BGSU HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
BGSU ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES (men’s soccer) • Pete Farrell, 1982 • Dennis Mepham, 1986 • Neil Ridgway, 1990 • Mickey Cochrane, 1993 % • Dave Dyminski, 1994 • Gary Palmisano, 1998
• Bud Lewis, 2000 • Rob Martella, 2002 • Steve Klein, 2006 • Scott Vallow, 2009 % inducted into NSCAA Hall of Fame in 1995
PETE FARRELL Pete Farrell was a standout on both the Falcon soccer and lacrosse teams when those sports were in their early stages at Bowling Green. Born and raised in the Baltimore, Md., area, Farrell came to BG in 1965. He played on the freshman soccer and lacrosse teams in 1965-66, and then was a three-year regular on the varsity team in both sports. Farrell was co-captain of the soccer team as both a junior and senior. In his senior season, he was voted as the team’s most valuable player and was named to the All-Ohio team at his centerback position after helping the Falcons to their first winning season. In his three years on the lacrosse team, Farrell helped the Falcons to a 24-9 record. He was named first team All-Midwest three times, and received honorable mention on the All-America team as a sophomore and junior. As a senior, Farrell was a second team All-America pick, and scored the winning goal in the NorthSouth All-Star game.
Pete Farrell – 1982
DENNIS MEPHAM Dennis Mepham played four years of soccer and two years of basketball during his Falcon tenure. He was twice named All-Ohio and All-Mideast, and was a 1979 All-American striker. As a senior, Mepham co-captained the soccer team, while leading the team in scoring as a junior and senior. Upon graduation, he held the school records for goals in a season (11) and career (25). He also had the BG records for points in a season (13) and career (34). Mepham was drafted by the Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League in 1980, and played for the Lancers as well as the Rochester Flash of the American Soccer League. He also played outdoors for the Buffalo Storm of the United Soccer League in 1984. Mepham’s professional experience also included a lengthy tenure indoors, as he played with the Buffalo Stallions of the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980-84, and the Cleveland Force from ‘84 through ‘88. Mepham also saw time with the Cleveland Crunch in the MISL. He was named to the MISL All-Star team on multiple occasions, and also was named to the USL (1984) and ASL (1981-82) All-Star teams. NEIL RIDGWAY Dennis Mepham – 1986 Neil Ridgway left BGSU holding almost every record possible. The Stockport, England, native finished his Falcon tenure as the school’s career leader in assists, with 33, and points, with 107. On the single-season list, Ridgway dished out 17 assists in the 1983 campaign, which at the time was six more than any other player in school history. The team MVP as a sophomore, junior and a senior, Ridgway earned All-Amercan honors in 1982 and 1983 while he was a three-time all-region and All-Ohio pick. Additionally, he was the top midfielder in the state of Ohio in both his junior and senior seasons.
Neil Ridgway – 1990
Ridgway began his professional career in 1984 with the Memphis Americans of the Major Indoor Soccer League, and also had a lengthy tenure in the American Indoor Soccer Association, which later became the National Professional Soccer League. He played outdoors with the Chicago Sting of the NASL, and his indoor career saw him play for multiple franchises in the AISA and NPSL. Additionally, he has over 30 years of youth coaching experience.
58 • BGSU FALCONS • 2020-21 MEN’S SOCCER
