Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2016
- Class:
- 2000
Sport: Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Ron Hess was an outstanding distance runner who won Patriot League Performer of the Meet honors three times during his career – at the indoor and outdoor championships in 1998-99 and at the outdoor meet in 2000 -- and graduate with 10 career conference gold medals. He was a two-time All-Patriot League performer in cross country, helping the Bison to team titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Hess finished fourth at the league championship race in 1997 and 1998, and after battling mono for half the season in 1999, he finished 20th.
Hess captured four Patriot League indoor titles, including three in the mile (1998-2000) and one in the 1000-meter run in 1999. He added two more Patriot League outdoor titles, winning the 800 meters in 1999 and 2000.
Hess' name litters Bucknell's all-time top-10 lists both indoors and outdoors, and when he graduated he ranked third all-time in the outdoor 800 and 1,500, and in the indoor 800 and 1,000. His times trailed only other Hall-of-Famers, including the incomparable Tom McLean, who won an NCAA championship in the 800 in 1976.
Hess was also a two-time Academic All-American (1999 and 2000) and five-time Patriot League Scholar-Athlete selection during his career (three times for indoor track and twice for outdoor track). Hess received the league's highest academic honor when he was tabbed Patriot League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for all sports in 1999-2000. He was a member of Patriot League 25th Anniversary Team and the Patriot League All-Decade Team for track & field.
After graduation, Hess returned to Lewisburg as a school counselor and cross country/track and field coach at Lewisburg High School.
(Bucknell Hall of Fame Class of 2016)
