ERIE, Pa. - Gannon University will celebrate the latest inductees of its Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday, January 22, 2011 with the induction of eight new members. In addition, the 1962 men's bowling team will be inducted as a team.

The new class increases the Gannon Hall of Fame membership to 46 inductees. The Class of 2011 will be formally inducted at the Annual Hall of Fame Awards Banquet Saturday, January 22 at Gannon's Yehl Ballroom in the Waldron Center.

Reservations for the Hall of Fame Banquet can be made online at www.gannonalumni.org/ahof2011. Seating will be limited to the first 250 registrations. Cost for the event is $30 and includes admission to the women's and men's basketball games against California (Pa.) on Saturday, January 22, 2011. Please direct any questions to Cindy Toland in University Advancement at 814-871-7608 or by e-mail at toland001@gannon.edu.

The 2011 inductees include former men's basketball standout Steve Moyer; former baseball standout Larry Potash, former women's basketball coaching great Judy Saurer; former men's soccer great Gary Smallshaw; former women's volleyball coaching legend Gerry Burbules Vensel; former football standout Darmel Whitfield and former women's volleyball standout Kathy Wotus Kuhns. Joe Gaeta will be inducted as the 2011 Distinguished Service Award recipient. In addition to the eight individual inductees, the Athletics Hall of Fame will induct the entire 1962 men's bowling team. A brief summary of the 2011 inductees' achievements follows in alphabetical order.

Steve Moyer (Men's Basketball '99) is Gannon's all-time leader in three-point field goals with 442, hitting 234 more than the next Golden Knight. The former guard (1994-99) broke the NCAA record for career three-pointers, regardless of division, during his senior season in 1998-99. He ranks third all-time at Gannon in free throw percentage (.857), fourth in points (1,684), fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.431), fourth in assists (406), sixth in steals (122) and ninth in games played (112).

A versatile player who saw time as both a point and shooting guard, Moyer owns the top three single-season three-point totals in school history (124 in 1998-99, 117 in 1996-97 and 109 in 1997-98). His .535 three-point field goal percentage during the 1994-95 campaign is the highest single-season mark in school history. Moyer was a three-time All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) selection, including a spot on the first team as a senior.

Larry Potash (Baseball, '70) becomes the second baseball player inducted into Gannon's Athletics Hall of Fame. The former hurler (1967-70) produced a 0.65 earned run average in 1967, a figure that still stands as Gannon's lowest single-season ERA. He had three single-season earned run averages worthy of the top six all-time at Gannon. In addition to his spectacular 1967 campaign, Potash had a 0.93 ERA (5th-best) in 1968 and 1.04 mark (6th-best) in 1969.

Potash pitched Gannon's first-ever no-hitter against Steubenville in 1968. It still stands as one of only two no-hitters in the history of the program. He is the only pitcher in school history to throw three shutouts in a single season, performing the feat in 1967. Potash was drafted by the New York Mets in 1970 and played two seasons in the minor leagues before an injury cut his career short.

Judy Saurer (Women's Basketball) led the Gannon women's basketball program to an 88-47 record during five seasons (1985-90) at the helm. Saurer was Gannon's all-time leader in winning percentage (.652) until last season and was the school's all-time leader in career victories after her five seasons. She was named East Region Coach of the Year in 1987 and Mideast Collegiate Conference (MECC) Coach of the Year in 1988.

Also a member of the Metropolitan Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Saurer led Gannon to winning records during her first four seasons. The Lady Knights posted back-to-back 20-win seasons in 1986-87 and 1987-88. The run included the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1988, where it fell to Army in the first round. Earlier that season, she led Gannon to the MECC Championship with victories over Le Moyne (71-51) and Philadelphia Textile (69-53). Her 1987-88 team held the school records at the time for victories in a season (26), fewest losses in a season (4), highest scoring margin (18.7) and field goals made (933). That team is still the only group in school history to shoot 50 percent as a team.

Gary Smallshaw (Men's Soccer '92) was a three-time All-America (1988-90) defender for the Gannon men's soccer program in the late 1980s. Considered one of the best defenders to ever play for Gannon, Smallshaw landed a spot on the all-region team every season (1987-90) during his collegiate career. In addition, he was named NCAA Division II Defender of the Year as a senior.

Smallshaw anchored a Gannon defense that helped goalkeeper Terry Waldorf set the school record for lowest career goals against average (0.80). The Golden Knights set single-season records for fewest goals allowed (14) in 1988 and 1990 with Smallshaw in the back. The program also advanced to three consecutive NCAA Division II Final Fours (1988-90) during Smallshaw's career.

Gerry Burbules Vensel (Women's Volleyball '92M) is Gannon's all-time winningest volleyball coach, winning 162 more matches than the next coach. Already a member of the Metropolitan Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, she produced a 271-61 record during nine seasons (1986-94) as the head coach. The unbelievable success resulted in an .816 winning percentage.

Gannon qualified for the postseason seven times, advanced to five NCAA Division II Tournaments, won three NCAA Division II East Regionals and made three NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearances during her nine-year tenure. The Lady Knights recorded a winning record every season and never had a winning percentage under .634 with Burbules Vensel on the bench. She led the program to at least 40 victories in a season twice.

Darmel Whitfield (Football '05) becomes the first football player inducted into Gannon's Athletics Hall of Fame. The former quarterback (2001-04) is Gannon's all-time leader in passing yards (7,156), pass completions (571), completion percentage (57.2), 300-yard games (7), 200-yard games (16), passing touchdowns (53), rushing touchdowns (34), total offensive plays (1,741), total touchdowns - rushing and passing (88), total offense (10,412) and points (210). He ranks second all-time at Gannon in rushing yards (3,256) and third in all-purpose yards (3,365).

A Harlon Hill finalist as a senior, Whitfield was a four-time all-region selection and three-time All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) honoree. His accolades include being named to the 2003 D2football.com All-America honorable-mention team, being selected 2003 Independent Football League (IFL) Offensive Player of the Year and earning All-IFL first-team honors twice.

Whitfield owns the top three single-season total offense marks and the top eight single-game marks. In addition, he has the top three single-season marks for passing yards and six of the top 10 single-game passing marks. Whitfield played one season for the Gannon men's basketball team in 2004-05, averaging 9.5 points off the bench and leading the team in three-point field goals (62).

Kathy Wotus Kuhns (Women's Volleyball '93) is one of two Gannon volleyball student-athletes to have their jersey number retired. The former outside hitter (1989-92) became Gannon's first American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American in 1991, earning second-team recognition. She then earned AVCA All-America first-team status as a senior one year later.

Wotus Kuhns ranks fourth all-time at Gannon in digs (1,293) after departing as the record holder. Wotus Kuhns is second in kills (1,970) and sixth in kill percentage (.299). A two-time All-American and 1992 Academic All-American, Wotus Kuhns set a national record in 1991 with 47 kills during an NCAA Division II Tournament victory at New Haven. As for season standards, her 614 kills in 1991 rank second all-time at Gannon. She holds two of the top four spots in digs with 433 in 1991 and 431 in 1992. Wotus Kuhns owned the school's single-season record for digs until 2003.

Joe Gaeta (Baseball, Men's Basketball, Booster '62) is the 2011 Distinguished Service Award recipient. A longtime Gannon advocate, Gaeta was one of the founding members of the Gannon Athletics Booster Club and has been an important member for 37 years, serving as a past President and actively participating in the collection of over $400,000 to benefit Gannon sports teams. A graduate of Gannon University in 1962, he is already a member of the LaSalle Academy Hall of Fame and the Metropolitan Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Gaeta worked 31 years in management at GTE/Verizon and has been successfully married for 46 years with three successful adult sons. He was a two-sport student-athlete during his collegiate career at Gannon, being nicknamed “Little General” for being a team leader and playmaker. Gaeta served as a team captain for both the baseball and basketball teams. In baseball, he hit .335 as a senior. In basketball, he scored 172 points and dished out 132 assists as a senior.

The 1962 bowling team captured the only team national championship in school history when it won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national title with a 12-game total of 10,982 pins. The score out-distanced Central Oklahoma by 59 pins.

Coached by Al Kendziora ('62), Gannon was the best out of 460 NAIA teams at the time. The roster included Joe Calamita ('62), Dick Dowling ('63), Norm Gaylord ('64), Tom Kirk ('62), Bob Nieratko and Rich Sambuchino. The Golden Knights were in third place after one round, second place after two rounds and held down the No. 2 spot after three rounds. The squad then scored a record 1,017-pin game at the start of the final round to forge ahead. A 2,788-pin set pushed them ahead of St. Joseph's (Ind.), who led the first three rounds. Kujawinski had a 248 while Calamita bowled a 228 during the opening 1,017-pin game.

Current members of Gannon's Athletics Hall of Fame can be viewed at http://www.gannonsports.com/hof.aspx?tab=halloffame.