IUP Athletic Hall of Fame
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Rich Hornfeck, who served IUP in many different ways during his 30-year association with the university, is being honored in the coach/administrator category.
Hornfeck came to IUP in 1969 as offensive coordinator under head football coach Chuck Klausing, then stayed on when Bill Neal—who was an assistant coach at George Washington when Hornfeck played there—was hired as Klausing’s successor. Hornfeck directed the IUP offense for 11 seasons.
During that time, the Indians, as they were then known, posted a 65-35-3 record, highlighted by 8-1 seasons in 1969 and 1972 and an 8-1-1 mark in 1975. Hornfeck coached two first-team All-Americans—quarterback Lynn Hieber, the NCAA Division II total offense leader in 1975, and wide receiver Terry Skelley—and second-team center Ed Paradis.
Hornfeck played three seasons as an interior offensive and defensive lineman at Division I George Washington, then a member of the Southern Conference. He later served as GW’s interior line coach for a season before the program was discontinued.
After earning a degree in health and physical education from George Washington in 1963, Hornfeck went on to obtain his master’s in health and physical education from GW in 1967 and his doctorate in highway safety administration from Michigan State in 1979.
He joined the IUP faculty as a member of the Health and Physical Education Department in 1969 and later served as director of the university’s highway safety center. Hornfeck was able to acquire federal highway safety grants to develop highway safety programs for Pennsylvania.
Hornfeck resides in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., with his wife, Charlene. They have four children: Sandra, Karen, Helen and Patricia. Helen (1986) and Patricia (1987) are IUP grads. The Hornfecks have 10 grandchildren.
Personal Reflection:
I was hired at IUP in the fall of 1969 as an assistant football coach to replace Bill McDonald, who was leaving IUP to take the job as head football coach at Edinboro University. Chuck Klausing was the head football coach at IUP, and he also hired Bill Neal to be the defensive coordinator. At that time, I was also hired as an instructor in the Health and Physical Education Department as was Bill and Jim Mill.
After the 1969 season, Chuck Klausing resigned and Bill Neal became the head football coach and at that time, Jim Mill was hired as the defensive coordinator and faculty member in the Health and Physical Education Department. With the start of the 1970 season, Bill Neal served as head coach and Jim Mill and I served as defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator, respectively, up until the 1979 season, at which time I was promoted to full professor and completed my Ph.D. from Michigan State University and was fortunate to acquire federal highway safety grants to develop various highway safety programs for Pennsylvania, and Jim became the chair for the Health and Physical Education Department.
My coaching experience provided a great deal of personal growth in the coaching field and the opportunity to learn and grow professionally. This was achieved by working with personnel such as Chuck Klausing, Bill Neal, Jim Mill, Ed Receski, Chuck Godlasky, Bob Letso, Moe Smith, Buff Fanella and so many graduate assistants who provided a great deal to our successful seasons.
Personally, I never felt that I had to go to work at IUP, but I always looked forward to the start of the football season and was eager to go to work, and this also carried over to my classes! So, thank you IUP for that opportunity!
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