BUTLER TWP — As one of seven members of the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame’s 2026 induction class, Kelly Coffield believes it was the county itself that helped steer her toward success.

“This award reminds me of how much it is a reflection of this community and the people who supported me when I was growing up,” she said in her induction speech during a ceremony at Butler County Community College’s Founders Hall.

Coffield and six other people, who have helped shape athletic programs across Butler County and made often history in many of their respective sports, were honored at the Saturday event.

“I have always said to anyone I meet who is not from here how special this place is, how unique the towns and the school districts are,” Coffield said.

A 1995 Knoch graduate, Coffield was a two-time volleyball team MVP and was named Knoch’s best defensive player while playing for coach Diane Geist, helping the Knights to four straight district playoff appearances.

She accepted a walk-on invitation at the University of Pittsburgh and ended up starting every game of her four-year collegiate career as a defensive specialist. She was a team captain, four-time Big East Academic All-Star and became the first female athlete to be named Pitt Senior of the Year in 1999.

Coffield’s early surroundings laid a strong foundation for her future endeavors.

“There is a grit here (in Butler County) that you don’t find many other places,” she said. “It’s a belief that hard work outlasts entitlement every single day. That’s the atmosphere I grew up in.”

A 2003 Mars graduate, Mueller starred in football and track, but was quick to point out he had a lot of help along the way.

“There were coaches who helped shape me, not only as an athlete, but as a person,” he said. “Coaches play such an important role, not only in wins and losses, but in teaching discipline, teamwork, responsibility and character. I’m grateful for every coach who took the time to teach, guide and believe in me. Three of them are here tonight — (football coaches) Scott Heinauer, Terry Dillner and Scott Pfeiffer.

On the gridiron, Mueller was an outstanding running back and graduated as the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,460 yards. He gained over 1,000 yards in a three-game span of his senior year, which ended with the Planets playing in the WPIAL Class 2A championship game at Heinz Field. He also intercepted a school-record seven passes that year.

In track, Mueller was a sprinter and won five WPIAL titles in the 100 and 200 dash, to go with three state titles in those events.

He played football at Boston College before spending one year on the gridiron and track at Slippery Rock University. He won the NCAA Division II indoor track title in the 60-meter dash for The Rock.

“I’m truly honored and humbled to be standing here tonight,” he said. “It’s never something I would ever have imagined. When I was involved in sports, it was for the love of the game and my teammates.”

Excelling in sports became a habit for Rhoads, a 2007 Slippery Rock High graduate.

She was named all-state in two sports, scoring 100 goals in soccer and became Butler County’s all-time girls basketball scoring leader with 2,170 points. Following her senior season, during which she led the Rockets to a District 10 championship, she was voted Pennsylvania Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

“Playing those two sports taught me resilience and how to handle challenges.”

In college, she was a four-year starter at point guard for Vanderbilt University, tallying 1,000 points, 500 assists and 500 rebounds.

She played professional basketball in Europe for three seasons before spending seven years as a member of the U.S. Women’s national handball team.

One of Saturday’s other inductees was Jence’s mother, Melinda Rhoads.

“A lot of people come up here and thank their parents for taking them to practice and for the emotional support, but not everyone can thank them as a fellow hall of famer,” she said.

“My mom has been a huge role model for me my entire life. She set the foundation for all of my accomplishments. Her being inducted tonight makes this even more special for me.”

Rhoads, a graduate of Oil City High School, has spent most of her life living in Butler County. She was the first four-year starter for the women’s basketball program at Slippery Rock State College, helping the team to a 53-20 record during that span.

She played on the U.S. Women’s handball team 1975-84, was named MVP of the squad at three national championship events and was Player of the Year in 1980. She also earned a roster spot for two Summer Olympic teams.

In 1996, Rhoads was selected as one of the Olympic torch bearers prior to the summer games in Atlanta. She carried the torch for a half-mile in Erie.

She has coached youth basketball in Slippery Rock for 30 years.

“I’ve done some pretty cool things in my life, but none cooler than being a mom,” she said. “My daughters — Jence, Karly and Kourtney — are my pride and joy.

“This is a defining moment in my life, for me to go into this hall alongside the best athlete I have ever known, and that athlete happens to be my daughter. That takes special to a whole new level.”

Before graduating from Butler in 1972, Schnur broke the school record in the mile run. He went on to compete at Slippery Rock State College, where he was coached by Bill Lennox, who had a background it soccer.

It proved to have a major impact on Schnur, who co-founded the Butler County Soccer Association (BCSA) in 1976. He was the first boys soccer coach in Butler history when the Golden Tornado began varsity play in 1983.

On his watch, which lasted 11 seasons, Butler won six section titles and Schnur was named WPIAL Coach of the Year in 1992.

He remained heavily in the sport, including the youth ranks. He also served as an assistant under Marlene Peoples when Butler’s girls reached the state final in 2001 and 2003.

For the last few years, Schnur has assisted Butler boys coach Troy Mohney, giving him five decades of coaching in the county.

“BCSA is an organization I am very proud to have co-founded with Robin McKee and Tom Campion,” said Schnur, who has served as an educator, counselor and administrator in the Butler Area School District. “I continually remind myself that what I’ve done is simply stand on the shoulders of others. I am grateful to all the past presidents and board members of BCSA who saw the vision, helped me maintain it, and continue to make it a very special place.”

The 1980 Butler product and current Golden Tornado boys track and field coach is not short on enthusiasm for his hometown and alma mater.

“You go somewhere, don’t tell people you’re from Pittsburgh, tell them you’re from Butler,” he said.

Seybert has done a remarkably consistent job of helping to bring positive attention to Butler. In his 41 years of coaching Butler track and field, many of them as head coach of either the boys or girls, the Golden Tornado have won 23 WPIAL team championships, 89 individual district and nine state champions.

Butler’s indoor and outdoor teams have combined for 256 individual state medalists during Seybert’s tenure. In 2022, the Golden Tornado boys claimed indoor and outdoor state team titles.

“Forty-one years of coaching, you find something you like, just keep on doing it,” he said. “People always ask why our program is so good. You need to have a hurdle coach, a pole vault coach, you need to have different guys. And if those people stick around for 30 years, it makes you look good. I have the best guys working around me and tonight is not about one coach. It’s about our staff.

“(Track) is an individual thing. You’re jumping, you’re running, but you need to have a team concept. It’s just what Butler track and field is and it’s why I’ve stuck around so long.”

A star for Butler boys gymnastics for three years, the 1972 graduate helped the Golden Tornado win a state championship, earned a state medal in floor exercise and was recognized as one of the top high school gymnasts in Pennsylvania.

But his commitment to the sport continues to this day. In 1984, he founded the New Hope Gymnastics Academy, which has produced multiple state, regional and national champions. Currently, the academy, located in California, trains more than 1,000 gymnasts.

Thoma has been named Southern California Coach of the Year and was honored with the Southern California Gymnastics Lifetime Achievement Award.

And yet, his passion for the sport began largely by chance.

“When I was 10 years old, I used to go to (Butler) high school on Saturdays. I’d see all these teams practicing, including the gymnastics team. I’d wait until everybody left, go in the gym and start working on the parallel bars. One day, (Coach Paul Uram) came up to me and asked me if I wanted to learn gymnastics and I said ‘OK’.

“I started working on the bars and ended up getting a blister on my hand. Coach Uram comes over, took my hand and spits on it. He said, ‘Rub it in’. I rubbed it in. He said, ‘Does it sting?’ It stings a lot.

“That means it’s getting better. Back up on the bars,” he said.

The rest is history.