. – The Edinboro University Athletic Hall of Fame inducted eight new members on Friday night at the 35th Annual Hall of Fame Ceremony held at the Van Houten South Dining Hall.  Unlike previous years, when the Hall of Fame Ceremonies were held in late April, this year's induction ceremonies were held in conjunction Homecoming Weekend.
 
"We were very excited about the change in date," related Director of Athletics Bruce Baumgartner. "We are constantly striving to improve our efforts to recognize our outstanding athletes of the past. With our Hall of Fame induction now being included as part of the Homecoming weekend, it really provides us the opportunity to honor our inductees."  
 
While the date was changed, the event once again featured the induction of some outstanding former student-athletes. They included Shawn Bunch, a former standout in wrestling; former volleyball standout Stephanie Burner; former football standouts Sean McNicholas and Anthony Peluso; Callie Wheeler, a former standout in women's basketball; and former cross country and track & field standout Julie Nemergut-Yurcich. 
 
In addition, current Associate Director of Athletics Todd Jay was inducted as the Distinguished Service Award recipient, and Walt McLaughlin in the category of Lifetime Achievement.  
 
This year's induction marked three unique situations. Callie Wheeler, formerly Callie Iorfido, joined her father, Rich Iorfido, in the Edinboro Athletic Hall of Fame. A standout in football, Rich was inducted in 2007. Walt McLaughlin's wife, Marty Marczak-McLaughlin, was a 2003 inductee into the Hall of Fame after an outstanding career in cross country and track & field. Finally, Todd Jay's wife, the former Sarah Bishop, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001 after an outstanding career as a women's basketball player for the Fighting Scots.
 
"This represents another outstanding class," Baumgartner noted. "It is a diverse group who had a profound impact on our programs. The fact that you have three inductees with ties to previous inductees only makes this class even more outstanding and will make for an enjoyable induction ceremony." 
 
Here is a synopsis of the eight inductees, in alphabetical order:
 
Shawn Bunch ('06) was a two-time All-American while competing for the Edinboro wrestling team from 2001-06, and is a member of Edinboro's All-Time Wrestling Team. He finished his career with a 132-24 career record, which is currently tied for for seventh in career wins at Edinboro. Bunch finished second at 133 lbs. at the NCAA Division I National Championships in 2005 as a junior, capping a 40-2 season. He went 40-2 as a senior, as well, earning All-American honors for a second time with a third place finish. He was a four-time national qualifier who was named the PSAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2002 while competing at 125 lbs. He was named the EWL and PSAC Wrestler of the Year in 2006, and was the 2005 PSAC Wrestler of the Year. He was also named the Outstanding Wrestler at both tournaments as a senior, and was the EWL Championships' Outstanding Wrestler as a sophomore in 2002. Bunch is one of only six four-time EWL champions and a two-time PSAC champion. After completing his wrestling career at Edinboro, he went on to enjoy great success in international wrestling, and was a two-time Olympic alternate and U.S. National and pan American champion. He is currently competing in MMA.  
 
Stephanie Burner ('03) was a standout for the volleyball team from 1999-02, playing outside hitter. She was selected the 2003 Nancy Acker Award winner and was later named to Edinboro's All-Time Team. She was a first team All-PSAC West selection as a senior, when she led the team with a then school-record 568 digs and ranked third on the team with 344 kills. The Fighting Scots won the Atlantic Region and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, ending the year with a 26-9 record. All told, the team was 87-41 during her four seasons, reaching the PSAC Championship match all four year and winning the league title in 2001. Edinboro qualified for the Atlantic Regional all four years. As a junior, she finished with 565 digs, ranking eighth in Division II and first in the PSAC in digs per game. She was named a second team Daktronics All-American and was the Most Outstanding Player st the PSAC Tournament as Edinboro won the conference championship. For her career, Burner ranks in numerous statistical categories, including fourth in career digs (1,707) and eighth in games played (455). She holds two of the top season totals in digs, ranking seventh in 2002 with 568 and ninth in 2001 with 565. She went on to serve as the head coach at California(Pa.) from 2008-10, leading the Vulcans to three PSAC Championships, an Atlantic Region crown, and a berth in the Elite Eight in 2008. She had a record of 99-21 during those three seasons.       
 
Todd Jay was inducted as the Distinguished Service Award recipient. Recently recognized for 30 years of service to Edinboro University, he began his career as the Sports Information and Promotions Director in 1985, holding the position for ten years. He was promoted as the Assistant to the Vice President for Athletic Compliance and Publicity for two years, then for a year was employed in the office of Enrollment Management.  He returned to the athletic department in 1998 as the Associate Athletic Director. In his current position, he is responsible for monitoring all aspects of Edinboro's NCAA compliance program, along with the NCAA and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and educating the coaching staff on on-going legislative matters.  In addition, he coordinates travel arrangements for Edinboro's 17-sport program, and assists in many areas of departmental fundraising activities.  He has played a major role through the years in activities such as the Hall of Fame Banquet, the Curly Halmi Game Dinner, the Sports Memorabilia Auction, and the Read to Compete Program. Jay has also served on numerous NCAA committees, including championship selection committees for football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. 
 
Walt McLaughlin ('88), a highly-accomplished high school cross country and track & field coach in New York state, was inducted as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. As an undergraduate at Edinboro, he was a member of the 1986 and 1987 NCAA Division II cross country championship teams. He returned to his native New York to teach and coach, first at Beaver River High School from 1990-1999 and from 2000 until the present time at his alma mater, East Aurora High School. His teams at Beaver River won six state championships, five in boys cross country ('93,'94,'96,'97,'98) and were runners-up two times ('92,'95), and one in girls cross country ('98). Two of his runners won state titles in boys cross country ('96, '98) and two won in boys track and field ('98, '99).  The 1998 Beaver River boys cross country team was ranked 7th nationally and McLaughlin's top runner qualified for the Footlocker National Cross Country Championships (as one of the top 32 high school runners in the country). At East Aurora, McLaughlin has coached another twelve state champion cross country teams: eight girls cross country championships ('05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '14, '15) and three runners-ups ('04, '12, '13) along with four boys cross country teams ('10, '11,'14, '15) and two runner-up teams ('07, '12). McLaughlin's cross country student-athletes have also earned three girls and two boys individual state cross country champions.  McLaughlin's 2012 girls cross country team ended their season ranked as the #1 national small school after finishing fourth among all schools at the Nike Nationals. His teams have won dual boys and girls state titles in '98, '10, '14 and '15. In all, he has coached 18 NY State Champion Cross Country Teams, a current record for any coach in the state along with two cross country All Americans, one in '13 and another in '15.  In track and field at East Aurora McLaughlin's student-athletes have won over a dozen individual/relay state titles.  Many of McLaughlin's student-athletes have continued to compete collegiately in NCAA I, II, and III, including Edinboro University All-Americans Travis Kuhl, Scott Anderson, and Elliot Martynkiewicz. McLaughlin's long-time assistant coach is his wife Marty, a member of the Edinboro University Hall of Fame
 
Sean McNicholas ('04) served four seasons as Edinboro's punter and three as the team's placekicker while playing from 1999-2002, and was selected to the All-Time Team as a punter. He earned All-American honors as a junior and senior, including first team AFCA All-American and first team Associated Press Little All-America as a senior while averaging a school-record 44.2 yards on 58 punts. He was also a second team Football Gazette and D2Football.com All-American in 2002. He holds three of the top six single-season punting averages. As a junior, he averaged 41.4 yards on 51 punts, which is good for fourth in a season at Edinboro. He was named an honorable mention Football Gazette All-American following the 2001 season. He also averaged 40.2 yards on 60 punts as a freshman, which ranks sixth in a season. He concluded his career with school records for career punting average (41.0) and career punts (236). McNicholas was a three-time All-PSAC West selection at punter, earning first team honors as a junior and senior, and second team as a freshman. He also displayed a big leg as a placekicker, setting the school record for longest field goal with a 53-yarder vs. East Stroudsburg in 2000. He has five of the top 12 longest field goals at Edinboro. He ranks fifth in career field goals (26), fourth in career field goals attempted (51), sixth in career extra points made (59), and tied for seventh in career extra points attempted (66). The 2003 Sox Harrison Award recipient, McNicholas played in the 2003 Cactus Bowl and later signed as a free agent with the New York Jets.   
 
Anthony Peluso ('06) was a three-year starter at right guard for the Edinboro football team from 2000-03, starting the final 33 games of his career, while playing in 43 career contests. He helped Edinboro to the PSAC West title and a 9-3 finish in 2003, tying the school record for wins in a season. He started all 12 games that season. The Fighting Scots qualified for the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time since 1995. Peluso earned honorable mention D2Football.com All-American accolades and was a first team All-PSAC West choice as a senior. He was also a second team D2Football.com All-Northeast Region pick, along with earning Football Gazette second team All-Northeast Region and second team Daktronics All-Northeast Region honors that season. While starting all 11 contests as a junior in 2002, he helped pave the way for Alonzo Roebuck to rush for 1,000 yards.
 
Callie Wheeler ('06), then Callie Iorfido, ranks as one of Edinboro's all-time top women's basketball players and is currently an assistant coach under Stan Swank. She earned honorable mention Kodak/WBCA All-American honors as a senior and was the PSAC West Athlete of the Year as a senior. She was a two-time All-PSAC West selection, earning first team honors as a senior and second team as a junior. The co-recipient of the Nancy Acker Award in 2006, she is a member of Edinboro's All-Time Women's Basketball Team. Wheeler scored 932 points in her career, but her true value came as a ballhandler, defender, and leader as Edinboro's point guard. While appearing in 107 career games, she set the school record for career assists with 682, a figure which ranks second all-time in the PSAC. She also finished with 283 steals, which stands fourth all-time at Edinboro and 26th in the PSAC. She set the school record for assists in a season with 249 as a senior, which is also second all-time in the PSAC. She had 225 assists as a junior, ranking third at Edinboro and eighth in the PSAC. She also holds the Edinboro single-game record for assists with 16. She has two of Edinboro's four all-time triple-doubles, both coming as a senior.
 
Julie Nemergut-Yurcich ('07) was named to Edinboro's All-Time Cross Country Team after sharing the 2006 Nancy Acker Award with fellow 2016 inductee Callie Wheeler. She was a three-time All-American while competing for Edinboro in cross country and track & field from 2002-06. In addition, she was a four-time PSAC champion, twice in cross country and twice in track & field. In cross country, she helped Edinboro win four PSAC Championships and three East Regional titles, along with the highest finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships in school history, coming in second in 2004. That year she won the individual titles at both the PSAC and East Regional, setting course records in both races. She earned All-American honors for the first time in 2004, finishing tenth. She was named the Most Valuable Runner at Regionals and was the PSAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year. In 2005, she repeated as the PSAC individual champion and finished third at the East Regional. She earned All-Region honors as a freshman and sophomore, and was an All-PSAC performer as a freshman. In track & field, she earned All-American honors in 2004 thanks to an eighth-place finish in the 10,000-meter run. She qualified for Nationals in the event in her first competition in 2005, but suffered a stress fracture and did not compete the rest of the year. She returned in 2006 and earned All-American honors for the second time in the 10,000-meter run with a seventh-place showing. Nemergut Yurcich was also a standout in the classroom. She earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors in 2005 and 2006 and was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 2006. She was also a four-time PSAC Top Ten honoree.