Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1983
- Class:
- 1950
George Edward Kovalik Born April 8, 1923 in Nokomis, Ill…Graduated from KSU with a degree in physical education in 1950…Earned M.E. degree in physical education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1952…Earned four letters in high school, two each in football and baseball…Lettered six times at KSU, four times in football (1946-49) and twice in baseball (1947-48)…Was an All-Ohio pick as a guard three years in a row (1947-49)…Named to third team International News Service (INS) All-American football team in 1949…Served three years in U.S. Army spending two years in India-Burma Theater with and an antiaircraft unit during WWII…Member of the Lansing Sportsman’s Club, upper Ohio Valley Dapper Dan, National Education Association, Ohio Education Association, Ohio High School Athletic Directors Association, and the Ohio Association of Administrators of Pupil Transportation…Coached a total of 30 years in junior high school, high school, and college…Took West Liberty (WV) State College to NAIA National Baseball championships in 1964…Coached Weirton (WV) high school to the state football playoffs in 1973…Led Bridgeport High School to Ohio state wrestling crown in 1959 and Weirton to a second place finish in 1974…Coached a total of 23 years in Ohio and West Virginia…Retired from coaching in 1978…Elected to the Ohio Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1979…Received Kent State Merit Award in 1964…Voted West Virginia wrestling coach of the year in 1974…Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Meritorious Service Award in 1976…Married to the former Evelyn Harbert of Wheeling, WV and they have four sons.
