Meet the 2026 class of the Seneca Valley Hall of Fame that will be inducted this month
The Seneca Valley Sports Hall of Fame will welcome six inductees (five individuals and one team) later this month.
An induction dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 in the high school cafeteria. Doors will open at 5:15, but reservations are required. Contact Wayne Roccia at 724-816-0698 or via email at wroccia@zoominternet.net.
That evening’s induction ceremony, free of charge, will take place at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.
The inductees will also be recognized prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff of SV’s home football game Sept. 25 against Central Catholic.
The following are this year’s inductees and their accomplishments:
Brown started at quarterback for the Raiders for three years and is SV’s all-time passing leader with 5,426 yards and 46 touchdowns. He rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 14 TDs, as well. Brown Was selected to play in the PA All-Star East-West Game. In track, he helped the Raiders’ 400-meter relay team place third in the state in 2013.
Brown played college football as a defensive back at James Madison, setting the program’s single-season record with nine interceptions in 2017. He was named All-American and helped JMU win the NCAA Division I-AA championship in 2016.
A star defensive back for SV’s football team, he still ranks in the program’s top 10 in career interceptions and passes defensed. He was twice voted first team all-conference and was recognized with Butler Eagle Sweet 16 Defense honors. In baseball, Patsilevas was a key cog in the Raiders’ PIAA Class 4A championship team in 2007, and was named all-section twice.
He also played baseball at Gannon University, earning three letters and was twice named a PSAC Scholar Athlete. He was an assistant coach for two SV football teams that played in the WPIAL championship game (2016, 2018).
She was a four-year letter winner for SV’s girls swim team, never failing to qualify for the WPIAL or state championship meets. Stidsen was a member of SV’s 400-yard freestyle relay team that won a Class 3A district title in 2005. As a senior three years later, she won WPIAL gold in the 200 freestyle and ended her high school career with 14 WPIAL and seven PIAA medals. Eight of her swims brought her All-American recognition. She was voted Team MVP in 2007 and 2008 and earned SV’s Sherman Award as the school’s top female athlete as a senior.
Stidsen earned four letters as a member of the women’s swim team at Penn State, where she was named a Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar multiple times.
He guided SV’s girls soccer team for 15 seasons (2001-15), winning nine section titles and four WPIAL championships (2007, 2009, 2013, 2014). Sylvester coached the Raiders to the WPIAL playoffs 14 times and to the state playoffs six times, compiling an overall record of 231-58-25 and a section mark of 133-23-15.
He was chosen as the Butler Eagle’s Coach of the Decade, 2000-2009.
She was voted All-Butler County in cross country as a sophomore, junior and senior and helped SV place fifth as a team at the district championship meet in 2008, when she qualified individually for states by finishing 16th. She was a four-time MVP for the Raiders’ track team and still ranks first in program history in the 800-meter run (2:13.38), third in the 400 and fifth in the 1,600. Also is part of the school’s all-time best effort in the 4x400 relay and 4x800 relay.
While competing for James Madison, she won a Colonial Athletic Association championship in the steeplechase.
The Raiders won the second WPIAL championship in program history and finished the season with a record of 22-3. After claiming a Section 5-3A title in the regular season, SV won district playoff games against Latrobe, Ambridge and an epic 1-0, 14-inning semifinal clash against Connellsville. The Raiders earned the WPIAL crown with a 4-1 win over Trinity.
Team members included players Becca Jackson, Julie Purvis, Meghan Schall, Lindsay Rape, Traci Roble, Amber Marburger, Jen Henderson, Joanna Curtis, Shannon O’Connor, Maggie Guilloud, Courtney Monikowski, Jody Layton, Jackie Trejo and Lauren Harrison; assistant coach George Trew and head coach Greg Hayward.
