My Baron Story
“I pitched and played outfield on the very first Baron baseball teams as well as being on the first golf teams. Bob Kloska ’58 coached baseball, and Paul Durbak ’56 coached golf. Our batting practice consisted of 10 swings at the Kloska fastball, which wasn’t that fast. Golf was fun as we got to play some great courses such as Oakmont. A thrill for me was getting to pitch against Duquesne twice. The teamwork made the whole experience fun.”
– Bob Madden ’65
“I believe this occurred just prior to Christmas vacation in December 1966. The Barons were having a good year, but Central State was a nemesis we had trouble beating. They came to town very highly rated, possibly number 1 in Division III. St. John Arena was full, rocking, and loud. The two teams played a hard and physical game, but in the end, the Barons won!
“It was an incredible night that was only to get better. The students returned to campus by bus and by car, but no one wanted to go to the dorms. We congregated in the courtyard between Marian and Trinity Halls singing Baron fight songs, laughing, clapping, and screaming.
“It was one of the highlights of my senior year. My friends, classmates, and fraternity brothers, all there, delirious in the moment! I may be off on some of the particulars (it was a long time ago), but the crux of the story stands, and I’ll never forget that night!”
– Ray Challis ’67, Tau Kappa Epsilon
“The 1972-73 Baron basketball team went 22-7, led the nation in defense, and played in the NCAA Division II national tournament. After getting through the sectional round, we defeated the number 1 seed to get to the regional championship. Unfortunately, we lost to Akron on a last-second shot.
“First-year coach Ed Sparling brought a new philosophy of basketball to the team that had gone 14-12 the year before. We all bought in to our roles, and our record showed it. Players included me, Jim Garrigan ’74, Tim Hirten ’75, Dave Clarke ’75, Will Adams, Bob Reichert ’73, Jim Foster, Dennis Mulligan, and Stan Wilkerson, among others. This was the first Baron team to get to the regional championship. I remember the local newspaper had an editorial about our defense prior to a home game that said we froze the ball a lot.
“Coach came into the locker room with the article and was furious. After his pep talk, which can’t be printed here, we went out, and the half-time score was 58-8. I remember the center for Central State coming up to me and saying, ‘Hey man, we’re not going to call any timeouts. We just want to get out of here.’ Needless to say, there were no more articles.
“I totally enjoyed my time as a member of the basketball and baseball teams as well as my TKE fraternity brothers while on campus. It was a family atmosphere that led to life-long relationships. May God bless the next 75 years.”
– Ron Spozio ’74
“While I was never an ‘official’ athlete, Franciscan athletics will always hold a special place in my heart. My time working in the Baron Backroom was one of the best experiences of my time at Franciscan. When I applied for a job as a sports photographer my freshman year, I had no idea what an integral part of my college life the job would become. I gained so much more than just experience as both a photographer and graphic designer—from incredible bosses who became friends and various design-related shenanigans to playoff road trips with different teams and spending nights in Finnegan Fieldhouse to meet deadlines, Franciscan athletics truly shaped my growth as a designer, photographer, and individual. It is, and always will be, a great day to be a Baron.”
– Elizabeth (Feudo ’17) Stroka
“My favorite Baron athletics memory was from the AMCC Swim and Dive Championships in 2019. I was swimming the first leg of our 400-medley relay, and during the prelims session, we had placed second in the race. We had broken the Franciscan records both in the relay and in my lead-off individual backstroke leg. However, due to a technicality complaint by a coach, all the relay teams were required to re-swim the event the next day, and our times were no longer valid!
“There were so many emotions. I remember one of my teammates crying, another laughing; we were all in shock, not to mention completely exhausted. But the next day, we still showed, said a ton of prayers, and re-swam the race. By the grace of God, we finished solidly in second place again. Not just that, but we also re-broke both records by swimming even faster than the day before!
“It was overall just an energizing moment for the team and a reminder of the perseverance necessary for our sport. We could have given up or complained, but we committed ourselves to the race and represented our team well. That dedication, as well as our trust in God, helped us to swim the race the best we could and offer up our victories for his glory.”
– Colleen Farabaugh ’21
“Soccer has always been a huge part of who I am. When I came to Franciscan, I was amazed by the leadership of my teammates, the kindness of the coaching staff, and most of all, the feeling that Franciscan women’s soccer was radically different than anything I had ever experienced.
“Throughout my time on the team, I learned what it meant to be a servant leader to my teammates, how to persevere through injuries, conditioning, and hard losses, and finally, what it meant to ‘play for an audience of one’ and for the greater glory of God. I was extremely blessed to play at Franciscan for five years and lead my team as a captain for two of those seasons. I met some of my best friends, made some of my favorite memories, and became a better person because of Franciscan women’s soccer.”
– Kaitrin (O’Leary ’21) Neu
“Being a Baron student-athlete has been easily one of the most instrumental parts of my development as an adult. I will be forever thankful for the many lessons learned, challenges faced, lifelong friends made, as well as the memories made with the men and women of this wonderful athletic program.
“For five years at the University, you could see our team getting our miles in around campus (especially on the beautiful home cross country course—it’s not a golf course!) or around the city. While we did that every day, each time was meaningful for me.
“The simple action of running allowed me to spend time with my brothers and sisters in community. We were blessed as a men’s team to win four straight AMCC/PAC Conference championships (2018-2022), be the highest regionally ranked NCAA team in 2021 (Men-6th in the D-III Great Lakes Region), and add two NCAA All-Americans for the University. …Through injuries, disappointing races, and tight losses, our team’s motto, ‘For Something Greater,’ allowed us to take every experience as a lesson in faith, hope, and charity. There is no other team or place where I could have learned these lessons and been formed into the person I am today.
“For that, I have to thank many people such as my co-captain Mark Borek ’20 MBA ’22, five-year teammate Easton Syvertson ’22, coaches Dr. Daniel Kuebler, Vince Oliver, and Carlo Fabian ’18 MBA ’19, and our team chaplains Father Zack Burns, TOR, and Father Gregory Plow, TOR, MSA ’11. “Some of my favorite memories with this team center around the love and support we have for one another. I am ever so thankful for the time they have taken to be the light of Christ to those around them!”
– Liam Galligan ’21 MBA ’22, Franciscan’s First Men’s Cross Country and Track and Field All-American
