IUP Athletic Hall of Fame
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The success of the IUP track and field program in turning out All-Americans in the 1980s and 1990s is reflected in the induction of a member of those teams in each of the past three years. That streak continues this fall with the inclusion of Alan Pugh.
Pugh joins recent inductees Dave Maudie, Bob Babiak and Jeff Neral in the Athletic Hall of Fame today and the quartet each won a national championship in the period between 1987 and 1992. Pugh was the most recent of those titlists, taking first place in the discus at the 1992 NCAA meet in San Angelo, Texas.
His winning throw of 175 feet, 3 inches established an IUP record in the discus that still stands today. It was the third time he broke the record in the event and culminated a career that saw Pugh win three PSAC championships, earn two All-America honors and compile numerous other accolades for his throwing talents.
After just missing out on a trip to nationals as a sophomore, Pugh began a two-year stretch of excellence in his junior season in 1991, including a fifth place finish in the discus at the prestigious Penn Relays.
At the PSAC championships he had throws of 167 feet, 1 inch in the discus and 51 feet, 5 ~inches in the shot put to win both events and advance to nationals. Two weeks later in San Angelo, Pugh was third in the discus at the NCAA meet, a prelude to his crowning achievement as a senior one year later.
Overcoming a late season injury, Pugh was able to repeat as the PSAC champion in the discus with a toss of 158 feet, 9 inches and also finished second in the shot put to earn the title of Most Outstanding Field Athlete of the Meet. He then made a second straight trip to Texas for the NCAA meet where he became the fourth IUP national champion since 1987.
Pugh graduated from IUP in 1992 and stayed on as a coach working with the team's throwers for two seasons. He later attended Penn State where he received a second degree in 1998. He is currently working as an accounting manager with PNC Global Investment Servicing in Pittsburgh.
Pugh also remains active in coaching as an assistant at the East End youth baseball league in Altoona. He also works with discus and shot put throwers at the junior high and high school levels.
Pugh and his wife, Shannon, are the parents of Jextin, Lennox and DeeKan.
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