TGFC - Hall of Fame Members - Class of 1983
Class of 1983 - Biographies
Geno Geffery (Jungle) GIOA, 1983
Born October 20, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio…Graduated from John Adams High School in 1951…Lettered in three sports in high school, football, baseball, and basketball…Played on state championship team in basketball…Was also a member of the 1951 decathlon team…Received his degree in health, physical education and recreation from KSU in 1957…Earned his masters degree in health education from Western Reserve University in 1964…At Kent he lettered three times each in football and baseball…Was named All-MAC in both sports, football in 1956 and baseball in 1955 and 1956…He was the first player in KSU history to be selected first team All-MAC and the first player to earn conference honors in two different positions in baseball, second base and centerfield…In football, he captained the Flashes in 1956 squad and was named the All-Ohio honorary captain of the year…Earned All-Ohio honors in both ‘55 and ‘56…Following a spectacular collegiate career he was named the MVP in the Cleveland Muny Football League in 1958…In 1960 he was signed by the Boston Patriots but soon returned home and signed with the Cleveland Bulldogs…Married to the former Sharon Finnigan, of Seven Hills…They are the parents of four boys; Geffery, Tim, Michael, and Scott…He was a member of the Varsity “K” and Phi Epsilon Kappa…Also captained the All-University Intramural Basketball Champs in 1955-56 and as the All-University doubles handball champ in 1955.
George Edward Kovalick, 1983
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.
Michael Milkovich, Jr., 1983
Born in Cleveland, OH on September 28, 1948…Received his bachelor’s degree in Distributive Education from KSU in 1970…Graduated from Maple Heights High School in 1966…Won state wrestling title at 112 pounds…At Kent he earned three varsity monograms in wrestling…Undefeated in dual meet competition for three years as a collegian…Was L.E.A.-A.A.U. Champion in 1968…Two time All-MAC performer…Two MAC titles, at 140 pounds as a junior (1969) and 126 pounds as a senior (1970)…Earned NCAA All-American honors as a senior finishing sixth in the nation at 126 pounds…Following graduation he was an assistant wrestling coach under his father at Maple Heights High School…Most recently, he is the wrestling coach at Johnson County Community College…Father, Mike Milkovich, Sr. is also a member of the Varsity “K” Hall of Fame…Started Milkovich Sports Enterprises in 1977 and has produced wrestling programs for high schools and has also produced Willie Mosconi’s World of Pocket Billiards…Member of Sigma Nu fraternity…Interests include golf and wrestling…Married to the former Jill Mady of Chagrin Falls, OH.
Barbara Moonis-Gallagher, 1983
Born February 3, 1947 in McKeesport, PA…Graduated from KSU in 1969…While at KSU she lettered four times in gymnastics…Captained the Flashes for three of her four year varsity seasons …Was an all-around champion in numerous dual meets…Participated in the national AAU championships in 1965…World Games trials in 1966 and the Pan-American trials in 1967…Led the Flashes to the NCAA championships in 1967…Competed in every meet held during her four years at Kent...Began her gymnastics career at the age of eight…Competed for the McKeesport Turners…Was the national Sokol champion three consecutive years, 1962-64…Made the Olympic trials in 1964 where she was one of the top 12 gymnasts…Member of the USA gymnastics team vs. Canada in 1964…Following her collegiate career she was the girls gymnastics coach at Boardman High School…Taught childrens gymnastics for four years while at KSU…Member of the Executive Board of Ohio Gymnastics coaches…Ohio High School Athletic Association Chairman for two years…She is a certified gymnast judge and a United Safety Association certifier…Married to Brian Gallagher, also a former KSU gymnast…They have three children.
Micheal M. Norcia, 1983
Born October 29, 1925 in Canton, OH…Received his degree in health, physical education and recreation from Kent in 1958…Graduated from McKinley High School, Canton, OH in 1943…Earned six varsity letters while at KSU…Lettered four years on the gridiron and also received two varsity monograms in golf…Played both halfback and fullback at Kent…He started and played 37 consecutive games as a Golden Flash, every game the team played during his career…Earned All-MAC honors for four years…Three year honorable mention All-MAC (1952-54)…Was named to the first team All-MAC squad his senior year (1955)…Named to the All-Ohio team in 1955…Member of the Associated Press All-Star team in 1954…Did not play football in high school, was to small…Considered to be one of the hardest hitters ever at KSU from his defensive halfback position…One of the finest defensive backs in Kent history…Member of the Refrigerator Bowl team in 1954…Rushed for 1,977 yards in his career…Scored 200 career points…Scored 29 touchdowns as a Golden Flash …Was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams…Played professional football in Canada for six years…Was also a golf professional…Coached football, wrestling, and golf at the high school level…Member of Sigma Nu fraternity…Served in the U.S. Army for five years…Three during WWII where he earned two battle stars…Member of the Moose Elks and Sons of Italy…Married to the former Anetta Cotco of Pittsburgh, PA…They have two sons and a daughter.
Larry Poole, 1983
Born July 31, 1953 in Akron, OH…Prepped at Akron’s Garfield High School under coach Babe Flossie…Lettered five times in high school, twice in football and three times in track…Named to the All-District team as a halfback his senior year (1970)…Akron player of the year as a senior…Second team All-State pick…Honorable mention All-America…Was top recruit for the Flashes and let the frosh football team in rushing…Earned three varsity letters on the gridiron…Led team in rushing for three consecutive years (1972-74)…Second in the nation in scoring as a junior, had 18 touchdowns and a total of 108 points…All-MAC running back in 1973 & 1974...Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the ninth round of the 1975 college draft…Played for the Browns and Houston Oilers…After his release he signed with the Canton Bulldogs and played three years…He negotiated with the Detroit Panthers of the USFL and planned to be playing there for the ’84 season…Still holds KSU records for most net yards rushing in a career (2,688)…Most touchdowns scored in a season (18) and career (38)…Most points scored in a season (108), and career (228)…Was one of the top running backs in the MAC during his career at Kent…A strong runner who ran with finesse…Also did some punting for the Flashes, averaging 34.1 yards per kick (84 kicks) for his career…Averaged 4.5 yards per carry and 13.9 yards per reception…Over 3,000 yards in total offense at KSU.
William Daniel (Bill) Reppa, 1983
Born November 24, 1926 in Lakewood, OH…Attended Lakewood High School where he earned monograms in baseball and basketball…Graduated in 1945…Received his B.S. degree in physical education and the social sciences from Kent in 1951…Earned his M.E. in physical education from KSU in 1956…Played four years of baseball for KSU, earning four varsity letters…Also played freshman basketball for the Flashes…An outstanding hitter who batted over .300 for all three years with a high mark of .375 during his sophomore season…Four year batting average was .348…Drafted by the Washington Senators and played in their farm system…Received the Merle E. Wagoner Award as the outstanding senior athlete at KSU in 1951… As an amateur baseball player he participated in six national tournaments…Also participated in two national softball tournaments…Was a sergeant and tank commander in the U.S. Army (1945-46) and a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve (1952-58)…Coached basketball, football, and baseball at the high school level…Was active in numerous organizations…Was named basketball coach of the year while at Independence High School…President of Lake Erie A.A.U….Awarded lifetime membership in national A.A.U. in 1982…Member of Junior Olympics committee… Board of Directors for KSU Blue and Gold Club…Founded the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame…Active in numerous athletic organizations…Married to the former Patricia Maglione, they have three sons.
Albert William (Al) Schoterman, 1983
Born September 11, 1950 in Albany, NY…Graduated from Bay Shore High School, Bay Shore, NY…Received his degree in Industrial Recreation from KSU in 1973…Hand an outstanding sports career in high school…Four year letterman in both football and track…Was MVP in both sports…All-Long Island running back…Placed second in state in discus…Set All-Country record in shot put (59’9’’) and the discuss (173’7”)…Was team captain in both sports…His list of accomplishments at KSU are unbelievable…Earned nine varsity letters, four each in each indoor and outdoor track and one in football…Was a four-time MAC champion in track…Five-time All-America selection and two-time NCAA champ…NCAA 35 pound weight (indoor) in 1971…1972 NCAA hammer champ (outdoor)…He placed second in the hammer in 1971 and fourth in the hammer in 1970…Member of the 1972 Olympic team…Was also chosen for the Olympic training camp in 1970…1980 Olympic team field event coach…Has made several films on weight training, flexibility, and hammer techniques…He was a national record-holder 23 times…AAU champion…Member of the USA-USSR track team four times…Penn State Relays record holder and outstanding performer…Was selected for the US team in the Pan-American Games…Member of the 1972 MAC championship football team at KSU…Member of Ohio Parks and Recreation Association…Chairman of the Ohio Hammer Association…Member of the Sigma Mu fraternity…Varsity “K” Club…Undergraduate advisor to Varsity “K”…Listed Who’s Who in America…One of Kent’s finest athletes.
