2009 Behrend Lions Athletics Hall of Fame Class

2010 Hall of Fame Dinner: October 16 at 6 p.m. McGarvey Commons

Brock Bovaird

Brock Bovaird (1997-99) was a game changer on the hardwood for Head Coach Dave Niland. Bovaird is one of the best point guards to ever play for the Behrend Lions.

Bovaird transferred in to Behrend from Clarion University for his final two seasons, and left a permanent impression on the program by guiding the team to a 39-16 record.

In his first season, Bovaird was named the AMCC Newcomer of the Year and garnered first-team all league honors after averaging 15.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 3.4 apg. He led the blue and white in scoring in 13 of 27 games as a junior, and also connected on 50% of his three-point attempts-ranking in the top ten of Division III players. Bovaird was named to a pair of all-tournament teams and led the program to the inaugural men's basketball conference tournament title, after scoring a game-high 22 points in the title game. Behrend was then selected to its third ECAC postseason bid.

Bovaird's senior season was spectacular. Bovaird was named the AMCC Player of the Year and again to the first-team all-star squad. After scoring 12.9 ppg, he increased his rebounding and assist totals in his second season while leading the blue and white to a school record 21 wins and lifted the program to its highest regional ranking of second in the NCAA East region. After capturing the conference regular season title, Behrend capped its history breaking year by winning the program's first-ever ECAC South Region Championship. After the season, Bovaird was named the 1998-99 Behrend Male Athlete of the Year.  Then he followed that up by being selected honorable mention All-American by the Division III News, and was selected as the program's MVP for the second straight season.

At the conclusion of his career, he was the all-time leader in three-point percentage at 46% and ranked ninth all-time for career assists with 228. He averaged a cool 14 ppg and tallied 769 points in two seasons of work.

A graduate of Brockway High School, Bovaird is a Behavioral Health Therapist in Brookville. 

Lisa (Fox) Caruso

Lisa (Fox) Caruso (1995-1999) was a tremendous athlete excelling in both soccer and softball across four seasons for the blue and white.

Caruso played on the first Behrend women's varsity soccer team, which registered a 6-3 win over Buffalo State in its first game. Later she was named to the first-ever AMCC All-Conference squad as a forward.

As a junior, she scored the game winning goal in a 2-1 victory over John Carroll. In the next game, Caruso connected on another game winner on a header in the program's big 1-0 win over regionally ranked CMU. She then led the program to its first ever AMCC title and followed it up during her senior season with a 15-3-3 record and another league championship and a second consecutive ECAC appearance. Caruso scored 15 goals and tallied 37 points in 67 games played during her collegiate soccer career while the program posted a 50-18-6 record.

As a captain and four year starter for the softball program, Caruso patrolled the outfield closing gaps and gunning runners down with her strong arm. The two-time All-AMCC performer hit a career high .467 as a junior with 25 RBI.  Then as a senior she guided the Behrend Lions to a 17-1 league mark when she knocked four home runs and collected 35 RBI, while batting .322, as the program captured its first-ever league title. She still ranks among the program's best in several career categories. Caruso finished her standout career with a .331 average, 127 hits, 101 runs scored, 78 RBI, and 25 steals.

As a senior in 1998-99, Caruso was named Penn State Behrend's Female Athlete of the Year. She was also selected as the softball program's leadership and scholarship award winner.

The Carrick High School graduate is employed at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. 

Erin (McCormick) Helmkamp

Erin (McCormick) Helmkamp was the most prolific blocker in Behrend volleyball history.

In her freshman season, Helmkamp was instrumental in the program's 27-14 mark-which was the second most wins in team history. As a sophomore she made the second most blocks in a single season with 331, tallied 254 kills and was voted the team MVP.

At the conclusion of the 1995 volleyball season, Helmkamp ranked second nationally for blocks per game with 3.25 and helped the program finish fourth in the country for team blocks at 5.84.

Her 368 kills during her junior season established a new record for most in a single season. As a senior, Helmkamp guided the blue and white to the AMCC regular season title with a 10-2 record.  She registered 18 kills in the AMCC title game, which turned out to be a tough five set loss to Frostburg State. Helmkamp was then named to the first-ever AMCC All-Conference team.

At the conclusion of her career, Helmkamp's 932 kills ranked second to Hall of Famer Carrie Grzejka. She remains atop the charts for solo blocks in a season (175) and in a career (347). Helmkamp still ranks number one for block assists in a single season

(156) and in a career (321). Her 668 total blocks is a record that may never be broken.

Helmkamp teaches biology at Trinity High School. She also spent five years coaching the Trinity volleyball team, guiding them to a section championship and multiple appearances in the playoffs.

Travis Lang

Travis Lang (1995-1998) was a standout soccer player for Behrend under Head Coach Dan Perritano.

The central midfielder made everyone around him better. Lang played the game with a high level of passion and passed the ball with great accuracy. To this day, Lang's 24 career assists remains number-one all-time in the Behrend Lions record books.

The four-year starter made an impact as a sophomore leading the team to a school-record 11 wins and the program's first NCAA Division III regional ranking. Lang's presence enabled the program to follow that up over the next two seasons by setting new records for wins.

During his junior season in 1997, Lang accumulated 21 points, eleventh most in a single season while leading the Behrend Lions to the league title in the first year of AMCC. Then as a senior captain, he finished his career in style. In his final home game for the blue and white, it was Lang's goal that sent the game into overtime, and then his game winner that paved the way for Behrend to capture its record breaking win. He was then selected by his teammates as the program's MVP for the second time.

At the conclusion of his playing career, Lang's 56 career points ranked third all-time while his 16 goals ranked eighth in the annals. His 70 games played were second to former teammate and Behrend Hall of Famer, Ryan Ruta.  

After his playing career concluded, he served as an assistant coach on the 1999 AMCC Championship team. Lang is employed by BNY Mellon in Pittsburgh.

Jason Paloskey

Jason Paloskey (1995-99) enjoyed a brilliant basketball career as a pure shooter, thrilling Penn State Behrend crowds in Erie Hall by draining jumper after jumper.

The 5-10 guard heated up like a microwave. Paloskey averaged double figures in scoring for three straight seasons, with a career high of 30 against Otterbein, and connected on more than 45 percent of his field goal attempts and 40% of his three-pointers.

As a junior in 1997-98, Paloskey earned All-AMCC honors after averaging 11.1 ppg and teamed with Brock Bovaird to create the most potent backcourt in the AMCC. Under Head Coach Dave Niland the hoop squad registered an 18-9 record, the second most wins in school history, and captured the first AMCC men's basketball conference tournament championship, and earned a bid to the ECAC playoffs. Paloskey's senior campaign was extra special as the program won its first AMCC regular season title and Paloskey was named to the AMCC All-Conference squad for a second consecutive season. Then the team advanced to the ECAC South Tournament for the third straight year and won its first ECAC title and set a school record for wins with 21.

At the end of his career, his 11.7 ppg allowed him to total 1,203 career points in 103 games ranking seventh on the all-time scoring list. His 79% free-throw shooting percentage ranked number-one in program history and his 159 career three-pointers made ranked second all-time.  

Paloskey is a graduate of Bucktail Area High School and works for Heidolph Brinkmann, residing in Myerstown, Pa.

Emily (Marini) Tatsch

Emily (Marini) (1994-1998) was an outstanding four-year basketball player for the Behrend Lions and Head Coach Roz Fornari.  

Tatsch developed in the women's basketball program and became a physically tough player. She was listed at 5-5 but played much bigger. During her four seasons in Behrend blue and white, she owned the paint. In her first season, Tatsch led the team with 8.2 rebounds per game and added 7.5 ppg.  As a sophomore forward, she led the blue and white to an 18-9 record and the ECAC South Region Tournament title.   As a junior, she averaged 8.9 ppg, and worked for 6.9 rpg while leading the team in steals.

Tatsch's senior year was terrific as she guided the program to the third most wins in program history with a 19 win season, and another ECAC Tournament appearance. She was named to the first-ever AMCC All-Conference squad in 1997-98 after averaging eight points per game and hauling down six rebounds per game over 28 games.  Tatsch was also voted the program's MVP in 1997-98.

Her versatile skills enabled her to excel in multiple facets of the game. Tatsch, who had a knack for drawing fouls, racked up 838 career points-280 from the charity-stripe. She also pulled down 686 career rebounds and earned 252 career steals. Tatsch ranked atop the career free-throws made and steals column, while her rebounding totals were second, and her scoring was eighth all-time at the conclusion of her illustrious career.

Tatsch, a graduate of Mercyhurst Prep High School, is a teacher at Ligonier Valley S.D.

Jill Yamma

Jill Yamma (1996-1999) was a four year starter and highly skilled player for the Behrend Lions soccer program.

Yamma played the position of defender. A position that did not log much statistical recognition, but her impact was a force felt throughout the program. She anchored the team defense with her strong physical presence and served as the quarterback of the defense that dominated the league.

During the 1997, 1998, and 1999 seasons of AMCC play, the Behrend Lions rolled to a perfect 18-0 record en route to three straight regular season and conference tournament championships. This success was followed by three trips to the ECAC playoffs as the soccer team set new records for wins in all three years.

The program had amassed an impressive 53-20-7 overall mark with Yamma anchoring the backline. Yamma earned All-AMCC honors as a sophomore, junior and a senior.  She was selected as both the Behrend women's soccer and the AMCC MVP in 1999. That same season, Yamma guided the team to its first ECAC playoff win, adding to the program's trend setting success.

Yamma, a McDowell High School graduate, is the Director of Athletic Communications and Sports Marketing at Allegheny College.