After setting two school records that still stand amd becoming a three-time state champion, Knoch graduate Jennifer Crouch Kopac was inducted into the Pennsylvania High School Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Her induction took place last Saturday during ceremonies at the state indoor meet at Penn State University.

Kopac graduated from Knoch in 1989 and won three WPIAL and PIAA titles in the javelin that spring. Her toss of 165 feet, 9 inches marked the longest high school female javelin toss in the country that year.

"It's pretty shocking, going into this Hall of Fame," Kopac said. "Not many WPIAL athletes are in there."

The state track Hall of Fame was formed in 1995 and had 96 inductees before this year. Only four former WPIAL girls and five boys are among them.

Kopac threw the javelin, shot put and discus in high school. She still owns the Knoch record shot put of 43-7.

She also was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball in high school and played Junior Olympic volleyball.

"Jen was a strong young lady who spent a lot of time in the weight room," said retired Knoch coach Fred Bernard. "She even played some football in junior high. She was a special athlete."

Bernard coached Knoch track and field for 32 years, "and I never had another athlete achieve this type of honor."

Kopac went on to Penn State University and achieved All-Big Ten honors in indoor and outdoor track by her senior year.

She was nominated for induction by Hall of Fame committee member Mark Schwartz, a WPIAL track official and former University of Pittsburgh coach.

Kopac gained induction by vote of the Hall of Fame committee.

Her older brothers, Stan and Mike Crouch, also competed in throwing events for Knoch track teams.

Stan Crouch, a 1978 graduate, still owns the school's boys discus record of 158-5 set that year. Mike Crouch still owns the boys shot put record of 54-9½ set in 1983.

"I grew up around it," Kopac said of track and field. "And I had the body for it."

"She had wonderful support from her family," Bernard said.

Kopac, who still lives in the Saxonburg area, is employed by Velocity Sports Performance in Gibsonia. She is teaching a strength and speed system developed by Warren Seagrave, who has coached numerous Olympic champions and world-class sprinters.

"I work with athletes from age 7 on up," she said. "I teach speed and agility and try to keep my teacher-student ratio at one to six.

"Athletics have had a huge affect on my life. One of the perks of my job is I'm staying involved with young people. I still follow the high school sports teams throughout the season."