2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004

Ralph W. Stern ‘51
All-American Soccer Player
Hometown: Bronx, NY
High School: Stuyvesant


Ralph W. Stern’s soccer career began at Stuyvesant High
School in New York City, where he was a Public High School
All-Scholastic Soccer Player.

At West Chester, he served as co-captain of the 1950
NCAA National Championship soccer team under head coach
Earl “Muddy” Waters, earning First Team All-American honors.
He was a member of the Friars and the Varsity Club,
and participated in the Wayne Hall Follies.

Following graduation in 1951, Stern served as a lieutenant
in the U.S. Army. In 1954, he moved to Lynchburg, VA, and
entered the garment business, opening Garlin, Inc. and serving
as president until retiring in 1986. He was active in civic
and philanthropic organizations and served as president of his
Temple.

While in Lynchburg, Stern was one of the first college
soccer officials below the Mason-Dixon Line, working the
Mason-Dixon and Atlantic Coast Conferences. He served
as the supervisor of officials for the Mason-Dixon Conference.
Ralph and his wife met as students at West Chester and
recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They have
two children, four grandchildren and currently reside in
Aventura, FL.

“ Culmination of a Vision”

“ This is a culmination of a shared vision by many individuals
connected with our athletic heritage,” West Chester University
director of athletics Dr. Edward Matejkovic stated
after the initial induction - the Class of 2000-01 - took place
on October 1, 2000. The vision was meant to be lasting.
“ One of my primary goals when I accepted the athletic
director’s position was to create a hall of fame encompassing
all of West Chester University’s athletics. It is something
most schools have. It is something we absolutely need.”
Golden Ram Country had never been bereft of halls of
fame. On the contrary, there were five hall of fame organizations
in existence that operated independently. The oldest and
most prominent was certainly the West Chester University
Football Hall of Fame administered by the W. Glenn Killinger
Football Scholarship Foundation.

Each May, the Killinger Foundation inducts outstanding
former Golden Ram players and coaches into the WCU Football
Hall of Fame at its annual banquet. The heavily attended
event draws Golden Ram football players from a wide array
of generations. There are over 100 inductees in the WCU
Football Hall of Fame.

Former football players earn passage into the West Chester
University Athletic Hall of Fame through the Killinger
Foundation’s annual event. Terry Eberly ‘64, Ron Perkins
‘ 82, Al Niemela ‘88, Tom Fillippo ‘68 and Chuck Kane
‘ 58 were inducted by the Killinger Foundation last May. The
quintet will also be officially acknowledged as members of
the WCU Athletic Hall of Fame on February 7.

The Emil Messikomer Hall of Fame has inducted over 50
former men’s basketball players at its annual event in the
early spring. Like the Football Hall of Fame, former men’s
hardwood players earn their way into the WCU Athletic Hall
of Fame through the Messikomer Foundation’s annual induction
ceremony. WCU current head men’s basketball coach
Dick DeLaney ‘69 was the most recent inductee in the Spring
of 2002 for his outstanding career as the Golden Rams’ mentor.