Written by Bill Foley, Coordinator of News and Media Content at Butler County Community College
Dick Hartung, whose Butler County Community College basketball programs have produced eight All-Americans, 11 titles and in 2019 the college’s all-time leading scorers, has announced his retirement from BC3.
The Butler Township resident, who also serves as an associate professor, turns 66 on Friday. His last day at BC3 will be March 18. The father of nine and grandfather of eight will undergo surgery to replace his right knee in early April. He had previously undergone surgery to replace his left knee.
“I’ve got to teach and coach at Butler County Community College, which was the job of my life,” Hartung said. “I’ve worked a lot of jobs, but this is number one.”
Hartung is a graduate of Butler Area Senior High School. He was the most valuable player in his senior year on the California State College men’s basketball team in 1978.
He earned bachelor’s degrees from California and Slippery Rock state colleges, a master’s degree from West Virginia University and played basketball professionally in Australia. He was hired in 1985 as a BC3 instructor in physical education, basketball and intramural sports, and was named an assistant professor in the 1990-1991 academic year. Hartung was inducted in 1991 into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame.
Hartung coached the BC3’s men’s basketball team for 29 seasons and its women’s squad for 12.
“There are names synonymous with college basketball programs,” said Dr. Nick Neupauer, president of BC3. “Bobby Knight at Indiana, Coach K – Mike Krzyzewski – at Duke, John Wooden at UCLA. And at Butler County Community College, Dick Hartung.
“Athletics are important to an institution of higher education – especially in western Pennsylvania. Coach Hartung understood that significance, history and culture. I am forever grateful for his dedication to the college, and to our student-athletes.”
Hartung “was very, very loyal to his players,” said Bill Miller, who served 15 years as an assistant men’s basketball coach under Hartung and as BC3’s director of admissions, dean of the former humanities and social sciences division and as interim vice president for academic affairs. “He gave a great effort to them, and they just responded. He would go above and beyond to make them as good a player as they could be.
“One thing I always thought about Dick’s teams was that they always got better during the year. They always made progress. By the time we got toward the end of the year, and got into the playoffs, the team had always improved.”
Joel Stutz was a guard and Mackenzie Craig a forward on BC3 men’s and women’s basketball teams, respectively, that during a weekend in February 2019 won Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference titles in the same season for the first time in BC3 history.
Joel Stutz of BC3 is the all-time leading scorer.
“I think for (Hartung), he was a little bit overwhelmed (by the 2019 titles),” said Stutz, of Butler. “I remember we were all celebrating and then after the celebration, coach said something like ‘I am going to go into my office.’ He took a couple of moments to himself. That was one of the most special weekends of my playing college basketball. We got to win it for him and the women won it the night before. That was really special. I am glad I got to do it for coach Hartung.”
Stutz in 2019 became the all-time leading scorer in BC3 men’s basketball history with 1,366 points.
Craig in 2019 became the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in BC3 women’s basketball history with 1,277 points and 966 rebounds.
“(Hartung) was the one that would bring us together, that would help us to grow as a family,” said Craig, of Karns City. “He would bring out the strengths in everyone. He saw the good in every single one of the women.”
The men’s team under Hartung won WPCC championships in 1991, 1994 and 2019; and a Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association title in 1991.
The women’s team under Hartung won WPCC championships in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2022, and National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region 20 titles in 2011 and 2016. The squad also finished fifth nationally in 2011.
Those named NJCAA Division III All-Americans under Hartung are men’s basketball players Hal Koenemund in 1994, Joe Lewandowski in 1995, Jerry Noll in 1996, Kevin Dill in 1996, Scheller Harrison in 1997, Bryant Lewandowski in 1999, and Alex Alvarez in 2015. Craig was named an NJCAA Division III All-American in women’s basketball in 2019.
“I’ve had a wonderful time coaching and teaching here,” Hartung said. “Of all my friends, I’ve got the best job. Hands down. I wouldn’t trade my job for any of my friends’ jobs. I think I’ve lived a blessed life. I’ve always thought there was someone looking out for me and I am one lucky guy.”
