2009 Inductees

Front row (L-R): Melanie Buddemeyer, Anthony Petrocelli, Jenine (Joyce) Brown. Back row (L-R): Terry Smith, Michael Caroccia, Don Ireland, Bill Rometo.
Melanie Buddemeyer
Melanie graduated from Penn Hills High School in 1984, where she was both Female Athlete of the Year and Valedictorian. She attended the University of North Carolina, earning degrees in Biology and German.
High School:
*1984 Dial National Female High School Athlete/Scholar of the Year
*1982 & 1984 Dapper Dan Female Athlete of the Year
*5 time PIAA State Champion and 8 time WPIAL Champion
*Set 5 WPIAL records (100 Butterfly record still stands)
*Set 3 PIAA records (100 Butterfly record stood 25 years)
*1983 set National High School Record (100 Butterfly)
Collegiate:
*1985 North Carolina Athlete of the Year
*NCAA All-
*8 time ACC Champion (100 & 200 Butterfly)
*UNC & ACC record holder (100 & 200 Butterfly)
*Undefeated in every dual meet/conference championship (100 & 200 Butterfly)
United States/International:
*1981 USA Swimming “Rookie of the Year”
*1984 & 1988 Olympic Trials Finalist
*1982 set World Record (400 Medley Relay)
*1982 World Championships (gold & bronze medals)
*1987 United States National Champion (200 Butterfly)
*1981 & 1983 National Sports Festival Champion
*1981 & 1982 USA/Russia Dual Meet Champion
*1985 & 1987 World University Games Champion
*1985 & 1987 Pan-
*1986 Goodwill Games finalist
*1981-
*1981-
Michael Caroccia
Mike has been a life-
As an ABC sanctioned bowler for over 50 years, Mike has bowled in 51 Greater Pittsburgh Assoc., 41 Pa. State and 51 ABC tournaments. He bowled 2 sanctioned 300 games, two 299’s, 35-
Mike was a member of Pittsburgh’s All-
Mike was All-
Don “D.I.” Ireland
Although Don “D.I.” Ireland never played a minute of organized sports; he became well-
Starting at his native Turtle Creek Area High School, Don later announced at North Catholic and Penn Hills – including several WPIAL and PIAA championship squads -
Don wrote news and sports stories for several local weekly newspapers. He won several writing awards as a reporter for the Gateway Newspaper chain in suburban Pittsburgh. Later, he became a regular contributor to The Pittsburgh Press, The Post-
In 1984, Don founded and directed the Top Cagers Girls Summer Basketball League in Turtle Creek. The league attracted hundreds of top high school and college players. Top Cagers, which grew to 46 teams and over 800 players, was the nation’s largest NCAA-
Don organized and hosted a “High School Super Team” banquet for 12 years for the East Boros Chapter. He was on the Board for many years.
Jennie (Joyce) Brown
Jenine is a 1990 graduate of Penn Hills High School and a 1995 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. She was inducted into the Penn Hills Sports Hall of Fame on April 30, 2004.
Awards and accomplishments in high school:
First player in WPIAL girl’s basketball history to start on 4 championship teams
Two time AAU Junior Olympics All-
1990 Quad A State Champs, MVP with 27 points and 11 rebounds
1980 MVP Dapper Dan Roundball Classic
Senior year, All State 1st Team
Graduated as PHHS’s All-
Awards and accomplishments in college:
4 year letter earner, Pitt Women’s Basketball
1st collegiate start, freshman year, defeated UCONN (last Pitt women’s win vs. UCONN to present)
January 1991 Big East Rookie of the Week
Co-
MVP 1994 Lady Panther Invitational
1994-
Finished Pitt career with 959 points (11th all-
Bell Atlantic/University of Pittsburgh scholar athlete
Grad Assistant Coach 1995-
Penn Hills unmatched seven consecutive WPIAL Championships remains very special to Jenine. She was a proud contributor and starter in championships # 2 through #5. Her sister, Colleen, started on the #6 and #7 championship teams under the guidance of Bill Lind, who completed the run.
Anthony Petrocelli
Tony Petrocelli continues to have passion and dedication to the Gateway Sports Hall of Fame. He is humbled by his selection into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame East Boros’ Chapter. When he started the Gateway Sports Hall of Fame, he had no idea that it would lead him to such recognition. He appreciates the fact that the East Boros’ committee members think enough of him to bestow him this honor. Anyone who knows Tony personally understands his passion and dedication to the Gateway Sports Hall of Fame.
Born in 1956, Tony is not much older than Gateway itself. Through the years, athletes with credentials second to none continued to graduate from Gateway -
Tony participated in athletics at Gateway. In 44 varsity baseball games, he played 2nd base and maintained a better than .333 career batting average. From 9th to 12th grades, he was a part of football teams that combined a record of 34 Wins, 2 Losses, and 1 Tie; 2 WPIAL Section Titles; 1 WPIAL Championship; 1 PIAA Championship; 1 trip to Three Rivers Stadium; 2 trips to Pitt Stadium and 1 snowy trip to Johnstown versus Penn Hills in 1973.
William Rometo
Bill is a 1970 graduate of Plum Senior High School. While there, he played football, basketball, track, and volleyball. In his senior year, he was captain of the football and basketball teams – making All-
He attended Slippery Rock University. In his freshman year, an ankle injury ended his football career. Bill received his degree in Health and Physical Education, where he still teaches in that capacity at Plum.
In 1975, Bill began his coaching career in Plum serving as an Assistant Football Coach and Head Girls’ Softball Coach. In the spring of 1989, he was named Head Football Coach and he served in that position for twenty years. In all, Bill has coached football at Plum for thirty-
Accomplishments include:
1972 thru 1974 president of the TKE Fraternity
1979 Girls Softball Keystone Conference Champions
1983 Assistant Coach of WPIAL Football Champions
1989 Pittsburgh East Coach of the Year
1989 Gateway Publications Coach of the Year
1995 Eastern Area Officials Coach of the Year
1996 Valley News Dispatch-
1996 NFL & Pittsburgh Steelers High School Coach of the Week
1999 and 2001 Foothills Football Classic All-
1995 thru 2001 Coach of the Plum Youth All-
2009 Founder and current President of the Plum Football Alumni Club
1975 – 2009 record holder for longest coaching career of 35 years in Plum Borough School District
Terry Smith
Terry played for Gateway where he was on 2 WPIAL championship teams. He was selected to the Pennsylvania Big 33 and a 2001 Gateway Sports Hall of Fame Inductee. Terry was a three-
Penn State University (1987 -
4 letters; 3-
7th all time catches; and 8th all time yards receiving
1st team All East
1992 Japan Bowl
B.S. Degree Business Management 1991
Professional Football
Drafted by Washington Redskins 1992
Toronto Argonauts (CFL) 1993
Shreveport Pirates (CFL) 1994-
Albany Firebirds (Arena League) 1996
2002 Terry became Head Football Coach of Gateway and Athletic Director in 2003. Terry has posted a 65-
November 2007 ESPN’s Top Play featured on ESPN’s “Mike & Mike Morning Show”.
Terry participated in the NFL Coaches Summit 2004, Gatorade National Advisory Board 2006, 2005 U.S. Army All-