SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — For the first time in history, Penn State Schuylkill student-athlete jerseys are on display in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Penn State Schuylkill basketball standouts Alyssa Gerber and Tajae Stevenson played an incredible 2021-22 season, racking up conference awards and honors, and now their jerseys are hanging in the hall of fame’s “Ring of Honor” in recognition of their accomplishments. 

Gerber said she was in shock when she first heard the news while on the road with the softball team. “Being able to say that my jersey is in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame is something that I never thought was possible,” Gerber said. “It’s a symbol of all the hard work I put in growing up and all the fun I have had playing this sport over the years. This amazing accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without every single one of my teammates and coaches.”

Stevenson expressed similar excitement about hearing the news, saying, “Hearing the news at first made me realize that although I'm a young mother and in college, I'm still able to accomplish goals I never imagined. I showed up and showed out, doing what I am passionate about. Accomplishing something like this shows my daughter that anything is possible.”

The Ring of Honor showcases more than 100 jerseys of high school and college All-Americans from the 2021-22 season. Kelly Mathis, director of development for the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, wrote, “You can imagine the caliber of players’ jerseys that have once hung in our rafters. Without a doubt, Alyssa Gerber and Tajae Stevenson are definitely a part of an elite group, and a part of history now, too!”

Gerber, who graduated from Penn State in May, was the first Penn State Schuylkill women’s basketball player to reach both 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. She is now the leading points scorer with 1,342 career points. Gerber's final season was the first time that Schuylkill women’s basketball celebrated 20-plus wins under Coach Charles Killian. A three-season athlete, Gerber also achieved 100 career hits in softball and was named to the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) All-Decade Team in women’s soccer. Gerber also earned: 

• NAIA Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Honorable Mention for Women’s Basketball
• PSUAC Player of the Year 2021-22
• PSUAC All-Conference First Team Women’s Basketball
• USCAA National Championship 2021-22 Women’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
• USCAA All-American 2021-22 Women’s Basketball First Team
• 2022 Penn State Schuylkill Female Athlete of the Year
• 2022 Penn State Schuylkill Coaches Award

Second-year student-athlete Stevenson racked up a number of honors, too, including:

• PSUAC Rookie of the Year 2021-22 
• PSUAC All-Conference First Team Women’s Basketball
• USCAA National Championship 2021-22 Women’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
• USCAA All-American 2021-22 Women’s Basketball Second Team

“We couldn’t be prouder of these outstanding student-athletes,” said Bryan Valentine, Penn State Schuylkill’s director of student affairs and athletics. “I had the chance to visit the hall of fame and see Alyssa and Tajae’s jerseys on display firsthand. It was a truly memorable experience, and speaks volumes of the quality of our athletics program and the dedication and commitment of these two athletes.”

To learn more about Penn State Schuylkill’s athletics program, including participation in the NAIA conference, visit psuschuylkillathletics.com.