Allegheny College Athletics

The year 2015 marks the Bicentennial of the founding of Allegheny College, an institution that has continued to prosper as a pillar for higher education for two centuries. Athletics have been a major part of Allegheny's history since its founding, and we are proud to present our series 200 for 200, a list of 200 of the most memorable athletes, coaches, teams, seasons, and moments in the school's athletic history. From the early sightings of track and baseball in the 1880's through the most recent championships and All-Americans, we hope that it highlights the wealth of athletic tradition at Allegheny College, while also bringing back some memories.

The list was determined by a committee of five individuals who have over 160 years of connection to the College and Gator athletics. The committee met regularly, and conducted in-depth research of the entire history of all athletic programs offered by Allegheny, both past and present.

A major source of information during the process was "Through the Years - A History of Allegheny College," an all-encompassing book by official Allegheny historian Dr. Jonathan Helmreich that was published in 2005. The committee also pored through the athletic department's collection of meticulously kept archives of each sport dating back to the late 1800's, while also utilizing a number of websites, particularly those of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (www.pacathletics.org) and the North Coast Athletic Conference (www.northcoast.org).

This collection of 200 moments is not meant to be a definitive, all-inclusive list of the top moments in Allegheny athletic history. Instead, the committee hopes that it serves the purpose of providing a chronological history of Gator sports, while highlighting the noteworthy accomplishments of Allegheny athletics. Each item included certainly holds a special place in the school's history, but the thousands of student-athletes who have competed for Allegheny have woven too rich a fabric for a definitive "Top 200."

With that said, the committee is sure to have missed an event or two that can be deemed a memorable moment. You can submit your memories HERE. It will be passed on to the committee for possible inclusion in an addendum later this year. 

The committee hopes that you have as much fun looking back on the history of Gator sports as we had while conducting the research. We also hope that you are as excited as we are to begin another chapter of Gator memories that will no doubt add to Allegheny's rich and storied history.


Follow the links below for a historical look at Gator athletics. Let the memories begin!

1880-1929: The Early Days
Baseball and track are the first sports on campus, a legendary figure begins his career in Meadville, the first women's sport is sponsored, and basketball has a record-breaking run.

1930-49: The Expansion Era
Sports are added at a record pace, a score of teams get a new home, a Hall of Famer returns to Allegheny, and a pair of women make history.

1950-69: An Era of Stars
Gator athletics moves into a new hub, a football star is drafted into the NFL, wrestling evolves into a conference power, and baseball enjoys a dominating decade.

1970-79: Becoming a Powerhouse
Baseball continues to thrive, Gator football enjoys a golden era, Joan Lange makes history, and Allegheny sees its first national champions.

1980-89: A Time of Prosperity
Allegheny sees six NCAA championships, softball and basketball become national powers, the Gators find a new conference, and football begins its ascent.

1990-99: Continuing to Roll
Football opens the 90's with a historic season, baseball dominates through the decade, track and cross country churn out All-Americans and conference champs at a dizzying pace, and a Gator evolves into the top pitcher in college softball.

2000-09: A New Century
A pair of divers make history, a future Olympian dominates in the pole vault, women's golf announces its presence in a big way, the stadium gets a new makeover, and the men's cross country team turns in a decade for the record books.

2010-15: The Tradition Continues
Women's soccer makes noise on the national front, a track and cross country superstar turns in a career for the ages, a coach reaches a historic milestone, football captures a monumental win, and an alumna leads the lacrosse team to a record-breaking season.