Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee to be inducted into WPIAL Hall of Fame

Pittsburgh, Pa. – Jan. 15, 2025 – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) is proud to announce the WPIAL Hall of Fame Class of 2025, which features 15 inductees across seven different categories. The 18th annual WPIAL Hall of Fame class was announced to the public on Wednesday morning in a press conference at the Senator John Heinz History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

Out of the 15 inductees, seven are listed in the Athlete category, two in Coach and Team, and one each in Official, Contributor, Heritage, and Courage. The full class is listed below, as well as a brief overview on each inductee’s career.

Two of the athlete winners were wrestlers, 2024 Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee and two-time WPIAL wrestling champion and multi-sport athlete Rodney Wilson.

Spencer Lee (Athlete) – Posted a 144-1 career record at Franklin Regional, winning four WPIAL titles and three PIAA gold medals at the 113 and 120 weight classes … Ranked as the No. 1 wrestler in the country all four of his high school years at his weight class … Won the U17 world championship in 2014, and U20 world championship in 2015 and 2016 at the 50kg weight class … Competed collegiately at the University of Iowa, finishing with a 95-6 career record, three Big Ten titles in 2020, 2021, and 2023, and three NCAA championships in 2018, 2019, and 2021 at the 125 weight class … Earned the James E. Sullivan Award in 2019 for most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States … Received the Dan Hodge Trophy in 2020 and 2021 for top college wrestler, becoming one of six multi-time winners of the award … Captured gold medals at the 2019 and 2023 U.S. Senior Nationals and 2024 Pan American Championships at the 57kg weight class … Brought home the silver medal at 57kg from the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics

Rodney Wilson (Athlete) – Won 12 letters for West Greene in football, wrestling, and track & field … Named to the PIAA All-State twice in 1992 and 1993 for football … Earned Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fab 22 honors in 1993 and was a Big 33 nominee … Claimed two Greene County Messenger Player of the Year awards in 1992 and 1993 and was the 1993 Dapper Dan Class 1A Football Player of the Year … Finished high school football career as WPIAL all-time leading rusher, compiling 6,304 rushing yards and 75 touchdowns … Helped lead the Pioneers to the 1993 WPIAL Class 1A Championship Game, the program’s only appearance to date … Captured WPIAL wrestling gold in 1992 and 1993 at the 171 weight class and won the 1992 PIAA Southwest Regional … Finished with a career wrestling record of 106-25-1 … Won the 1994 WPIAL Class 2A team wrestling title with West Greene and the 1993 PIAA Southwest Regional team crown … Played football collegiately at Slippery Rock University, earning four letters and a pair of All-PSAC selections … Made the 1997 NCAA Division II quarterfinals after winning the PSAC title with Slippery Rock … Currently works as the vice president of business development for CNX Resources, Inc.

WPIAL Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Charel Allen, Athlete, Monessen, Basketball

Trilby Busch, Heritage, Munhall, Rifle

Russ Grimm, Athlete, Southmoreland, Football, Basketball, Track & Field

Aiden Hanna, Courage, Hampton, Baseball, Golf

Terry Kushner, Contributor

Ty Law,Athlete,Aliquippa, Football

Spencer Lee, Athlete, Franklin Regional, Wrestling

Rick Locaitis, Official, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball

Dori Oldaker, Coach, Blackhawk, Mt. Lebanon, Basketball

Rich Saccani, Coach, Upper St. Clair, Tennis

Ron Semkiw, Athlete, Baldwin, Track & Field

Brooke Stewart, Athlete, East Allegheny, Basketball

Rodney Wilson, Athlete, West Greene, Football, Track & Field, Wrestling

1984 Seton LaSalle Girls’ Basketball Team

2012 North Allegheny Football Team

The WPIAL Hall of Fame was organized as a means of recognizing, preserving, and promoting the heritage of interscholastic sports in Western Pennsylvania. Many individuals have made extraordinary contributions and have achieved superb accomplishments in high school sports. The WPIAL Hall of Fame honors the contributions and accomplishments of these individuals who are worthy of recognition as examples for others to emulate.

The annual WPIAL Hall of Fame induction banquet will be held on Friday, June 6 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Greentree (500 Mansfield Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15205).

Complete WPIAL Hall of Fame release

About the WPIAL

Founded in 1906, the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) represents Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) District VII, which is one of the 12 districts governed by the Constitution and By-Laws of the PIAA. The WPIAL represents its member schools by promoting academics, the safety of participants, sportsmanship, citizenship, and lifelong values as the foundation of interscholastic athletics. The league holds championships for 27 different sports, and its member schools are made up of 10 state counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland.