ERIE, Pa. — The Gannon University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 has been confirmed, and the university is pleased to announce the selection of eight individual athletic greats to be inducted in February. Former Gannon University men’s water polo standout athlete and coach Sean Morphy ’04 is among the individuals slated for induction.
The Class of 2026 will be inducted at an awards banquet on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at Gannon’s Yehl Alumni Ballroom in the Waldron Campus Center. The inductees also will be honored that day at Gannon’s home basketball doubleheader against the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.
Ticket information for the 2026 Hall of Fame Banquet will be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2026 Hall of Fame inductees include (with the years of their GU career):
- Kelsey Ansec ’18, Volleyball (2014-17)
- Matt Barto ’18, Men’s Golf (2014-18)
- Brent Benedict ’20, Men’s Swimming (2018-20)
- Pat Cain ’04, Football (2000-03)
- Zack McKendree ’11, Men’s Wrestling (2006-11)
- Sean Morphy ’04, Men’s Water Polo (2001-04)
- Julie Catherine Stazer Pikiewicz ’98, Women’s Soccer (1994-97)
- Dave Stoczynski ’74, Men’s Basketball (1971-73)
About Sean Morphy: The head coach of both the men’s and women’s water polo programs at Gannon University from August 2015 until November 2018 and currently a volunteer assistant coach for the program, Sean Morphy assumed the head coaching reigns in 2015 after longtime head coach/fellow Gannon Hall of Fame member Don Sherman resigned to concentrate solely on his duties as Associate Director of Athletics.
Morphy stepped into the head coaching position after serving as Gannon’s top assistant for the previous two seasons. The former Gannon standout brought 11 years of coaching experience to the deck, including six years as an assistant coach at Cathedral Prep (Pa.) High School where he earned All-America second-team honors as a high school student-athlete. The Ramblers finished third at the 2012 state championships with Morphy on the staff.
A four-year letterwinner at Gannon from 2001-04, the former goalkeeper ranked at No. 1 all-time in Gannon history for both career saves (993) and steals (228).
Morphy owned four of the top six single-season save totals in school history upon graduation, including the top mark at the time of 283 as a sophomore in 2002. He also ranks among the school’s leaders in career assists (85).
Morphy graduated from Gannon in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts. He came back to his alma mater in June of 2013 as the Media Center Director, serving in that position until becoming the water polo head coach and returning to the job following his resignation from leading the program. In addition, Morphy has been a creative director for Linear LLC since 2009.
