Find athletes who were raised, who worked, or who performed in and brought lasting fame to Montgomery County, as well as those who brought similar recognition to the county or state through their contributions to sports in other capacities.
Lisa Salters
Year Inducted:2017
Lisa is an internationally renowned award winning journalist. Her career features in-the-moment first hand reporting across a sweeping variety of personalities, cultures and underlying issues. While most recognize Lisa for her Sports Emmy nominated and Gracie Award winning sports reporting, Lisa also travelled the world to bring stories from the Middle East, Italy, Haiti, and even the OJ Simpson Trial. As a basketball star for the Upper Merion Vikings and a guard for the Penn State Lady Lions basketball team Lisa embodied all the attributes of a natural leader. Lisa is currently a sideline reporter for NBA Basketball and ESPN's Monday Night Football. Lisa won a Gracie Award from the Association for Women in Radio and Television for best feature in 2009 and a Sports Emmy nomination for the touching story “Ray of Hope” in 2008. She traveled to Haiti for a powerful story on the U17 national women’s soccer team just months after the country was devastated by an earthquake in 2010. As a reporter for ESPN and ESPN on ABC since 2000 Lisa covered the O.J. Simpson murder case for ABC and reported worldwide for ESPN. Lisa also provided a series of reports from the Middle East prior to the Iraq War, hosted ESPN's coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics from Turin, Italy and coverage of the 2002 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
Tony Resch
Year Inducted:2017
Named to the National Lacrosse League (NLL) Hall of Fame in 2008. At Yale University he was a two-time All-American and three-time All-Ivy League. Tony won a Gold Medal in the 1990 World Lacrosse Championship in Perth, Australia, was an assistant coach for the Gold Medal winning US National Team in 2010, and recently led the 2015 U.S. men's national indoor team to a Bronze medal at the FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. Tony was captain of the MILL Championship Philadelphia Wings teams in the 1989 season and 1990 seasons and was also head coach of the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League from 1994 to 2001. As head coach he led the Wings to four MILL Championships, and as an assistant coach won three MILL championships with the Chesapeake Bayhawks (2003, 2012-13). Tony is currently a coach at LaSalle College High School where the Explorers have won four state titles in 12 years, and have won 19 of last 23 Philadelphia Catholic League Championships, he is also a coach of the US National Lacrosse team.
Lisa Ortlip Cornish
Year Inducted:2017
Led Norristown High School to the Pennsylvania Girls State Basketball Championship in 1977 and was named to the PA State All-Tournament team. Played basketball and volleyball all four years at Villanova and was selected to the All-Big 5 Basketball Team in her sophomore, junior and senior years going to the final four in 1982. Inducted into the Inaugural Big Five Hall of Fame, and the NAHS Hall of Champions in 1989. Voted MVP for Wildcats in the 1979-1980 and 1981-1982 seasons. Currently holds 13 Nova Women’s basketball records including 3rd all-time scoring leader, 2nd all-time leading rebounder, and blocked-shot leader for the season and her career and was Inducted into Villanova's Basketball Hall of Fame in June 1988. Coached Bishop Kenrick High School volleyball team for five years winning the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship in 1986. Head basketball coach at Ursinus College for 16 years and led them to Tri-Champion of the Southeast Middle Atlantic Conference. Six years as head volleyball coach at Ursinus. As a player won the 2017 US Senior Women’s Basketball Gold Medal and the 2013 and 2017 Senior National Games for Volleyball.
Susan Francia
Year Inducted:2017
2 Time Olympic Rowing Gold Medalist, 5 time national champion. She was the US Rowing Female Athlete of the Year and won multiple championships with the University of Penn and the US Women's National Team. Susan won a U.S. National Team Gold Medal with the 2012 Olympic Team in London, England and with the 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing, China. She won the Remenham Cup at the 2011 and 2006 Henley Royal Regatta. At the FISA World Rowing Championships in 2006 she won the gold medal in the women's eight with a new world's best time of 5:55.50. Susan also won the championship eight at the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2012 Head of the Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Mass.
Fran Murphy
Year Inducted:2017
Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame. Two Suburban One championships at Upper Merion High School and ninety-six wins over 15 seasons. Twice honored as Football Coach of the Year. Upper Merion High 1971 and 1972 Suburban League championships, and piloted the Pennsylvania Big 33 squad to a 21-19 victory over Archie Griffin led Ohio team in 1973. A 35-year Upper Merion faculty member, Murphy led his varsity team to a 96-51-4 record over 15 seasons (a .653 winning percentage). In 1999, two decades after retiring as Upper Merion head coach, he was named Honorary Coach at the Montgomery County All-Star Football Game.
Richard Springman
Year Inducted:2017
Pennsylvania State Wrestling Champion 1997. All-State; 1994, '95, '96, '97. 3rd place nationally in 1997. 1st Team USA Wrestling Academic All-American. HS 149 – 15 and a record for most wins in a season – 42. Sixth all-time winner in PA HS wrestling history. 1st Team USA Wrestling Academic All-American, 1997; Academic All-American NHSCA, 1996; NHSCA All-American, 1997; Amateur Wrestling News All-American, 1997. Three time captain at the University of Penn. Two time NCAA semi-finalist. University of Penn NCAA All-American, NWCA Academic All-American, Three time captain of Penn; 1999 Penn State Open Champion; two time All-Ivy League; 1998 Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Two time selection to NWCA All-Star Wrestling Classic; 5th place in World Trials and 2nd place in Midlands Open while wrestling for Penn. He was only the 16th four time finalist in EIWA history; two-time NCAA semi-finalist.
Hugh McGovern
Year Inducted:2017
Athletic Director at Springfield (Montco) and St. Basil's Academy for over 25 years. All-time great track and field athlete at Father Judge High School and was Inducted into Father Judge HOF (2008). Was a full scholarship track athlete at the University of Nebraska where he held numerous track and field records. Was a 1968 NCAA All American in the 4X880 relay. Was named to the All-American Track team and was a Silver medalist in the US Track and Field Championships.
Jack Ladden
Year Inducted:2017
Won 7 straight PIAA State Team Tennis Championships and 7 PA District One Championships in 9 years as coach of the Harriton High School ( Lower Merion School District) girl’s tennis team. Jack was a baseball player, coach and umpire for 50 years. He played 1st base for Lafayette College in the College World Series. After retiring at age 60 from the electrical business, he was named head coach of the Harriton HS Girls Tennis Team in 2004 and led them to the PIAA State team championship that year, followed by another 6 State team championships in a row.
Bill Leahy
Year Inducted:2017
LaSalle High School Lacrosse Coach winning four PA State Championship titles (2004, 2008, 2009 and 2013), PA State runner-up three years, and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2004. A LaSalle H.S. record of 454 wins and 98 losses. La Salle’s 2008 team was ranked #1 in the nation by US Lacrosse Magazine. He played with the Philadelphia Wings from 1994-1996 and is a member of the US Lacrosse Eastern PA HOF, Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame and LaSalle High School Hall of Fame. His coaching career began at La Salle College High School where he started the program of boys’ lacrosse and has been the only coach since 1992. He was elected Philadelphia Coach of the year in 1997 and 2004. From 1995-1996, he played forward for the Philadelphia Wings of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL). In 2010, Leahy was the first lacrosse coach to be inducted into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame, and in 2013 he was inducted into the Philadelphia Lacrosse chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He has had the privilege of coaching 250 All-Catholics, 11 League MVP’s, 50 US Lacrosse All-Americans, 5 Under Amour All-Americans, 80 All-State players, 10 Major League Lacrosse. In 2016, Bill was an assistant coach for the USA U19 lacrosse team that won a gold medal at the World Games in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. At those games Bill was recognized with by the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) with the Graham Lester Spirit of Lacrosse Award for Team USA.
Jim Serratore
Year Inducted:2017
2017 HoF “Unsung Hero Founding Advisory Board member of Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame, currently First Vice President, Chairman of volunteers for Montgomery County Amateur Golf Championship since 2004, Board of Directors member and secretary for Holy Saviour Club since 2002, overseeing expansion of the club while founding the Triple S Bocce courts and Bocce league. Joined Sister Cities Program between Norristown and Montella, Italy in 1999, became president in 2005 and has hosted high school age children from Montella on cultural exchange trips to Norristown, as well as taking high school age children from Norristown to Montella in alternate years. Board of Directors the Greater Norristown Police Athletic League 1998 through the present, coached and volunteered for West Norriton and East Norriton Biddy Basketball from 1989 through 1996, volunteer coach with East Norriton Junior Legion baseball from 1994 through 1997. Jim was a volunteer statistician for Norristown High basketball since 1998, and a volunteer assistant coach for Norristown High basketball in 2000.