By Jeff Harrison

For the News-Register

A true “ambassador” of the conference, a successful two-sport coach and a dedicated member of the media are the latest additions to the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.

Dr. Diana Vargo has been chosen as this year’s OVAC “Family” honor; Henry “Hen” Healy was named as an OVAC “Contributor” and Seth Staskey of The Times Leader is the most recent addition in the Media category.

These three will be honored later this year at the OVAC’s 18th annual induction ceremony.

Previously announced HOF inductees include Jim Capito of Bellaire and Roger Holdinsky of Moundsville (1950s); Bob Bruney of Martins Ferry and Gary “Tony” Marvin of Wheeling (1960s); Courtney Snyder of Steubenville and Richard Summers of Sistersville (1970s); Lori Heady of Buckeye Trail and Jeff Woofter of Oak Glen (1980s); Darin Ford of Cambridge and Curtis McGee of Wheeling Central (1990s); D.J. Duke of River and Stephanie Morgan of Barnesville (2000s); and Teddy Jo Maslowski of Steubenville Catholic (2010s).

The OVAC Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Robinson Auto Group. The “Hall” and the OVAC Museum are located inside WesBanco Arena.

Next week, this year’s selections in the coaches and officials categories will be announced.

Here’s a look at the latest OVAC Hall of Fame inductees:

Dr. Diana Vargo

(Family)

(St. Clairsville High School, Class of 1977)

A true “goodwill ambassador” of the conference, Dr. Vargo has the distinction of being the first female member of the OVAC Executive Board when she came aboard in 2001, and she remains the only female more than 20 years later. She also served two years (2007-08 and 2008-09) as president of the board.

Dr. Vargo has done yeoman work as chairman of the George Strager “Evening with the Stars” Banquet at Wheeling Park’s White Palace, an event showcasing the players, coaches, cheerleaders and Queen of Queen candidates participating in the annual OVAC Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Game.

The OVAC Varsity Board was also the brainchild of Dr. Vargo. The premise of the Varsity Board – which includes two students (one boy, one girl) from a majority of the conference schools – is “empowering student-athletes to promote leadership, character and knowledge” and includes discussions on various topics such as sportsmanship and community involvement.

Dr. Vargo is a 1981 graduate of Ohio University with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Mathematics. She earned a Master of Arts in Science/Mathematics Education from Wheeling Jesuit College in 1987, a Master of Arts in Education Administration from West Virginia University in 1993 and a Doctoral in Educational Leadership from West Virginia University in 2009.

She spent more than three decades with Ohio County Schools, first as a math teacher/cross country coach at Wheeling Park High School in the early 1980s; became assistant principal and then high school principal at Park in 2003; assistant superintendent in 2007 and then in 2009 she was appointed the Deputy Superintendent of Ohio County Schools, serving in that capacity until 2016.

A resident of Wheeling, she also serves on the Easter Seals Board, Wheeling Hall of Fame Committee and Wheeling YMCA Board of Directors.

Henry (Hen) Healy (Contributor)

(St. John Central High School, Class of 1944)

He enjoyed success as a head coach in two sports at two conference schools – St. John Central and Paden City – amassing an overall football record of 117-52-3 and a basketball record of 151-48 and is one of only two OVAC-era coaches who won state championships in both sports (the other was Hall of Famer Burdell “Jimmy” Carey of Weir High.

Healy was at St. John Central from 1954-57, coaching the school’s only perfect-record football team (9-0 in 1956) which was led by Hall of Fame running back Joe Maroon. He was named OVAC Coach of the Year in 1957. His three-year record with the Irish was 19-7.

He was also head basketball coach three years at SJC, winning the OVAC Class A championship in 1956 and posting a three-year record of 39-18.

He moved on to Paden City, coaching there from 1957-1971, guiding the Wildcats to early successes in both football and basketball.

In football, he coached 15 years with a record of 98-45-3 with three unbeaten regular seasons and three West Virginia Class A championship game appearances. The Wildcats won their first state crown in 1970 after losing in the finals twice to a powerhouse Monongah squad led by the likes of Kerry Marbury and Nick Saban.

Healy’s 1959 and 1963 teams were unbeaten, but they didn’t compete in the two-team state playoffs. His 1966 team went 9-0-1, but again didn’t make the playoffs. Among the Wildcat stars of the time were future Syracuse back Dennis “Dink” Blatt; future WVU backs Mike Nelson and Larry sine; and Arcelius “Ace” Lyle, brother of future Chicago Bears’ defensive back Garry Lyle.

In basketball, he coached Paden City to a six-year record of 112-30, highlighted by the school’s first West Virginia Class A state title in 1960. The 23-4 record team was led by Marshall University recruit Walter “Nook” Smittle. None of his six Wildcat teams won less than 15 games.

Healy also served as Paden City’s athletic director and principal.

He played football and basketball at St. John’s, then served in the U.S. Army during WWI before attending West Liberty State College where he was a four-year letterman in two sports, graduating in 1951. He was a standout at fullback and defensive back under Coach Joe Bartell and a forward on the basketball team. He was inducted into the West Liberty Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984.

Healy was a Wetzel County Hall of Fame inductee in 2019. He passed away in 2003 at the age of 76.

Seth Staskey (Media)

(Shadyside High School, Class of 1998)

There have been members of the Ohio Valley media with longer tenures than Staskey, but probably none more passionate about the conference and its athletic programs. In 23 years (and likely for another two decades or more), Staskey has reported on sporting events up and down the Ohio River on both sides in every sport imaginable.

He started his journalism career in 1999 at The Times Leader, quickly elevating to the position of sports editor. In addition to articles, columns and photographs appearing in the eastern Ohio newspaper, his works also appear regularly in The Intelligencer, Wheeling News Register and The Herald Star. He is also a frequent guest sports commentator for WKKX Radio and WTRF-TV7.

Staskey is a member of the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association, the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Media Advisory Committee and a member of the OPSWA East District Football, Boys Basketball and Girls Basketball All-Star Selection Committee.

His direct involvement with the OVAC includes serving as a member of the Hall of Fame Committee, the Track Committee, the Golf Committee and the Basketball Committee; handling media releases for the OVAC Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Game and OVAC Samuel A. Mumley All-Star Basketball Classic; and he is the public address announcer for the OVAC Cal Giffin Track Championships at Red Devil Stadium in St. Clairsville.

Staskey also finds time to umpire softball from youth leagues through high school as a member of the Ohio Valley Board of Softball Umpires.