Inside Athletics | 6/15/2026 8:03:00 AM
Saint Francis University will recognize its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class on Friday, July 24. The class includes 11 student-athletes, one coach, and two teams. In the weeks leading up to the Hall of Fame ceremony, we'll spend the summer catching up with these standout athletes and celebrating the achievements that earned them a place among school's all-time greats.
After decades of waiting, former Saint Francis basketball standout Joe Schoen will receive one of the school's highest honors.
Schoen, a 1981 graduate and former NBA draft pick, will be inducted into the Saint Francis University Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026.
"When I first heard I was being inducted into the Saint Francis Hall of Fame, I felt humbled, proud, and relieved," Schoen said. "Deep down, I always hoped that one day I would be inducted, but as the years passed, I thought it probably would never happen."
A native of Philadelphia, Schoen arrived at Saint Francis in 1977 after a standout high school career at North Catholic, where he averaged 22.6 points and 21 rebounds per game as a senior.
Joe's determination to become a Division I player as we were growing up, his work ethic, and his passion separated him from other players," said Tim Heuber, a longtime friend. "I will tell you that the coaches in the Big 5 in Philly made a huge mistake by not recruiting Joe, but how lucky the Red Flash was to get him."
Despite limited Division I recruiting interest, Dave Magarity, who was then an assistant coach saw potential in the rugged forward.
"People told me Joe Schoen wasn't a Division I player," Magarity once said. "Now he's been drafted by the NBA."
Schoen was part of a highly regarded freshman class that included fellow Philadelphia-area recruit Bob Convey. The two visited Saint Francis together and committed to the school on their ride home from the trip.
After a modest freshman season, Schoen dedicated himself to improving his game. The hard work paid off. He developed into one of the Northeast's top rebounders and became a cornerstone of the program.
"Joe's main growth in college was his leadership skills and his shooting," said Convey. "He was always a great rebounder but needed to improve his shooting. Joe was just bigger than everyone, but he worked hard on playing with bigger competitors and shooting over them. Joe also became one of the team's best foul shooters."
"My body changed a lot, and I matured," Schoen said. "I knew I had to outwork everybody if I wanted to be more than a part-time player."
"Joe and I would lift weights together before it was mandatory," said former teammate Steve Rogers. "Saint Francis at that time only had a small universal weight machine and one free weight bench that he and I used together. Joe was always ready to go and willing to work hard to improve himself and the team."
By his junior and senior seasons, Schoen had emerged as one of Saint Francis' leaders. He averaged 13.3 points and 12.1 rebounds as a junior and helped lead the Red Flash to a 17-11 record as a senior.
Saint Francis regularly faced some of the nation's best programs during that era, including Notre Dame, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, LSU, Villanova, and Iona. During Schoen's four years, the Red Flash competed against at least 41 future NBA draft picks, including future NBA champions Bill Laimbeer and John Paxson.
"It was fun playing against the top players in the country," Schoen said. "You always wanted to see how you measured up."
Schoen finished his collegiate career with 1,076 points and 942 rebounds, narrowly missing the rare 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound milestone. His rebound total was the highest by a Saint Francis player in more than a decade.
"Each year of his career, he improved in all areas of his game," former coach Pete Lonergan said. "That improvement culminated in becoming an NBA draft choice."
His strong senior season and performances in postseason all-star events caught the attention of the Detroit Pistons. In 1981, the team selected Schoen with the 163
rd overall pick, making him the 10th player in Saint Francis history to be drafted into the NBA.
"After my junior year, I thought I had a shot," Schoen said. "I had a good senior year and played in some all-star games. People started talking about the possibility of being drafted."
Schoen attended the Pistons' training camp and later played briefly in professional leagues in Germany, Chile, and the United States before transitioning to a career in accounting. He earned a master's degree from La Salle University and retired in December 2025 after a successful business career.
Away from basketball, Schoen and his wife, Patti, have three daughters: Lexi, Georgia, and Lila. His brother, Mike, believes the Hall of Fame honor reflects far more than basketball accomplishments.
"Not only was Joe a terrific player and teammate," Mike Schoen said, "but more importantly, he is a Hall of Fame person, husband, and father."
Forty-five years after leaving Loretto, Schoen's long-awaited Hall of Fame induction officially cements his place among Saint Francis basketball's all-time greats.
