Hall of Fame
The year was 1970, the place was Hammer Hall and the opponent was Cheyney State, one of the premier top teams in small-college basketball. The men’s basketball team won that game, and in doing so achieved what no other basketball team had done at California University of Pennsylvania-winning the PSAC state crown. Leading the way during that game by scoring 28 points and pulling don 21 rebounds was Hall of Fame inductee Bernie Floriani.
“Nineteen seventy was on of the best years that we had at California up until that point. That was the first PSAC championship that California had ever won. As a matter of fact, about five years after we won the championship, they did a nice spread in one of the California papers. Someone called me up and asked me what it was like (to win the title). So, I told them a little story about driving down to the game,” Floriani said.
“I was married to my wife, Cathy, and we were driving down to the Cheyney game, and she said, ‘You don’t really think you can beat those guys, do you?’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t play if I didn’t think we could beat the team.’ That was the case with Cheyney State. There was one guy, a seven-footer, who played for Cheyney and was drafted by Boston. I think they were ranked number two in Division II basketball that year. So, we felt pretty good about beating the,. I think that’s one of the greatest sports experiences I’ve ever had,” he continued.
Floriani didn’t plan to play basketball for California after he graduated from Wes Newton High School in 1965. At West Newton, where he also played baseball, he accomplished numerous basketball feats, including becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder in a single game, a season and career. Floriani also was the conference’s scoring champion and the Valley Independent MVP, and he was named to the all-state first team during his senior year. He played for the Western Pennsylvania All-Stars in the first Dapper Dan Roundball Classic.
After high school, Floriani went to the Air Force Academy prep school in Colorado Springs, where he hurt his back and decided to come home. “When I got back from Colorado, I got a call from Myles Witchey (the head coach), and the rest is history,” Floriani said.
“We had some great players on our team, including Ray Greene (a member of the first class of the Hall of Fame). We had a great coaching staff. I think Myles Witchey and Floyd Shuler did a marvelous job with us. They took the 12 players that we had and took the chemistry we had and built a winner,” Floriani explained.
Before graduating form California in 1970, Floriani left his mark both on the basketball court and in the record books. Seventeen years later, eye still ranks fifteenth in career scoring, with 1,267 points.
For two years in a row-the 1968-69 and 1969-70 seasons-Floriani achieved PSAC all-star and AP all-state honors and was the Vulcans’ MVP. He was the PSAC-West MVP in 1970, and his 523 rebounds in 1970 eighth in Division II. During Floriani’s basketball career at cal, the Vulcans had d a record of 56 wins and 27 losses.
When he graduated from California, Floriani went to Memphis State University and earned his master’s degree in education in1971.
“I had some great mentors at California. Prior to teaching at California, two professors had gone to Memphis State University. So, I was talking about grad school, and they suggested Memphis State University. That’s where I ended up, and I loved it there,” Floriani said.
Floriani taught at the campus school and the Memphis State reading clinic while he attained his master’s degree and then his doctorate, which was granted in 1975. From Memphis, he took a position as a reading instructor at a community college I Tennessee. After Tennessee, Floriani worked at Salisbury State University in Salisbury, Md., for five years. He then moved to Delaware, where he now serves as the state supervisor of reading and language arts for grades kindergarten through 12.
“My major responsibility is that I act as a consultant to all of the school districts in Delaware. I’ll spend two to three full days per week working with teachers,” said Floriani, who has received a number of prestigious academic awards throughout his career. Those honors include the International Reading Association President’s Award, Merit Award and Outstanding Service Award. He has also received the Delaware State Superintendent’s Merit Award and the Board of Education order o Excellence Award.
Along with a splendid career, Floriani said that he has a wonderful family and has been able to enjoy other sports through the experiences of his three children.
“Bernie is 28, Brian is 22 and Lindsey is 14. Bernie and Brian were both state champions in golf. Bernie went on to walk on to the university of Virginia basketball team. Lindsey is going to make her mark in volleyball. And Brian is taking a little sabbatical from college right now. He is presently in Colorado working a couple of jobs and skiing. He has one year left at the University of Delaware,” Floriani said.
“I feel really good about my career. I have done a lot and accomplished a lot. I have to say that right behind me was the support of my wife Cathy. Back in the days at California, Cathy traveled everywhere with us. She was a great supporter and still is a great fan. She went on every bus trip. As a matter of fact, when we went to Kansas City to play in the national tournament, she flew out with us. She was a cheerleader when I went to West Newton High School. I guess once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader,” he continued.
Even though Greene, one of his teammates, has already been inducted into the Hall of Fame, Floriani said that he was surprised when he found out that he had been chosen as a member of the third class.
“I don’t think anyone dreams of making a hall of fame while they are playing. You just play because you like the game. It is no doubt a great honor. A lot of people play sports, but only a small percentage receive this honor,” Floriani said.
Bernie Floriani was an outstanding Vulcan men's basketball player who played from 1967 through 1970. A 6-3 forward, Floriani ranks 15th among all Cal career leading scores with 1,267 total points during his 1969-70 season. That memorable season was highlighted by the Vulcans compiling a then school-best 20-5 overall record and winning the school's first of six PSAC men's basketball championships. In front of a capacity-filled Hamer Hall, Cal defeated heavily favored Cheyney 110-91 for the state crown as Floriani produced a brilliant 29-point, 21-rebound effort.
A model of consistency, Floriani averaged 18.4 points as a junior and 21 points as a senior. He also was the eighth best rebounder in the entire nation during that memorable 1969-70 season. Floriani, who played for veteran head coach Myles Witchey, was a two-time Associate Press All-State and All-NAIA District 18 selection as well as the PSAC-West MVP in 1970.
Floriani is originally form Sutersville and a graduate of West Newton High School. After graduating form Cal, Floriani earned his master's degree and Ed.D from the University of Memphis. He has been a State Supervisor of Reading & Language Arts (K-12 grades) in Delaware where he has been honored with the Delaware State Superintendent's Merit Award and the Delaware State Board of Education Order of Excellence Award. Also a contributing author with the McGraw/Hill Reading Program, Floriani resides in Dover, Delaware with his wife, Cathy. They have three children-Bernie Jr., Brian, and Lindsey.
