Six new members were recently inducted into the Solanco Athletic Hall of Fame. The Class of 2024 consists of Charles Burkhardt, Allen Carrigan, Eric Hopkins, Joel McGuire, Susan Wiley Murphy, and Hanna Phillips.

The Distinguished Alumni accolade was given to Burkhardt, Class of 1960. This recognition goes to the member who meets the criteria for accomplishments after high school graduation.

While attending Solanco, Burkhardt earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. In 1960, he became Solanco's first male tennis player to represent the school in the singles tournament organized by the Lancaster-Lebanon League (L-L League).

While attending Lebanon Valley College (LVC), he was a four-time letter winner in tennis. His senior year, he was named captain, earned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, and was ranked No. 1 on the team.

Burkhardt started his 37-year professional career at Brandywine Heights High School as an English teacher and guidance counselor. He started the Brandywine boys' tennis program during the 1965-66 school year and later helped add the girls' program during the 1974-75 school year. As the head coach for the boys, he helped guide the team to the division championships in 1984 and 2007.

The girls' team earned the division championship in 2008 and 2012. In six consecutive years, the girls made the league playoffs. His combined wins total is 390, and more than 20 of his former girls' and boys' tennis players went on to compete at the college level. During his years, he coached 24 county medalists, four district medalists, and two state qualifiers.

Burkhardt also served as the head coach for Brandywine Heights' wrestling team for two years, achieving a 14-win record.

He and his wife, Reda, a 1960 Solanco graduate, reside in Topton.

Carrigan, Class of 1963, was a four-year varsity letter winner in Solanco's baseball program. Carrigan led the team in stolen bases and batting average all four years. Carrigan carried a batting average of greater than .300 each year of high school and an average of .364 during his senior year; his career batting average still stands as one of the best in program history. In 1963, Carrigan was selected as a league all-section outfielder and was a member of the Section 3 championship team.

He and his wife, Trudy, reside in Quarryville.

Hopkins, Class of 2017, was a three-year member of the track and field and football programs at Solanco. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2015 for the track and field program and was a member of the district-qualifying boys' 4x100-meter relay team that finished second. He received the Senior Athlete of the Year award for both track and football, and he lettered in both sports for all three seasons.

As a junior, Hopkins was a member of the 2015-16 section championship team that went 9-1. The following season, in 2017, he become the school's all-time single-season rushing leader with 1,676 yards on 220 carries. He accomplished this in only eight and a half games played due to injury. He averaged 186 yards per game with 15 touchdowns on the season.

Hopkins is finishing his degree from Lincoln University while working in the Chester County Sheriff's Department.

McGuire, Class of 2019, was a three-year letter winner in football and a four-year letter winner in baseball during his time at Solanco. He was selected as a second-team centerfielder for the L-L League as a senior and was a member for the 2016 L-L League baseball championship team as a sophomore.

He was chosen as Solanco's Male Athlete of the Year in 2019. During his senior season on the football field, he finished with 1,671 rushing yards - just five yards shy of Hopkins' record; set the single-season touchdown record of 30 touchdowns - a record he still holds; and finished the season as the all-time leading rushing quarterback in L-L League history at the time.

After graduation, McGuire entered a four-year apprenticeship program through Jay R. Reynolds, and he is now a journeyman plumber. He resides in Willow Street.

Murphy was honored as a Friend to Athletics, a recognition given to individuals who take pride in getting involved in all aspects of an athletic program simply to help.

A 1973 Solanco graduate, Murphy was a member of the school's field hockey, basketball, and track and field teams, including the school's first-ever girls' track team. She played sports through her sophomore year and then discontinued these activities due to her work schedule. After graduating, Murphy began a career locally with the United States Postal Service. After 37 years of service to the Postal Service, she retired in 2011 as postmaster of New Providence.

Over the years, Murphy began volunteering for the cross-country and track and field booster clubs. At the time she started, these programs were combined with the field hockey booster program. Murphy was instrumental in helping the cross-country and track and field boosters to create their own separate clubs, and she served as president of the clubs for several years. She also was instrumental in starting the Solanco track invitational, assisting Mr. Harrington and Mr. Waggoner with logistics. When her time as president was done, she continued to volunteer with many duties, including timing, recording, fundraising, food preparation, and record keeping. In total, Susan has been involved as a volunteer for the cross-country and track programs for more than 25 years.

Phillips, Class of 2019, was a dual-sport athlete, participating in both basketball and softball during her years at Solanco. In basketball, she earned three varsity letters. In softball, Phillips was a starting pitcher from 2015 to 2019, and during that period, she earned four varsity letters, was named program MVP four years in a row, was a four-time L-L League first team All-Star selection and a two-time all-state selection, and was selected as the East Coast most outstanding pitcher.

Phillips was instrumental in helping the program win three consecutive section titles between 2015 and 2018. In the 2018 season, Phillips pitched the program to a Section 2 title, and the team finished as the LL League co-champion, took third place in the district tournament, qualified for the PIAA state tournament, and was a state semifinalist. The team finished the season with 24 wins, which is the most in program history.

Phillips became the first pitcher in Solanco softball history to record more than 500 strikeouts in her career, finishing with a total of 599. As a senior, she completed the season with a .390 batting average and three home runs. She continued her playing and academic career at Shippensburg University. Phillips earned an NFCA Scholar Athlete award for three consecutive years. She now resides in Kirkwood and is a middle school learning support teacher in the Penn Manor School District.