Tartans Honored with Three on PAC 60th Anniversary Football Team
(GREENVILLE, Pa.) – The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), formally organized in 1955 by charter members Case Institute of Technology, Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, and Wayne State University, is celebrating its 60 anniversary throughout the 2014-15 academic year. The PAC will be recognizing 60 of its outstanding student-athletes that have competed as members of both present, and past, league-affiliated institutions in 19 championship sports with the creation of 60th anniversary celebratory teams.
The PAC's 60th anniversary football team was announced at PAC Football Media Day on Wednesday, August 6.
Sixteen of the PAC's past and present members are participating in the yearlong celebration project. All 10 of the PAC's current members were automatically included, while past league members must have had at least a 10-year affiliation with the conference to participate.
Both past and present PAC members receive "automatic" selections on the 60th anniversary teams based on the institution's membership time. Each school also has the opportunity to nominate a maximum of six (6) additional "at-large" student-athletes, per sport, for consideration.
Sport-specific advisory committees, made up of 5-6 past and present PAC coaches and administrators, will determine additional "at-large" student-athletes to be recognized in order to reach 60 student-athletes on each celebratory team.
The anniversary team, which features 15 schools, has 49 "automatic" selections and 11 "at-large" selections. Over 60 "at-large" nominations were put forward for advisory committee consideration.
Carnegie Mellon was eligible for two automatic spots following the 18 years in the PAC from 1972-90. The Tartans were honored with three former players on the team as the advisory committee honored an at-large nomination of Carnegie Mellon. The three honored are current head coach and former player Rich Lackner (1975-1978), Ken Murawski (1978-1981) and Scott Barnyak (1987-1990).
Scott Barnyak – RB - 1987-90 – Jeannette, Pa. / Penn-Trafford
Scott Barnyak was named PAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1989. That same year, the Tartans won their seventh PAC title. He ranks fourth on school's all-time rushing charts with 2,618 yards. He became the school's all-time leading rusher following the 1989 season and held the top spot for ten years. Barnyak holds the school record for most points scored in a single season with 138.
Rich Lackner – LB – 1975-78 – Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon
Rich Lackner was a four-year starter for the Tartans. During his four years, he was a three-time All-PAC selection as well as the PAC's 1976 Defensive Player of the Year. In 1978, Lackner was named to the Pittsburgh Press All-District Team and received a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Dapper Dan Award. He was twice named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. During his playing career, Carnegie Mellon had a four-year mark of 28-7-1 and won PAC titles in 1977 and 1978. The Tartans advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs in 1978, marking their first postseason appearance since the 1939 Sugar Bowl. Following graduation, Lackner remained with the Tartans as an assistant coach. Seven years later, Lackner was named head coach. He has an overall mark of 266-115-4 (.696) record from 1975-2013 as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, with a mark of 13-8-1 in the PAC from 1986-89 as a head coach with a PAC title in 1989.
Ken Murawski – LB – 1978-81 – Pittsburgh, Pa. / Baldwin
Ken Murawski was a three-year starter and four-year letter winner for the Tartans. During his four seasons, Carnegie Mellon compiled a 34-5-1 record and won three PAC titles (1978, 1979, 1981). Following the 1981 season, Murawski was named Kodak First Team All-American and Associated Press (A) Honorable Mention All-American. He was a two-time All-PAC selection and finished his career with 243 total tackles (159 solo stops) and nine interceptions.
Full List of Honorees