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Four More Wheeling Central Hall Of Fame Honorees Announced

WHEELING -- The Wheeling Central Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame is announcing four more honorees for this year's HOF induction ceremony.

The quartet of Maroon Knight enshrines include Nicole Yahn, Dan Gordon, Aaron Schneid and Chris Martin as part of the Maroon Knight Hall of Fame Class of 2026. They join previously announced honorees Zac Stahl, Mo Mull and Alex Peluchette.

Additional honorees will be chronicled next week.

All of the freshly-minted Hall of Famers will be feted during the Maroon Knights' annual Hall of Fame Brunch on Saturday, Sept. 12, sponsored by Dan Stephens State Farm Insurance at the CCHS Great Hall.

Only a limited number of tickets are available for this event and are $25 per person. They can be purchased by contacting the school at 304-233-1660 or stopping at school between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. during the month of August. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Wheeling Central head football coach Mike Young at 304-312-9125 or Athletic Director Seth Staskey at 740-310-0848.

All previous Hall of Fame inductees are invited. They need to make reservations in advance.

The brunch begins at 10 a.m. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. It will be catered by Generations. The Wheeling Central Football Moms and cheerleaders will be assisting during the brunch.

On Friday, Sept. 11 the Wheeling Central football team will be hosting West Lafayette Ridgewood at Wheeling University. All new inductees will also be recognized at halftime.

The Wheeling Central Hall of Fame came into existence in 2016. All honorees must be first nominated. Forms are available on the school's website.

A capsule look at the four latest honorees.

NICOLE YAHN (Class of 2000) – Wheeling Central won four successive state softball champions from 1997-2000.

Yahn was a major reason why.

She was a player for that quartet of Maroon crowns, and she was simply dominating in the circle during her junior and senior seasons (2009-10).

As a junior, Yahn scripted a stellar 21-2 record in the circle. In 81 innings of work she fanned 55 batters, yielding just 35 hits while compiling a 2.33 ERA.

The pitching dandy took it to an even higher level as a senior.

Yahn was a brilliant 24-4. In 106 innings of circle duty, she fanned 114 batters, allowing only 40 hits while checking in with a miniscule 1.32 ERA.

Not surprisingly, Yahn was accorded first-team All-State, All-OVAC, and All-Valley honors as a junior and senior. In addition to winning four straight state championships during her Wheeling Central career, the Maroon Knights were OVAC champions all four years as well.

Yahn was also a standout in the classroom. She was an National Honor Society member as a sophomore, junior and senior and was in the Foreign Language Honorary the same three years.

Yahn was also a four-year soccer performer at Central.

AARON SCHNEID (Class of 2011) – Be it on the gridiron or in the track & field throwing circles, Aaron was nothing short of sensational for Wheeling Central.

The powerful lineman was a four-year letterman and three-year, two-way starter for the Maroon Knight gridders.

He was named first-team All-State as a senior after earning honorable mention All-State plaudits as a sophomore and and junior. Schneid was also a first-team All-Valley honoree his final two grid campaigns.

The 2010 Block of Granite Award recipient also played in the West Virginia North-South All-Star Game.

While Schneid enjoyed a brilliant football career at the East Wheeling school, he took his success to even a greater level when it came to track & field, ranking with Central's all-time greats.

Schneid was the state discus champion both as a junior and senior after a runner-up finish as a sophomore. Moreover, he won the state shot put crown as a junior. He still holds the school's shot put record.

His throwing prowess earned him second-team All-American honors in the discus (2010) and weight throw (2011).

Schneid opted to wrestle one season for the Maroon Knights, gaining a berth in the state tournament.

After receiving his Wheeling Central diploma, Schneid matriculated to West Liberty University, quickly becoming an integral contributor for the Hilltopper track program.

He set the WLU school record in the indoor weight throw and established the Mountain East Conference meet record in the hammer. He was also the WVIAC champion in 2013.

All told, Schneid was accorded all-conference honors six times in the weight events.

He has also enjoyed success in the coaching ranks. He coached an All-American javelin thrower at West Liberty before coaching a state champion discus thrower at University (Morgantown) High School.

CHRIS MARTIN (Class of 2008) – Martin was a dominant Maroon Knight performer in both football and track & field, also spawning much Maroon team success.

The mercurial-heeled running back played on four state championship teams in football – the final two being undefeated – and two more in track.

Martin's senior year in football was impressive to say the least.

He scored 34 touchdowns while averaging an eye-popping 11 yards per carry as a senior. Martin scored five touchdowns in one game (Shadyside) that season. He led the Ohio Valley in most yards from scrimmage that fall.

Martin established a WVSSAC championship game record for longest kickoff return for a touchdown (89 yards).

In the process, he earned a load of post-season honors, including first-team All-State, All-Valley and All-OVAC recognition. He was chosen Wheeling Central Athlete-of-the-Year.

Martin started three years on both sides of the ball in football. He finished his illustrious grid career with over 3,000 rushing yards.

He was an invited walk-on at WVU.

His track credentials are as equally impressive, helping the Maroon Knights to state championships in his freshman and seniors campaigns.

The hurdling sensation was the high scorer in the West Virginia State Meet as a senior, thanks to his four first-place finishes.

Martin set the low hurdles regional record as a senior.

DAN GORDON (Class of 2009) – Gordon was a three-sport performer for Wheeling Central, displaying his versatile talents in football, basketball and track.

But it was on the gridiron where Gordon was especially gifted.

He was a four-year letterman for the Maroon Knights, helping Central capture three state championships.

After earning varsity time as a frosh, Gordon became an impact player as a sophomore. He was named second-team All-State and was named the Maroon Knights' best defensive player.

As a junior he played an integral part in Central winning its third straight state championship. Gordon was again chosen the team's best defensive player while also gaining All-OVAC, All-Valley and All-State plaudits. The exclamation point on his honors that season was being named the Big 22 Player of the Year.

Gordon's final grid campaign at Central was filled with a myriad of accolades.

He was named first-team All-State, All-Valley and All-OVAC, also tabbed captain of all three of the all-star squads. He was Central's MVP, the Big 22 Player of the Year again while also garnering the Block of Granite Award.

Gordon's talents also helped Central win the WVSSAC Class AA State Basketball Tournament in 2009 and he placed second in the state track meet in the intermediate hurdles that same year.

Gordon was also voted Central's Student Body president as a junior and senior.

Gordon earned a full football scholarship to Robert Morris University, where he graduated in 2013. He subsequently became a paramedic and firefighter with the Wheeling Fire Department.