Three Wildcat coaches Hall of Fame-bound at collegiate alma maters

Three Penn College head coaches – Geoff Hensley, men's basketball; Christa Matlack, women's soccer; and Tyler Mensch, men's soccer – will be inducted this fall into the Athletic Halls of Fame at their respective universities.



Geoff Hensley
Hensley, a 2006 graduate of Norwich University, led its men's basketball program to back-to-back Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament titles in 2005 and 2006. He scored over 1,000 career points and was named to the GNAC All-Conference First Team three years in a row. He finished 11th in the nation in 3-point percentage and 10th in the country in free-throw percentage during his senior season.

“I can’t tell you how excited and humbled I am for this recognition. I remember the night I received the call; my eyes immediately started tearing up. All the hard work, all the time, all the energy, all the passion put into the game comes back full-circle," Hensley said. "We had a great ride playing and winning two championships. I couldn’t have done any of it without my parents, my teammates and my coaches. I am just very thankful and appreciative of everything and everyone who had a part in this.”

The induction ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 23 in Northfield, Vermont.

Christa Matlack
Matlack, a 2011 alumna of Bucknell University, earned a Hall of Fame nod in her first year on the ballot. One of the most prolific scorers in Bucknell women's soccer history, she was the 2009 and 2010 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and was a three-time First Team All-Patriot League honoree.

Matlack recorded at least seven goals in all four of her seasons at Bucknell, and her 32 career goals were fifth-most in team history at the time of her graduation. She also ranked fifth in total points (78) and seventh in assists (14) on Bucknell's career lists.

She scored the lone goal in Bucknell's 1-0 win over Colgate that gave the Bison the 2010 Patriot League regular-season title, and she was part of teams that went 20-7-1 against Patriot League competition. Matlack was named to the Philly Soccer News Best XI Team and was also an NSCAA All-Region selection in 2009.

Just as prolific in the classroom, Matlack became the first player in team history to garner NSCAA Scholar All-America honors, doing so as a junior and senior. She was one of 35 national recipients and was honored at the NSCAA national convention. Additionally, Matlack is a Christy Mathewson Award winner and a member of the Patriot League 25th Anniversary Team.

Her induction will be Oct. 24 in Lewisburg.

Tyler Mensch
Mensch, selected last year but due to be inducted along with this year's class in a combined Oct. 2 ceremony during his alma mater's Homecoming festivities in Dallas is a 2009 graduate of Misericordia University.

He was a two-time first-team All-MAC Freedom and three-time all-region selection in men's soccer.  He ranks sixth in career points (82) and points per game (1.09).  He is fourth in career goals (39) and goals per game (.52). He is third in single-season goals (15), fifth in single-season goals per game (.51), sixth in single-season points (31) and eighth in single-season points per game (1.55).

"I am honored that Misericordia University has inducted me into their Athletics Hall of Fame," he said. "I had a great experience at Misericordia and created a lot of memories as a student-athlete that I will never forget."

Graphics by Matt Blymier, assistant director of athletics/athletic communications and compliance