Shippensburg University hosted its 40th annual Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Friday. Alumni, coaches, families and friends were in attendance to welcome the inductees to the illustrious group.

The 2025 inductees were Ray Ellis ’53, Keri Hopkins Gehring ’01, Mark Murphy ’07, Amanda Raudabaugh Geier ’12, Briana Schwartz ’14, Katrina Spratford-Sterling ’13 and Matt Wright ’10.

The ceremony began with SU Athletic Director Jeff Michaels welcoming everyone, followed by Pastor Hunter Prough providing the invocation. University President Charles Patterson took to the stage, thanking everyone for attending and praising the athletes for their continued support.

Ray Ellis, class of 1953, was the first athlete honored. He was the starting fullback and linebacker for four seasons, serving as co-captain in his senior year. The team was undefeated in each of Ellis’s last two seasons, leading all Pennsylvania college teams in scoring in 1953. His daughter Laura accepted the honor, recalling just how special Shippensburg was to him and how thrilled she was to receive the invitation to join the hall.

Next was Keri Hopkins Gehring, class of 2001. Gehring is one of two Raiders all-time to earn All-America honors in each of her four seasons. She sits third in school history with 167 career goals and 230 career points. She spoke about a high school counselor once saying college was not a good idea for her, but she continued to pursue her interests.

Mark Murphy, class of 2007, followed Gehring. Murphy qualified for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in all four of his seasons as a Raider, one of only two wrestlers in school history to do so. He ranks third all-time at Shippensburg with 34 career falls. He thanked all the coaches and teammates who helped him along the way.

The fourth inductee was Amanda Raudabaugh Geier, class of 2012. Geier still holds the all-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record in both the indoor and outdoor 800 meters. She is a nine-time conference champion and won a national title as part of the 2011 distance medley relay. She praised coach Steve Spence for changing her training routine before her sophomore season, putting her on a path for success.

Briana Schwartz, class of 2014, was honored for her field hockey prowess. Schwartz was the first Raider to be named NFHCA Division II National Player of the Year, doing so twice. She is the all-time school leader in assists at 45 and scored the game-winning goal in the 2013 NCAA Division II National Championship game, earning SU’s first-ever NCAA title. She emotionally remembered former teammate Amanda Strous for paving the way at her position.

Another track star honored was Katrina Spratford-Sterling, class of 2013. She earned eight All-American honors in her time at SU across cross country and track. She placed third overall in the 2012 NCAA Division II National Cross Country Championships and went on to represent Team USA five times. Matt Geier, a close friend, made remarks on her behalf as she was at home in Arizona with her newborn son.

The final inductee was Matt Wright, class of 2010. Wright’s 333 career strikeouts still lead the PSAC, and his 22 wins are third in SU history. He was the winning arm for SU’s first College World Series win, throwing a complete game and striking out 15. He spoke about losing his love of baseball after his career ended, but he was brought to tears as he thanked his sons for rekindling his love of the game.

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