Hall of Fame
Widely regarded by his peers as one of the best defensive catchers in Allegheny baseball history, Ron Levea '72 was a field general who played an invaluable role on four PAC championship teams.
More than just a standout behind the plate, Levea served as the team's de facto pitching coach. His batterymates credit him with helping refine pitching mechanics, and his tremendous baseball IQ helped cultivate one of the top staffs in the PAC. Twice during Levea's tenure, the Gators posted the lowest earned-run average in the conference, with a 1.83 ERA against PAC foes in 1970 and a 1.40 ERA in 1972.
Levea caught all but five innings as a freshman and every inning the team played 1970 and 1971, before splitting time at first base during his senior season. Known primarily for his defensive abilities, Levea batted a career-high .316 as a junior and was second on the team with 19 RBIs over a 16-game schedule.
Across four winning seasons, the Gators were 37-16 against conference opponents and won the league title outright three times. Levea, originally from Kenmore, New York, was recognized as an All-PAC First Team selection at catcher in 1970, 1971, and 1972.
