The Clarion "Sports Hall of Fame" committee announced today that six new members will be inducted into the 2026 HOF Class on Friday, May 1, 2026. The new inductees are Amanda Bell (1986 – 1990 Women's Tennis), Rhianon Brady (2008 – 2011 Women's Volleyball), Kayla (Shull) Johnson (2010 – 2013 Women's Swimming), James Thornton (1990 – 2023 Head athletic Trainer), Collin Vest (2014 – 2017 Men's Diving) and Marlon Worthy (1991 – 1994 Football).
Clarion's 37th Annual Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies are scheduled for May 1, 2026 at the newly renovated Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium located at the corner of Greenville Avenue & Payne Street, beginning at 6:30pm. The event is open to the public.
A social is set to begin at 5:00pm at the Second Floor Eagle's Perch at Tippin Gym. Ticket orders are being handled on line by the Alumni Engagement Office at PennWest Clarion. Reservations are $50 per person and are available online at www.PennWest.edu/clarion-shof. Induction information and registration is also available at www.clariongoldeneagles.com. Call 814-393-2826 with any questions. Checks are made payable to CUF/Sports Hall of Fame.
"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Their contributions to the history and legacy of Golden Eagle athletics cannot be overstated, and I look forward to the chance to welcome them back to campus on May 1 and congratulate them in person," said Clarion Athletic Director Dr. Wendy Snodgrass.
Enclosed Below is a Snapshot of the 2026 Clarion Hall of Fame Inductees Careers:
AMANDA A. BELL – WOMEN'S TENNIS – 1990 Clarion Grad – Communications
Amanda Bell, an elite women's tennis player at Clarion, won 4 individual PSAC titles and helped lead the Golden Eagles to four straight PSAC team titles (1986 – 1989) and two trips to the NCAA D-2 Nationals. Playing mostly #2 and #3 singles and #3 doubles throughout her career, she had an amazing career singles record of 65-6 and a doubles record of 53-5 under Hall of Fame head coach Norb Baschnagel. In 1986, her freshman year, Amanda was 13-0 in dual singles play helping Clarion to a 13-0 dual meet record and Clarion's first PSAC Title. Bell won the PSAC #3 Singles title. In 1987-88 she was 14-0 in dual singles action, was a PSAC runner-up at #3 singles and doubles, while Clarion won the PSAC Title with a PSAC record 30 points. Clarion went 3-0 in duals in the Spring of 1988 (15-0 season record) and qualified for the NCAA D2 National Playoffs finishing 8th in the nation. In the Fall of 1988 Clarion and Amanda posted a Fall dual record of 12-0 and won its third straight PSAC title. Bell and partner Lori Kohn won the #3 PSAC Doubles title with Bell a runner-up at #3 singles. The Eagles were 4-1 in duals in the Spring of 1989 vs D1 teams with their only loss to Penn State. Qualifying for the D2 Nationals, Clarion posted a team best 7th place Nationals finish. In the Fall 1989 season Bell won the PSAC #2 singles title and her second #3 doubles title with Kohn. The Eagles won their fourth straight PSAC team title with a record 31 points and an undefeated dual meet record of 13-0 featuring wins over Pitt, Duquesne and Robert Morris. In four seasons the Golden Eagles posted an amazing dual meet record of 57-1 including a 45-0 dual meet winning streak. A 1990 Clarion grad in Communications, she was a 1986 grad of Joel Barlow High in Redding CT. where she was a high school All-American. Amanda is currently a Tennis Instructor and Director of Advantage Day Camp at Advantage Tennis Clubs in New York City. She is married to Peter Oltchick and the couple have two children Zoe and Andrew.
RHIANON B. BRADY – WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL – 2012 Clarion Grad – Liberal Studies/Education Concentration
Rhianon Brady, Clarion's record setting libero, led the Golden Eagles to PSAC and NCAA Regional Championships and earned All Region and Academic All-American honors from 2008- 2011 under head coach Jennifer Herron. It started in her freshman year in 2008 when she posted 487 digs and was recognized as a 2nd team Daktronics All-Region choice as Clarion's young team posted a 16-15 mark. In 2009 the Eagles were 26-10 overall and 15-4 in the PSAC-West as Clarion qualified for the NCAA Playoffs. Brady posted a school record 729 digs and had a career high 41 digs in a win over IUP. Selected 1st team Daktronics and HM AVCA All Atlantic Region, she also was a 2nd team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic all-District choice. The 2010 Golden Eagles had the best season in program history winning the PSAC-West, the PSAC and Atlantic Region Championship on their way to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Playoffs. Posting an overall record of 32-5 and a PSAC-West slate of 17-2, Clarion won the PSAC title with a 3-1 win over Edinboro and the Region title with a 3-0 victory over California. Brady had 37 digs in the win over Edinboro and 17 digs in the shutout of Cal. Rhi posted 798 season digs breaking her 2009 single season record, while also placing 6th in the nation averaging 6.33 digs per set. She again made 1st team Daktronics and AVCA All region teams and was an ESPN/CoSIDA 2nd team Academic All-District selection. In 2011 Clarion posted a 19-13 overall record, 14-5 in the PSAC-West and was a PSAC and NCAA Regional Qualifier. Posting 668 season digs, Brady was voted PSAC-West Defensive "Player of the Year", earned Daktronics and AVCA Region honors and was a 2nd team Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American. Rhi set a Clarion career record with 2,682 digs and helped the Eagles to a 94-44 career record. Brady graduated from Clarion with a 4.0 in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education. A 2008 graduate of Canal Winchester High in Ohio, she is currently employed as a Physical Therapist at Atrium Health/Wake Forest Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
KAYLA (SHULL) JOHNSON – WOMEN'S SWIMMING – 2013 Clarion Grad Speech – Language Pathology & Audiology/2014 M.S. Speech Pathology & Audiology
Kayla Shull, a 15-time NCAA D-2 All-American specializing in backstroke and freestyle events, was one of the most highly decorated female athletes ever to don the Clarion moniker. A 2009 graduate of nearby Rocky Grove High School, Shull came to Clarion and made her mark immediately. Coached by Mark VanDyke, she was voted PSAC "Freshman of the Year" in 2010 earning 5 All-America placings including a 3rd in the 100 backstroke with a Clarion record time of 56.27 and 4 A-A relays. Clarion finished 6th at NCAA's. She won the 100 back at PSAC's and was part of 4 winning relays as Clarion placed 2nd as a team. In 2011 Kayla led Clarion to a 4th place finish at the NCAA Nationals and earned 6 A-A honors. She was 5th in the 100 back with a record time of 55.94, 12th in the 100 free and four A-A relays. Clarion was 2nd at PSAC's as Shull won the 100 back and 4 winning relays. In 2012 she posted two individual NCAA D2 A-A finishes placing 5th in the 100 backstroke with a record time of 55.45, while placing 14th in the 200 free. The Eagles were second at PSAC's as Kayla won her third 100 backstroke race and placed second in the 50 and 100 freestyle and earned PSAC Champion Scholar honors. In 2013 she was 5th at the NCAA's in the 100 backstroke with a record time of 55.40, plus placed 16th in the 200 freestyle. She won her fourth straight PSAC title in the 100 backstroke and won the 400 medley relay helping Clarion finish second. PSAC Champion Scholar in 2013, Kayla went on to earn Capital One/CoSIDA First Team Academic A-A honors with a career GPA of 4.0. One of only 9 finalists for the NCAA "Woman of the Year" honors which includes athletes in NCAA Division 1, 2 & 3, later she was honored with the NCAA Top 10 Award at the NCAA Convention in January of 2014 honoring the top 10 women in the nation. A 2013 Clarion grad in Speech Pathology & Audiology, she earned her M.S. at Clarion in Speech Pathology & Audiology in 2014. Currently an independent contractor she is a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist in the Franklin area. Married to Zakk Johnson the couple have sons Beckham, Baylor and Everett.
JAMES L. THORNTON – HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER – 1990 - 2023
Jim (Thunder) Thornton, the Head Athletic Trainer at Clarion from 1990 – 2023 (33 years), contributed so much at Clarion University, in the NATA profession, the NCAA and nationally that his contributions to all athletics are unsurpassed. Jim came to Clarion in the Summer of 1990 from University of the Pacific and started his Hall of Fame career. From 1990 – 2016 Jim primarily covered all events and practices of Football, Wrestling and Baseball at Clarion, as well as office hours to treat all Clarion athletes. After 2016 he covered wrestling and women's volleyball and all athletes in the same fashion. From 1997 – present he has been the Athletic Training Liason to the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee. His contributions and recommendations to the committee on Weight Management have been critical in reforming collegiate wrestling weight management. Starting in 1998 he founded and chaired the George Garbarino Scholarship Fund for Clarion Athletics and used as his primary fund raiser the "Wild Game Dinner". He raised nearly $500,000 for scholarships and continues his involvement today. His passion to advance Athletic Training has taken many forms. From 1999 – 2019 he helped develop an Athletic Training program for students at Clarion interested in Athletic Training curriculum. Approximately 20 students yearly took athletic training courses and developed on the job AT experience at Clarion as part of the AT program at California University-Pa. Thornton taught courses as a member of the Clarion Faculty as well as an Adjunct Professor at Cal-U. Dedicated to the NATA (National Athletic Trainers Association), he was an extremely strong nation-wide leader as VP from 2009 – 2012 and president from 2012 – 2015. With high goals Jim worked to convince Secondary Schools nation-wide to make Athletic Training part of their team. He also initiated AT Care - an Intervention for Athletic Trainers who have a death or permanent injury of an athlete, along with participating in White House meetings which resulted in the NATA being part of "Stop the Bleed" – a National Security Council initiative and the development of a new NATA Logo and branding among others. Honors include receiving the Eve Becker-Doyle Leadership Award from the NATA in 2025, the NATA Hall of Fame in 2018, Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers "Hall of Fame" in 2016 and the 2010 recipient of the Clarion University Distinguished Volunteer Award. A native of Mt. Pleasant, Utah and a 1977 grad of North Sanpete High, he is a 1986 graduate of Utah State and received his Masters at U.O.P. in 1988. Jim and wife Bridget reside in Clarion and have three daughters including Matti, Maci and Maya.
COLLIN VEST – DIVING – 2018 Clarion Grad – Med-Level Education/Math
Collin Vest, one of the top NCAA Division II Men's Divers of all time and on the mountain of great divers in Clarion's nearly 60-year history, Vest was a 4-time NCAA Division II National Champion and an 8-time NCAA All-American (maximum possible) under head coach Dave Hrovat. As a freshman in 2014 Vest exploded on the scene winning his first NCAA D2 competition on the one meter board scoring 552.40 points, besting his teammate and current Clarion diving coach Heath Calhoun by .50 points. That competition came down to the final dive and Vest nailed an inward 2 ½ scoring over 70 points to claim the title. He went on to place 6th on three meter and helped the Golden Eagles to a 13th place team finish. In 2015 Vest won his second NCAA one meter title in incredible fashion. Needing 74 points on his final dive to win, Vest did an inward 2 ½ from the tuck position and scored 79 points to win with 564.25 points. He went on to place third on three meter with 546.50 points helping Clarion to an 18th place finish. Vest was named by CSCAA as the NCAA D2 Men's "Diver of the Year". In 2016 he won his second straight CSCAA "Diver of the Year" award winning the three meter title scoring 576.90 points while also finishing second on one meter with 538.05 points, helping the Eagles to a 23rd team placing. As a senior in 2017 Vest won his fourth NCAA Title on one meter in his final collegiate event scoring 534.55 points. He also was 4th on three meter with 471.55 points. A 2018 Clarion grad in Mid-Level Education – Math with a minor in coaching, he was a 2013 graduate of Wyoming Valley West High. After graduating from Clarion he was head diving coach at Georgia Southern and Westminster for three years each and is currently Training and Compliance Instructor for Cintas. Collin and wife Annamaria reside in Larksville, Pa.
MARLON T. WORTHY – FOOTBALL – 1995 Clarion Grad – Earth & Space Science
Marlon Worthy, an explosive All-America wide receiver/return specialist for the Golden Eagles from 1991 – 1994, scored touchdowns from everywhere on the field. He started his career in 1991 under Hall of Fame coach Gene Sobolewski. That season he returned 18 kickoffs for 381 yards (21.2 avg.) and 12 punts for 160 yards (13.3 avg), including a 78-yard td versus Shippensburg. He ranked 7
th in D2 in punt return average. In 1992 Marlon burst on the scene posting 32 grabs for 607 yards and 7 td's. He also had 21 punt returns for 254 yards and 1 td, plus 17 kickoff returns for 328 yards. His breakout game was against Slippery Rock when he caught 4 passes for 172 yards and 3 td's from Tim Myers on lengths of 18, 76 and 67 yards. His 67-yard punt return for a td gave him four td's on the day in a 49-37 victory. Clarion won the season finale and PSAC-West title (5-1) with a 35-26 win over IUP. Worthy was an all PSAC-West choice. A pre-season All-America in 1993, he missed the final 4 games with injury. He caught 11 passes for 197 yards and 4 td's, had 10 punt returns for 98 yards and 15 kickoff returns for 263 yards. In 1994 Marlon was elected co-captain under Hall of Fame head coach Malen Luke and he was electric. He set a Clarion record with 74 catches, posted 917 yards (4
th at Clarion) with 7 td's, plus 20 punt returns for 187 yards and 12 kickoff returns for 309 yards and 1 td. "Magic Man" had a 93 yard kickoff return against Fairmont, grabbed 11 aerials for 157 yards and a td vs Westminster and finished his career catching a middle screen at the 18 yard line at Edinboro and exploded into the endzone for a game-winning score. He was a 3
rd Team C.M. Frank and HM Football Gazette All-American and first team PSAC-West selection. Worthy ranked 6
th in career catches with 117, 5
th in yards with 1,721 and third in td's with 18, plus 63 punt returns for 699 yards (11.1 avg) and 2 td's with 62 kickoff returns for 1,281 yards (20.7 avg) and 1 td. He had 21 career td's which was 6
th at Clarion. Marlon graduated from Clarion in 1995 with a degree in Earth and Space Science. The 1990 Easton High graduate is currently employed at Colonial Intermediate Unit 20. Marlon and wife Vanessa reside in Easton Pa. His children include Tristen Shaffer, Darius Worthy, Miles Worthy, Robert Christian, Whitney Christian and Ashley Thompson.
