ST. CLAIRSVILLE – A pair of highly successful track and cross country coaches as well as a long-time basketball official comprise the latest selections for the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame, which will induct its Class of 2026 on Aug. 15 at WesBanco Arena, is adding coaches Dugan Hill (Caldwell) and Tony Ciroli (St. Clairsville) along with official Jim Prati to an already impressive list of selections announced previously.

They join previously announced HOF selections: Weirton Madonna’s Ross Comis and Cambridge’s Eric Fox from the decade of the 2010s; Bellaire’s Ashley Vavrek and Trent Luyster of Harrison Central from the decade of the 2000s while Cameron’s R.C. Anderson and Barnesville’s Ryan Grear are the honorees from the 1990s. The 1980 honorees are Weir’s Erica West and Bellaire’s Charlie Ward while the decade of the 1970s featured St. John Central’s Ed “Buzzy” Evans and St. Clairsville’s Jeff Rice. The 1960s featured Steubenville’s Sandy Williams and Warwood’s Bob Dunlevy. Jay Adams was recognized as an OVAC Family and the late Perry West as the conference contributor.

Here is a capsule look at the latest honorees:

TONY CIROLI (St. Clairsville, Class of 1987) – This long-time Red Devil coach won basically every meet where there was to win as a track coach and nearly every major meet in cross country.

And that’s not an exaggeration by any means.

Ciroli was the head track coach from 2015-2023, boys cross country coach from 1998-2022 and the girls’ head cross country coach from 2010-2022. He also spent five years as an assistant coach in track.

In track and field, Ciroli guided the Red Devils to the 2016 Division II state championship. That team’s scoring included the only two individual state male champions in school history, which fueled the run to the title.

Ciroli’s teams were consistently in the winner’s circle during the conference championship meets. All told, he led the Red Devils to an astounding 34 OVAC titles across the two sports. He won his first OVAC title in cross country in 2000.

The breakdown of his OVAC titles includes 14 in boys cross country, eight in girls’ cross country, six in boys’ track and six in girls’ track.

The Red Devils were district champions 11 times under Ciroli with seven of those coming in boys’ track.

St. Clairsville won three consecutive regional boys cross country titles from 2008-2010 and qualified for the state meet five times. St. C,’s top state finish during the Ciroli era in boys’ cross came in 2009 when it was third overall.

In the Buckeye 8, St. Clairsville won 20 titles in the running sports under Ciroli.

Along with the two individual state champions, Ciroli coached 20 other athletes or relay teams to an All-Ohio finish in track and field. He coached three state runner-up finishers in four events. He had one All-Ohioan in cross country.

Ciroli’s prowess earned him Eastern District Division II cross country coach of the year five times, three times in track and field. He was the 2011 winner of the Fred Daffler State Boys Coach of the Year in 2011 and was a finalist for OVAC Coach of the Year in 2017. He received the OATCCC Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award in 2021.

DUGAN HILL (Caldwell High School, Class of 1974) – The Caldwell High School cross country program owns one of the richest traditions in not only the Ohio Valley, but in the state of Ohio.

And one of the key reasons for that success is the work of this long-time coach, who spent 41 seasons as a coach at his alma mater.

He joined the Redskins coaching staff as head track coach in 1979 after he graduated from Marietta College. He was also an assistant coach in cross country until 1986 when he assumed the controls of the program, which he had shined for as an athlete.

Hill guided the Redskins to an incredible six consecutive state championship (1987-1992). That followed up the 1985 and 86 teams, which won state titles by finishing undefeated for the season with respective records of 136 and 137-0. The 1986 team won the national championship as declared by XC Magazine.

The 1987 Caldwell squad set a state record for all-time low point total with 25.

Hill guided Caldwell to 27 OVAC titles, including 16 in boys’ cross country and 10 in girls.

Accolades have obviously followed Hill. He was inducted to the Eastern District Track and Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2020, was named Eastern District Coach of the Year multiple times and was OATCCC Boys CC Coach of the Year in 1991. He received the Ed Barker Award for Service in 2006 and the OHSAA Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award recipient in 2017.

Though retired from coaching, Hill continues to be heavily active in both sports. He currently serves as the OVAC’s Track and Cross Country Commissioner, the OHSAA Advisory Committee for Track and Field, the OHSAA State Championship Meet Manager

and is the chairman of the Eastern District Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame. He also is a registered track and cross country official.

JIM PRATI (Warren Consolidated High School, Class of 1970) – One of the most respected and acclaimed basketball officials to ever wear the striped shirt in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference.

Prati officiated basketball for 42 seasons where he would work upwards of 50 varsity games per winter between boys and girls. His resume is much more than just length of service.

If there was a big game, Prati was likely to be one of the three officials assigned. He was chosen to work in the OVAC boys and/or girls’ final every season from 2008 when the tournament format began until 2021 when he opted to step away from officiating.

All told, Prati worked 27 conference title games. His resume doesn’t just consist of high-level games in the Ohio Valley. He was selected to work seven state championship games and more than 25 regional tournaments between Ohio and West Virginia. He worked at the Ohio district level more than 30 times. He also blew the whistle during the District 5 All-Star Game.

Prati was named the District 5 Official of the Year (2003 and 2017); District 12 Official of the Year (2016), Ohio Valley Board Referee of the Year (2000), NFHS/WVSSAC Official of the Year (2014). He was granted an honorary Lifetime Membership to the Ohio Valley Board of Officials. He’s also been chosen for the Robert Dawson Officials Award at the OVAC All-Star Game.

Along with his on-court work, Prati served as the president of the Ohio Valley Board three times and spent 25 years on the executive board of the Ohio Valley Board. He also worked in training and mentoring with the board for 15 years.

Currently, Prati remains active in the officiating world by serving as the lead observer for the Ohio Valley Board.

Jim and his wife, Roseanne, have three adult sons – Jason, Justin and Nate.