Robert Morris University announced its 32nd class into the RMU Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Football’s Jon LeDonne (2001-04), volleyball and track & field athlete April Krivoniak (2013-17), women’s basketball player Debbie Sutterlin (1985-89), and women’s basketball coach Sal Buscaglia (2003-16).
LeDonne closed his career with 256 tackles as a four-year letter winner, ranking top 10 in program history. He made history in 2004 by becoming the program’s first student-athlete to be named to the Academic All-America First Team by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The Aliquippa native started 39 games and owns RMU single season (4) and career (6) records for forced fumbles. LeDonne is the head coach at Pine-Richland. He guided the program to 2022 WPIAL 5A and PIAA State Championships.
Krivoniak had one of the most unique careers that placed herself in the history books of two separate programs. A member of the volleyball team as well as track & field, Krivoniak played in 115 career matches and became the 11th player to reach the 1,000-career dig mark. The 2015 NEC Tournament MVP led the program to its first NEC title in 2003 and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. She ranks top 10 in program history in total blocks. A Latrobe local, Krivoniak departed RMU as the track & field program record holder in the shot put with a throw of 14.06. She became the only RMU student-athlete to earn the NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in two sports (2016).
Sutterlin played a program-high 112 games at the time of her departure, scoring 1,168 points. The Bellevue native was voted in by the RMU veterans committee, looking back at players whose careers ended at least 20 years ago. She helped lead the program to the ECAS Metro Conference Tournament championship.
Buscaglia brought the women’s basketball program back to life after he inherited it following 14 straight losing seasons. He guided the program to four NEC regular-season titles (2007, 2008, 2014, 2015) and was named NEC Coach of the Year three times (2005, 2014, 2013). Buscaglia finished his career with a 225-178 (.558) mark and won 443 career Division I games as a college coach. His son, Charlie, took over for him and remains the coach of the Colonials to this day.
The RMU Hall of Fame was established in 1991 and now includes 151 individuals and three teams. Eligibility for the hall begins five years after a member concludes their stint at RMU. LeDonne, Krivoniak, Sutterlin, and Buscaglia will be honored the first weekend of December at the UPMC Events Center during a two-day ceremony beginning Friday, Dec. 1st.
