Bill Neely, a graduate of Abington Senior High School, Erica Dambach, a graduate of Lower Moreland High School, and Jack Bauerle, a Glenside resident and graduate of La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, have each been inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Montco Chapter.

Dr. Alice Swift recognized Coach Neely during Tuesday’s school board meeting. He framed a newspaper clipping of his high school track team, which was coached by the legendary Mr. Jack Armstrong, the namesake to the high school’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

His accomplishments can be found here.

From this year’s inductees’ biographies:

Erica Dambach

Erica has won championships and awards throughout her career as both soccer player and coach. She led Penn State to the 2015 National Soccer Championship as coach of the Nittany Lions Women’s team and has twice been named NSCAA Coach of the Year, in 2012 and 2015. During her 17-year Happy Valley career she has coached 21 All-Americans, 16 Big Ten Players of the Year, won 11 Big Ten titles, five Big Ten Tournament titles, is a five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, has 17 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and coached two recent 2024 Women’s Olympic Gold Medalists, Alyssa Naeher and Sam Coffey during their PSU Careers. As a player at William and Mary Erica led the Tribe to four CAA Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances, including an elite Eight game in 1994, was a two-time all CAA First Team selection and All-Region in 1996. Erica was U.S. Women’s U-17 team Head Coach, and was assistant coach to the U.S. U-19 team, the U.S. National team that won the 2008 World Cup in Bejing, and the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup team in Germany. While at Lower Moreland Erica was an All-American and a member of the U.S. U-17 National Team. Prior to PSU she was an assistant coach at Bucknell, Lehigh, Florida State, and head coach at Dartmouth and Harvard.

Jack Bauerle

Jack coached the 2000 and 2020 USA Olympic Swim Teams and is a National Coaching Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. He also was head coach of the 2003 / 2005 USA World Championship Team. Mr. Bauerle coached 152 All-American Women Swimmers and 92 All-American Men Swimmers. Named NCAA Coach of the Year seven times, won six NCAA Women’s Championships, and coached 3 Olympic Gold Medalists. As a swimmer, he was captain of UGA team and set UGA records in 3 events. Inducted into the HS & College Hall of Fames.

In 2023, Bauerle was inducted into the Pennsylvania Aquatics Hall of Fame.

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