2025 Hall of Fame Inductees

Jason was born in 1966 in Latrobe, PA and was raised in both Derry Borough, during his childhood years, and in Bradenville, PA.  during his teen years.  He played football for the Derry Area Midget program, Derry Junior High School, and was a member of the 1982 and 1983 High School football teams who won a combined 17 games and the Keystone Conference Championship in 1983.

Following High School, he played college football as a defensive back for both California University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), graduating in 1988 from IUP. 

Immediately following graduating from IUP he was hired by U.S. Department of Justice as an ATF Agent.  His 25-year career in the United States Justice Department focused on leading difficult investigations related to violent crimes, fraud, and anti-terrorism through work with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

High profile investigations include participation on evidence collection teams at the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing, the crash of United Flight 93 on 911, and as ATF Team Leader on the internationally renowned Pizza Bomber case as illustrated in the Netflix Docu-series “Evil Genius”. 

In addition, he served as a member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), on ATF’s National Response Team (NRT), and as an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia.

After retiring from federal law enforcement, he was hired as an Assistant Professor at Gannon University in Erie, PA.  For 9 years he taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in Criminal Justice and Leadership. 

While teaching at Gannon University he earned his PhD in Organizational Leadership focusing his dissertation on the leadership development and leadership philosophy of United States Navy SEALs.  His research was a qualitative study that included interviewing SEAL team members in search of themes in relation to leadership development in childhood, adolescence and adulthood, as well as their leadership philosophy on the battlefield.

Through his combination of experiences as a Special Agent in the United States Justice Department, as an Assistant Professor in higher education, and through his Ph.D. research of the leadership practices of Navy SEALs he offers rare insight of proper leader development, philosophy, and culture that can apply to public services, private businesses, and personal growth.

Jason is the author of the book Chaos and Pain, The ATF and Navy SEAL Blueprint for Leadership Development, released in November of 2024, that summarizes his leadership experiences as an athlete, in law enforcement, and from Navy SEALs to assist individuals and organizations apply proper leadership philosophy.  

Jeremy Feldbusch is a 1997 graduate of Derry Area High School.  During his time in school Jeremy enjoyed playing football and wrestling, becoming a state champion in his senior year of freestyle.  He enjoyed all his science classes and at one time considered becoming a doctor.

After finishing his bachelor’s in biology at the University of Pittsburgh, Jeremy decided to pursue his lifelong dream of joining the military.  He became an Army Ranger with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, graduating first in his class. Jeremy’s unit was sent to secure the Haditha Dam on the Euphrates River. While patrolling, an incoming artillery round detonated about 10 meters away from Jeremy, and a piece of shrapnel hit him on the right side of his head.  He lost his right eye immediately, damaged the optic nerve of his left eye and the shrapnel embedded in the left frontal lobe of his brain.

Jeremy spent six weeks in a medically induced coma as doctors worked to remove the shrapnel and insert a titanium mesh plate in his cranium. When he finally woke from the coma at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, he was completely blind and has lingering effects of his brain damage, including seizure activity. Although it has been an adjustment, Jeremy considers himself lucky to be alive and believes God had a bigger plan for his life.

Part of this plan unfolded when he became a co-founder of the Wounded Warrior Project, a group that helps to raise awareness for the needs of injured service members.  Jeremy became the first national spokesperson for the project and through his story, has influenced countless lives.  Because of Jeremy’s engaging personality and confidence, he has had speaking engagements at the U.S. Senate, at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and at the United Nations, helping enact legislation- “Wounded Warrior Bill” Insurance for US Military Members, and at the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission- Hunting for the Blind with Licensed Sighted Partner.

Jeremy has been awarded:

• Purple Heart

• Bronze Star with Valor

• MSG William “Chief” Carlson Tomahawk Medal

• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

• National Defense Medal

• Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award – University of Pittsburgh- the youngest person to receive this honor at the age of 30 years old.

• Champions of Change Award – US White House

Since his injury, Jeremy has continued to participate in various sports such as fishing, skiing, and camping. He has become owner of NEIE Medical Waste Services, which is a veteran owned company and employs veterans, encouraging them to be utilize their skills outside of the military.  Outside of all of these accomplishments, Jeremy is a family man.  He is married and has three beautiful children who inspire him to continue dreaming big dreams.

Jeremy’s determination is unmatched and has allowed him to overcome many adversities while also giving him the courage to always his fellow comrades.  Jeremy truly lives by the Ranger creed and will continue to “lead the way.”

Rob Vadas is a renowned and distinguished healthcare entrepreneur and innovator in post-operative orthopedic care, has amassed over 40 years of experience in long-term care since beginning his career in 1974. As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arbor Rehabilitation and Healthcare Services Inc., he has been instrumental in providing contract therapy services and consultations to various healthcare facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and outpatient agencies. With his ownership and leadership in several esteemed post-op orthopedic companies, including Avalon Rehabilitation and Healthcare, Sage Rehabilitation, Arbor and Aspen Rehabilitation Therapy, and his knowledge as an Arbor expert witness, Rob, along with his wife Bonny and son Luke Vadas, employs over 1,000 licensed therapists and assistants.

Through his leadership, Rob has significantly influenced geriatric rehabilitation, blending compassionate care with innovative strategies to enhance patient outcomes. Rob also instills insistence that there is no substitute for embracing helpful clinical and technological advances while retaining an old-style, hands-on caring approach. In our current dynamic health care environment, you need more than a good therapy program. Your therapy provider needs to be an experienced partner in a variety of clinical settings, able to provide a proven, systematic approach that helps you manage today’s challenges.

Rob has consistently emphasized a patient-centered approach, advocating for therapists to "treat every client and patient as if they are your mother or father." He champions the integration of clinical and technological advancements with traditional hands-on care, ensuring that Arbor Rehabilitation remains responsive to the evolving healthcare landscape.

Arbor pairs a commitment to strong clinical outcomes with fiscal responsibility in all our venues.

·         Authentic

·         Responsive

·         Brilliant Staff

·         Operationally Sound

·         Reliable

During his time at Derry Area High School, Rob excelled not only academically but also as a scholar-athlete, lettering in both track and cross country. He was also actively involved in the student council, showcasing his leadership abilities.

Mr. Vadas remains active within the Derry Area School District. Rob created the Rob and Bonny Young- Vadas Foundation and strongly believes in supporting Derry Area students who possess a genuine desire to give back to their communities through volunteerism and contributions to the healthcare industry.  His foundation has established the Rob and Bonny Young-Vadas Foundation Scholarship, which aims to assist a graduating Derry Area student who has been accepted into a state-accredited program (B.S. or M.S.) for a degree in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, or as a Licensed Assistant.

Rob also remains committed to the Derry Area School District Foundation as he has sponsored the Alumni & Friends Golf Outing each of its first three years of its existence.

William Shaffer graduated from Derry Area High School in 1966 and immediately began his career with the Austin Company, an architectural firm in Cleveland, OH. Later that same year, he accepted a drafting position with Kennametal in Latrobe. In 1968, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving a four-year tour before returning to Kennametal in 1971. Over the next three decades, he advanced through the company, spending his final ten years as Manager of Manufacturing Systems, a corporate-level engineering group.

In 1999, Shaffer left Kennametal to pursue his entrepreneurial vision, founding Conicity Technologies in 2000. His company quickly gained recognition as an industry leader in the field of micro-geometry, specializing in precision edge control for cutting tools and finished products. In 2006, Conicity was recognized by the Department of Defense for developing technology critical to the nation’s defense and was invited to join the National Center for Defense Machining and Manufacturing (NCDMM), an exclusive group of companies designated for their defense-related innovations.

Over the course of his career, Shaffer invented and developed the technology underlying fifteen U.S. patents, including two of his most recent patents awarded in 2020 (Canada) and 2021 (U.S.) for skate blade burr removal technology. His contributions have had far-reaching applications in automotive, aerospace, medical, and sporting industries. His skate blade technology, introduced in 2016, has since been adopted by NHL and NCAA hockey programs, professional shops across North America, and will be used by Team USA and Team Canada in the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Shaffer has been an invited keynote speaker and presenter at numerous national and international conferences, including the Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Industrial Diamond Association, and the International Deburring Conference at Berkeley. He has also delivered technical presentations for major corporations such as Ford, General Motors, Honda, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney.

In addition, he has collaborated with universities around the world, mentoring Ph.D. students at institutions such as the University of Michigan, Michigan Technological University, Chalmers University in Sweden, the University of Hong Kong, and Laval University in Canada. His research has been published in trade magazines, peer-reviewed journals, and global technical periodicals across the United States, Europe, and Asia, including work associated with Canadian government-funded climate change projects.

Through his lifelong dedication to research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, William Shaffer has established himself as a pioneer in precision technology whose work continues to impact industries worldwide.

Chad Amond was named President and CEO of the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce in 2011. Under Mr. Amond's leadership, the chamber grew significantly, representing over 1000 members and is dedicated to supporting, encouraging and advancing responsible business development. Chad was responsible for implementing the organization’s strategic plan, identifying opportunities to increase membership value, managing day-to-day business operations, and serving as the organization’s spokesperson and principal communicator.

Previously, he served as President of the Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce. Under his guidance, the organization grew to become one of the largest and most influential business associations in Allegheny County representing over 725 companies in Monroeville and across Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs. Prior to his service as a Chamber of Commerce executive, Chad served as the key communications and marketing executive at Forbes hospital in Monroeville PA and held several senior level positions in the field of sports marketing and management, most notably with the Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers, and at Pittsburgh Mellon Arena.

Chad earned his BA degree in Communication from Slippery Rock University, his MBA from Seton Hill University and attained certification from the Institute for Organization Management at Villanova University through the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Chad has been recognized professionally many times, most notably by PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE as one of Pittsburgh's 40 under 40 and by PA BUSINESS CENTRAL as one of their ‘Top 100’. He also received the Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award from Seton Hill University and the Economic Growth Connection Lifetime Achievement Award. Chad is also a graduate of the highly competitive Leadership Pittsburgh Program and the PA Business Councils Executive Leaders Program.

Chad was a board member for many community organizations and advisory councils including Westmoreland County Community College, Pennsylvania Foundation for Free Enterprise, Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Professionals, Chambers of Commerce Service Corporation, and the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland. In addition, Chad was a radio host of the Westmoreland Business Journal which aired on WCNS 1480AM and Westmoreland Community Connection which aired on WHJB107.1FM.

In March of 2020, at the age of 45, Chad was diagnosed with a disease called Primary Progressive Aphasia, a rare form of dementia that deteriorates the parts of the brain that are responsible for speech and language. This disease forced him to step away from his career in 2022. Chad and his family are still fighting this debilitating and heinous disease which has robbed him completely of his speech, affected his understanding of language and diminished his cognitive ability.

Chad and his wife, Amy, have lived in Westmoreland County for 24 years and raised four wonderful children. Maddie, age 23, is married to her husband, Ian, and they reside in Latrobe PA. where Maddie is employed in the Greater Latrobe School District; Katie, 19 years old, is a sophomore at WVU and is studying Finance; Alex, age 16, is a junior at Greater Latrobe Sr High School; and Abby, 13 years old, is an 8th grader at Greater Latrobe Jr High School.

Dow Carnahan grew up in New Alexandria.  He was a 1978 graduate of Derry Area High School and attended Westminster College, graduating in 1982.  He was a three-sport athlete (Golf, Basketball, Volleyball) at Derry Area and transferred his love for sports into a radio and broadcast career at the onset of college.  He began his career in 1984, announcing races at the Motordome Speedway in Smithton, PA.  He also served as the voice for the Pittsburgh Motor Speedway for 27 years. Dow also called races at Lernerville Speedway until his untimely death in April 2016.  He served at local radio station 1480 WCNS in Latrobe in several capacities, including news anchor, talk show host, and operations manager, for more than 30 years. 

Dow is most likely best known for his ability to be the play-by-play voice for Greater Latrobe Football and Basketball, and St. Vincent College men’s and women’s hoops, and Bearcat football for several seasons.   His piping and articulate voice captured listeners all around the community and beyond.

Dow earned several awards along the way by the Pennsylvania and National Association of Broadcaster’s, including his posthumous induction into the P.A.B. Hall of Fame in 2017, and his induction into the Circle Track H.O.F. in 2012.   The community he loved and served wholeheartedly also named him as the first recipient of the Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Award in 2016.  As a result of his long-time commitment to news and sports, WCNS named their broadcast booth in Dow’s honor.  

Growing up in a Polish immigrant family in the melting pot community of Brenizer, Louis V. Kasperik worked hard inside and outside the classroom. He earned varsity letters in basketball and football at Derry Township High School and served as an officer in the National Honor Society and the Science Club.

After graduating from Derry Township in 1937, Kasperik enrolled at Duquesne University. Playing for legendary coach Charles “Chick” Davies, Kasperik and the other stars of Duquesne’s Class of 1941 basketball squad (Moe Becker, Rudy Debnar, Ed Milkovich, and Paul Widowitz) started and played almost every minute of their sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. Christened the “Iron Dukes” by an opposing coach, Kasperik and his teammates compiled a 51-10 record during their three seasons of varsity play. At the end of their junior season, the Dukes accepted invitations to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first squad to compete in both championships in one year. The team had solid showings in both tourneys, losing to Colorado in the NIT final and to eventual champion Indiana in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. 

In addition to his athletic honors, Kasperik earned academic acclaim in Duquesne’s School of Pharmacy, where his 4.0 grade point average ranked first in the class. Kasperik was elected to the Duquesne University Sports Hall of Fame in 1968 and recognized as a Distinguished University Graduate in 1974.

After graduation, Kasperik joined the World Champion Detroit Eagles.  After only a season of play, however, his basketball career was cut short when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in September of 1942.  He put his pharmacy skills to use in the medical corps of the 80th Infantry Division of Patton’s Third Army, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service. 

After the war, Kasperik turned down professional playing contracts with multiple NBA teams and the opportunity to succeed Davies as head coach at Duquesne. Instead, he returned to Derry to become a pharmacist and raise his family. In the decades that followed, the name Kasperik Pharmacy became synonymous with honesty, integrity, and service to the community. No matter where he was–behind the counter at work or sitting in the stands at Derry Area sporting events–Kasperik always dressed in a crisp white shirt, suit jacket, and necktie. In addition to operating the Pharmacy, Kasperik committed himself to contributing to and improving the surrounding area. Until he retired in 1982, he was known in the community for opening his pharmacy after hours and making personal deliveries of medicine and other supplies to families with sick children. As Chairman of the Board of Latrobe Area Hospital from 1988-1991, he was instrumental in the early development of the home health services program, which resulted in a highly successful delivery model that served thousands of people.

In addition to his 46 years of service on the hospital board, Kasperik held the following leadership posts in community organizations and service groups: President of the Duquesne University School of Pharmacy Alumni Association; Member of the Board of Governors of Duquesne University; Director of Southwest National Bank of Greensburg, PA; Vice President of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 1982); National Commander of the 80th Division Veterans Association; Charter Member and President of the Derry Area Development Association; Charter Member and President of the Derry Area Business and Professional Association; and Charter Member of the Derry Area Steering Committee.  Kasperik spent many additional years serving the community as an active member of the organizations he once chaired. He played a significant role in the development of Derry's Community Center, its senior housing development, the town's swimming pool, and other recreational facilities in the borough and township. In 1987, he gifted to Derry Borough his former Pharmacy building, which was used to host city council meetings and other government functions for many years thereafter.

Interviewed by the Tribune-Review upon receiving the Latrobe Area Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award in 2012, he reflected: “I've always felt if you are in a position to help someone, you do it, because indirectly you are helping yourself. I've got as much, if not more, by giving. It's made me feel good that I could help people.”

Ruby Markle was a graduate of Derry Township High School. Because of her early introduction to music—violin, piano, and saxophone—she went on to college, majoring in music. After graduation, she became the music supervisor of the Derry Township schools. The principal gave her a map, and she traveled the 100 square miles to 27 one-room schools to teach music. At the time, there was no instrumental instructor, so she began teaching violin and soon had 55 violin students. She organized the first orchestra, which rehearsed after school, and also formed the first school chorus.

After teaching for four years, she left to get married and raise her two children. When she returned, she taught one year in a one-room school. She recalled having to arrive early to fire up the coal stove so the room would be warm when the children arrived. After that year, she went back to teaching music. She said the program had fallen apart, so she had to start all over again. Soon, the senior high chorus, band, orchestra, and elementary chorus were thriving. Believing that the county should do more to support music programs, she approached the assistant county superintendent about forming a countywide music association. A meeting of all music teachers was held, and the Westmoreland County Music Educators Association was born. Mrs. Markle served as secretary for many years. Decades later, the organization continues to hold festivals for chorus and band students in grades six through twelve.

Mrs. Markle recognized that boys often thought it was “sissy” to sing, so she persuaded several football players to join the choir. It worked, and soon she had all the boys she needed. As time went on, she felt students needed more than just two concerts a year, so she introduced musicals as an after-school activity. She directed the first school musical in Westmoreland County. Before long, most of the schools in the county followed suit. Today, in the spring, you can attend a different school musical almost every weekend.

Wanting her students to experience Broadway musicals firsthand, Mrs. Markle took them to New York City. The first year, she led six busloads of students and chaperones to see Broadway shows, visit Radio City Music Hall, and enjoy a boat ride around Manhattan.

In addition to teaching, Mrs. Markle was active in the Quota Club, which provided refurbished hearing aids to those in need. She directed her church choir for many years and also taught Sunday School. After retirement, she was elected to the school board and served a term as vice president. She volunteered as a PAL in the schools, served as an advisor to the Westmoreland County Intermediate Unit, and was a member of the Derry Area Recreation Board.

Mrs. Markle loved the Derry Area School District. She believed its educators and students were very special. The last five years of her teaching career were spent teaching English in the junior high. She made this change so a young music teacher in the district could step into her shoes. She began teaching in 1936 and retired in 1974. Over the years, more than 40,000 students passed through her classrooms, and she cared deeply for every one of them. Her students, in turn, remember her as a very special teacher.

Eileen Huston grew up in Brenizer and graduated from Derry Township High School in 1953. She began taking piano lessons as a young girl and progressed quickly. In seventh and eighth grade, she attended school in Hillside. There, she and her teacher, Mrs. Short, would have dueling piano days where the two could “show off” their piano skills for the other students. She remembered that the students loved it and would often sing along. 

All through high school, she served as the accompanist for the choirs, which included accompanying All-State and All-County Chorus events. During her senior year (1953), Derry Township High School hosted All-State chorus and Eileen was the accompanist. The guest conductor was the arranger for the Fred Waring singers and Shirley Jones, who was a senior at one of the participating high schools, was selected as a soloist. Ruby Markle, the choir director at Derry Township, shared that the guest conductor told her Eileen was the finest accompanist he’d ever worked with. Mrs. Markle was the person who inspired and pushed Eileen to pursue music. Because of her, Eileen went to Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. 

Eileen had perfect pitch, and her college choir director would rely on her to hum the starting pitches for the a capella choir. One of the mementos found among her files included an a capella concert program with her notes of all the starting pitches for each piece. Beyond that, what made Eileen so gifted as an accompanist was her ability to instantly transpose music to a different key as it was being played, as well as her ability to improvise. These gifts were especially valuable when accompanying soloists who needed a piece played in a key other than what was provided in the musical score, or when a soloist skipped a phrase or verse mid-solo. 

At the age of 14, Eileen had her first professional job as the church organist for Hillside Methodist Church. While she got her professional start at a young age, her adult career began in the classroom as a music teacher. After leaving the classroom to raise her children, she taught piano lessons out of her home and worked as a church organist and choir accompanist—retiring at age 87.  After her children were grown, Eileen returned to Otterbein as an adjunct professor in the Music Department where she accompanied students and faculty for recitals as well as accompanying students who were auditioning for the music theater department. As an adjunct professor, Eileen also gave her own yearly faculty recital. During her time at Otterbein as a faculty member, she also served as the co-musical director (and performer) in two summer theater productions: Forever Plaid and The 1940’s Radio Hour. In addition to Otterbein, for several years she also worked as staff accompanist at Capital University.

Beyond the church and academia, Eileen enjoyed her time as a collaborative pianist. She performed with Columbus Light Opera, vocalist Roberta Ricci in Kansas City, Kansas and Naples, Florida, as well as vocalist and recording artist Johnny Steiner in Columbus, Ohio. She also performed with the Lake George Opera in Saratoga Springs, New York and for the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For many years she participated as the accompanist for the Opera in the School’s program with Opera Columbus. Along with all of these experiences, one of her greatest joys was teaching piano to her grandchildren or accompanying her grand-daughter (and Ruby Markle’s great-granddaughter), who is pursuing her own career in music on flute and piano.

Eileen’s musical legacy began in Derry, Pennsylvania, and was inspired by her mentor and friend, Ruby Markle, but her passion for music has been woven through the lives of her family and the many friends and colleagues who had the opportunity to share and experience her love for music first-hand.

David Clayton, class of 1979, was a valuable member of the Trojan track teams of 1977 through 1979. In this time span, Clayton performed admirably in the events that he participated in. High jump and triple jump were his specialties, and in his junior season of 1978, Clayton claimed both WPIAL and PIAA High Jump gold for Derry Area. His winning jump of 6’10” was enough to win a state title, despite jumping 6’10.25” to win his WPIAL crown.

Clayton was the first Derry Area underclassman to win a state track title. His record jump stood until 1994.

David’s coach, Carl Albaugh, commented that Clayton “Set the standard for other team members to follow.”

He added, “During his senior season, the underclassmen grew to model his form because of his hard work and dedication to attend all practices and keep improving.”

“David’s prowess helped the team tremendously over his high school career,” Albaugh exclaimed.

David grew up in Brenizer and now resides in Bradenville. He has worked for the GBC Corporation for 43 years. David is married, has three sons, and one granddaughter

Ken Hackman, class of 1984, is a WPIAL champion and a PIAA 3rd place finisher at 185 pounds in his senior season at Derry Area before earning his first All-American award by placing 6th in the country at the Junior National Freestyle Wrestling tournament.  Ken did not start wrestling until the 9th grade, but he was a Jr. High Section I and Area III champion that very first season.  Ken finished his 3-year H.S. career with 95 wins, 2 section Championships, a County Championship, a WPIAL Championship, and 3rd in the PIAA.  In addition to wrestling, Ken played football at Derry, earning all-section honors his senior season while the team was Keystone Conference Champions.

Hackman began wrestling in college at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a freshman starter at 177 lbs., earning a 4th place freshman All-American ranking (Amateur Wrestling News, March 1985). Ken would go on to transfer to California University of PA, where he would wrestle at 190 lbs. the next 3 seasons.  In 1987, as a Sophomore, Hackman was a Div. II National runner-up (Div. II All-American) and Div. I 8th place (Div. I All-American) (Cal U’s second ever and Derry’s first).  The next season he would go on to win the PSAC Championship and become Cal U’s and Derry’s first ever NCAA Wrestling National Champion, winning the 1988 DII 190 lb. National Championship. In the 1989 season, Ken would repeat as PSAC and Div. II Champion finishing his Cal U career with a 101-10 win/loss record.  

Ken was the Derry Area HS head wrestling coach from 1993-2000.  In 1999, Ken coached Mike May to the PIAA Class AAA 119 lb. championship, becoming Derry’s first in wrestling. The team also won the 2000 AAA Section I championship.  From 2022 to 2024, Ken also coached the Derry Area Jr. High team to a 40-3 record.

In addition to the Derry Area Hall of Fame for athletics, Ken has been elected to the California University of PA Athletic H.O.F. (1996), Div. II National H.O.F. (2003), and Western PA Wrestling H.O.F. (2024).

Hackman has been an educator at his alma mater for 32 years, teaching both Social Studies and Technology Education.

He and his wife, Melissa, reside in Derry Township and have 2 daughters, Maya and Grace.

In times when all high school boys’ volleyball teams played in one classification, the 1994 and 1995 Trojans added another couple of chapters to the school’s already storied successes. 1994 was a season that began with a couple of second place tourney finishes at North Allegheny and Derry Area respectively, the ’94 Trojans would lose their first section match of the season against highly touted Penn Hills. At the always extremely competitive York tournament, they finished in a four-way tie for fifth place.

As the season progressed, the team, coached by Hall of Famer Rich Schall started to get going in a full throttle upward trajectory. The Trojans finished with a (11-1) match record and a (34-3) game mark. After defeating Shaler in the opening round of the playoffs, Derry Area fell to Penn Hills in the semifinal round, setting up a consolation match for the right to move onto the state tourney. The Trojans bested the Baldwin Highlanders in two closely contested matches to move on.

In the PIAA tournament, the Trojans finished pool play with three victories against some of the state’s top-notch teams. In the quarterfinals they upended Pennsbury, the District 1 champion. In the semifinal, Derry Area upset District 7 champ North Allegheny in a match that some viewed as the best in the tournament. Final match scores were (15-13), (13-15) & (15-11). In the final, the Trojans fell to powerhouse Hempfield from District 3 by scores of (8-15) & (11-15).

Schall was proud of the season and knew the future looked bright for the following season of 1995.

“At the beginning of the season, very few people would have predicted a state runners-up finish, but a very determined group of young men made that a reality,” Schall added.

Coming off a PIAA silver medal season, the Trojans were primed for success in ’95. The team played in five invitational tournaments, capturing three titles and finishing as the runners-up on the other two occasions. The most impressive of those tourney championships was the 20-team York Panther Classic, which included all the state’s top ranked teams.

In section play, the Trojans finished with an unblemished (14-0) record and landed a (42-2) overall game mark. In the WPIAL playoffs they swept Upper St. Clair and Penn Hills before falling short of WPIAL gold falling to North Allegheny in two straight games.

In the PIAA playoffs, the Trojans leaned on their experience from the prior season. They first had to get through the Regional and had (2-0) straight wins each over Cochranton and Cambridge Springs out of District 10, and again defeating Penn Hills to advance to state pool play. It was there where the Trojans dominated. They swept District 11 Parkland and District 1 champion Souderton in two straight games. Then in the rematch with WPIAL champ North Allegheny, Derry Area won in three games with the scores of (15-9), (8-15), (15-7) punching a ticket to the semifinals, where they kept rolling with another three-game match win over Warwick. In the final, the Trojans cruised past Baldwin (15-9) and (15-5) to capture the state crown. Of the eight teams in the PIAA field, Derry Area had the smallest enrollment yet persevered and claimed gold.