Linda Messich among Washington-Greene HOF Class of 2025
Linda Messich didn’t expect to be included in the Washington-Greene County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
“I just never would’ve imagined in my wildest dreams being in that company,” said the West Greene graduate and longtime athletic director at Mapletown. “I was really blown away. I was overwhelmed. That’s a group of pretty elite individuals in there. I’m just really humbled by it.”
Messich was inducted as an athletic administrator and coach for meritorious service.
Messich was among 18 individuals, two teams and one sports moment that will be honored at the Hall of Fame banquet on Sunday, June 8 at the Hilton Garden Inn at Southpointe. She is one of 12 individual inductees. The group also includes California University women’s basketball coach Jess Strom and Waynesburg Central track and field and cross country star Carlos Gibbs. The 1987-88 Waynesburg University men’s basketball team was one of the two teams chosen for induction as a Team of Yesteryear.
Beth-Center graduate and umpire John Cherup was selected for the James C. “Jimmy” Montecalvo and Luke Blanock Memorial Courage Award.
Messich credited much of her success with how well she got along with her peers.
“I’ve worked with an incredible bunch of athletic directors over the years,” Messich said. “It’s a great group of people we work with. We help each other. We have each other’s back. We try to do everything we can to make the job a little bit easier for the others.
“I’ve been doing this a long time. Maybe that’s what was in people’s minds. This is my 29th year at Mapletown.”
Other individual inductees are Elliott Bates (Chartiers-Houston), Anna Beck Lee (Washington), Brian Bell (Chartiers-Houston), Eugene Briggs (Fort Cherry), Ricardo “Ticky” Bryant (Washington), Terrence J. Kushner (Clairton High School/California University), Mark Mason (Canon-McMillan High School, Waynesburg University), Jaci Timko Gabelt (Chartiers-Houston) and Orlando Wiliams (posthumous, Washington).
The other Team of Yesteryear is the 1982 Ringgold football team.
Special honorees are Dan Altmeyer, Sue Osleger and Jim Rue.
In addition to Cherup, Chris Shaw will also receive a Montecalvo/Blanock award and Dean Kennefick Sr. was chosen for the Edward E. “Eddie” Monaco Above and Beyond Award.
The Hall of Fame moment is Czar Walsh’s halfcourt shot that forced overtime and helped the Ringgold boys basketball team defeat Erie Prep in a 1995 PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal playoff game. The Rams would go on to win the state title.