Lancaster Bible College is pleased to announce the Class of 2024 to the Athletics Hall of Honor, as the Chargers will honor Cindy (Gladfelter ’90) Lefever, Josiah Groff (’16) and TJ Horn (’08) on Homecoming & Family Weekend, Sept. 27-28. This year’s trio were leaders not only on the field but off as well, as each of the programs they led enjoyed success throughout their respective times.

Cindy (Gladfelter ’90) Lefever

Lefever was the first star of the Lancaster Bible Women’s volleyball program, which began in 1986. She joined the team for the 1987 season and was a two-time NCCAA First Team All-American and named NCCAA East Region Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons.  Lefever led the Chargers in assists with 414 during the 1988 campaign and also paced the team with 85 service aces.

While historical records are incomplete from those early seasons, Lefever and the Chargers enjoyed early success, including NCCAA East Region Championships in 1987 and 1989. LBC went 45-23 (.662) during Lefever’s three seasons, including 23-4 (.852) at Horst Athletic Center. In addition to her career with the women’s volleyball program, Lefever also played on the women’s basketball and field hockey teams during her time as a Charger.

Like Lefever did for the volleyball program 25 years prior, Groff immediately elevated the men’s soccer program upon his arrival in 2013. Following a disappointing 2012 season, Groff transferred to LBC prior to the 2013 campaign and helped the Chargers double their wins from four to eight. The following season, the team went 12-7-1 and earned a North Eastern Athletic Conference semifinal victory, as the Chargers defeated Keuka 1-0, thanks to an overtime winner from Groff, and advanced to the program’s first-ever NEAC Final.

Josiah Groff (’16)

Groff’s final year in a Chargers uniform was his best, as he led the conference with 13 goals, 11 assists and 37 points, en route to being named NEAC Player of the Year. That year, Groff had five game-winning goals and was also named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

In his 65 games at LBC, Groff scored 27 goals and assisted on 18 others for 72 points. Twelve of his 27 career goals were game-winners, and he played nearly 5,200 minutes in three seasons, never missing a game. In addition to his personal accolades, LBC went 33-25-7 in his three seasons, reaching the NEAC Semifinals twice and the NEAC Final once.

If it was Groff who helped turn the tide of the men’s soccer program in the mid-2010s, nearly a decade earlier, it was TJ Horn who changed the fortunes of LBC’s baseball program. Horn’s impact was immediate, as he was named to the NCCAA East Region First Team as a freshman. He would earn the honor in all four of his seasons, along with NCCAA Division II All-American honors in 2007 and 2008.

TJ Horn (’08)

Over four seasons, Horn played in 107 games and collected 159 hits, including 56 for extra bases. He smashed 16 home runs and drove in 97 runs while scoring 102 more. Horn swiped 46 total bases and finished his career with a .458 batting average. Horn also pitched for the Chargers, going 12-10 in four seasons, while posting a 4.59 earned run average. In 160 career innings, he struck out 164 batters.

In addition to his play on the field, Horn returned to lead the program and coached the Chargers in 2011, as well as from 2013-18. He collected 106 wins and is the only coach in program history with 100 or more victories. Horn led the Chargers to the program’s first-ever 20-win season in 2016, as the team qualified for the NEAC Playoffs for the first time in program history.

LBC Associate Athletics Director Rod Baughman said he was excited about this year’s honorees because of their impact on and off the field of play, as well as their contributions since graduating.

“This year’s class was honored for their on-the-field play, and they deserve all those accolades,” Baughman said. “More importantly, the impact they have made on their programs since graduating is something to cherish. From TJ leading our baseball program as the head coach to Josiah mentoring men’s soccer players and Cindy returning to campus and impacting our current team over the past few seasons, it’s been amazing to see their continued commitment to Lancaster Bible.”

This year’s class will be honored with a special dinner and program during Homecoming & Family Weekend, as well as honored prior to the women’s soccer game on Sept. 28.

For more information on the Lancaster Bible College Hall of Honor, visit bit.ly/lbc-hallofhonor, which features information on past inductees, as well as the college’s anniversary teams and past award winners.