Hall of Fame
Reflecting the dedication and strong work ethic of the numerous coaches and student-athletes he promoted, Bruce Wald served as Cal U’s sports information director (SID) from 1985 through the 1997-98 winter sports season before moving into the university’s public affairs office.
He was the PSAC’s softball SID from June 1989 until a fulltime PSAC SID was hired in the summer of 1993. During his tenure, Wald was the host SID for numerous post-season events, including three PSAC and NCAA II East Regional men’s basketball tourneys, the 1989 NCAA Division II national wrestling championships and PSAC championship events in women’s softball, volleyball, women’s basketball and wrestling. He hosted several radio and television sports shows as well as doing some sports color commentary and play-by-play work for WCAL radio and CUTV. He served under current athletic director Dr. Tom Pucci and 2006 Hall of Fame inductee Jan McConnell, who retired in the summer of 1991.
“This honor is certainly overwhelming and I was very fortunate to work for some great people who were very supportive and gave me an awesome opportunity to be Cal’s SID at the age of 22,” Wald said. “I prefer to be in the background and just write about great student-athletes, coaches, and teams so this is awkward for me but I am very proud to be selected.”
Wald has worked extensively with all aspects of the university Hall of Fame since its inception in 1995 and also still assists with alumni related athletic events such as the popular football basketball and traditions.
The sports editor of the California Times student newspaper during his undergraduate days, Wald received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal U in 1985 and that fall began working the sports information office under Cal U 1999 Hall of fame inductee and longtime English professor Alan Natali. Several of the many Hall of Fame student-athletes he helped promote include Brendan Folmar, Sam Mannery, Terry O’Shea, Dana Zajicek, Joe Miller, Lara Thornton, Ken Hackman, Rick Krivda, Jackie Wilson, and Danielle Penner. Wald handled the radio play-by-play duties of the softball team’s five victories at the 1997 NCAA national tourney as well as providing game stories. Hall of Fame coaches during Wald’s SID tenure included Chuck Gismondi, Jeff Petrucci, Jim Boone, Linda Kalafatis, Paul Flores, and the final season of 2007 Hall of Fame inductee Tim Loomis.
“When you see great coaches working seven days a week with such passion for their sport it did not take much motivation to also be in the office doing what you could to help,” Wald said. “An SID works on behalf of the coaches and teams but you spend so much time with these people that many of them become great mentors and friends. There’s so much work to be done leading up to a season or game but once an actual event takes place something special can happen at anytime and the memories you take from them are with you forever.”
Since moving into the public affairs office, Wald has been the main writer for the California Journal as well as responsible for the dissemination of press releases and feature stories to the media. He also served as the University spokesperson for nine months of 2007 and contributes to many campus publications. Wald, regarded as a Cal U sports historian, also still serves as a consultant to the sports information office and current SID Tom Byrnes and Dave Smith, who replaced Wald until retiring in fall 2004.
“Right now Cal U athletics is at its peak and President Armenti and the athletic administration have put together an incredible collection of coaches and are competitive in every sport,” said Wald. “But we also have a great past and because I do possess a lot of Cal U sports knowledge I feel an obligation to the hall of fame and to recognize all of those that have made contributions. Since leaving sports information I have kept in close contact with Dave and now Tom. They are great guys who are very appreciative of any kind of help you can give them. When I left sports information, they just started renovating both the football stadium and Hamer Hall. From that standpoint I left right as Cal athletics was on the cusp of many great things and their facilities are now as good as anyone’s in Division II.”
In 1999, Wald received the Pavlak/Shutsy Special Service Award from the Cal U Alumni Association and in April 2004 for his support was inducted into the honorary theatre fraternity, Alpha Psi Omega. Wald is quite pleased to be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with the NCAA softball national title teams.
“I did not know it at the time but that first NCAA title was the last, great moment I had the privilege of being the SID for,” said Wald. “It was 10 years ago but it just seems like that happened yesterday. To see a super group of young ladies and an innovative coach (Rick Bertagnolli) clearly separate themselves from a talented field and beat them all was and still is indescribable.”
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Wald is a 1980 graduate of Churchill High School, where he received the Quill and Scroll Award for his sports writing efforts. A freelance sports writer with the Mon Valley Sunday Tribune-Review since 1984, Wald covered Cal U sports for that section for 21 years and is also a voting member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
“I’ve enjoyed the best of both Cal U worlds,” Wald said. “I was so immersed with the SID job but by working with public affairs I have been able to see this great university in a much broader light and it’s amazing how much good is going on. As the President is fond of saying Cal U is indeed hot right now. I am very grateful to be here for it.”
He resides in California with his wife, Lori.
