WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Penn College head baseball coach Chris Howard is one of 14 members of the Class of 2025 that will be inducted into the West Branch Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of the Fame. The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 9 at the Genetti Hotel & Suites.

The induction class includes: Lon Balum, Darrell Blackman, Kathy Fedorjaka, Melissa Kellogg, Shawn Kunes, Dan Merk, Brycen Mussina, Joe Person, Kayla (Kline) Zimmerman, Blaise Alexander Jr. (posthumously) and Floyd "Lanny" Reed (posthumously) and the Volunteers of the Year are Bob Cellini and Kooch Chu. Rachel (Houseknecht) Anderson and Hannah (Allison) Harris were selected for induction, but can not attend. Their induction will be held during the 2026 ceremony.

Howard played football and baseball at the University of Oklahoma and was a member of the Sooners 1985 national championship football team. On the diamond, Howard was a Second Team All-Big 8 selection as a designated hitter at OU before transferring to University of Louisiana at Lafayette for his senior season. He set a school record with 77 RBI in 1988 and earned Louisiana Sports Writers Association Newcomer of the Year award and was named to the LSWA first team. 

Following his senior year at Louisianna, Howard was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 41st round of 1988 MLB draft and played nine seasons of pro ball, including two with Williamsport Bills (1989-90) and parts of three seasons in the majors with the Mariners.

Howard has spent the past 18 years as the head coach at Penn College and has accumulated a 371-277 record. He has reached seven conference championships, won three conference titles, and was named conference coach of the year three times in career.