Paul Young - 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee

Young played basketball for Mercyhurst from 1974 to 1978 and was an integral part of a fledgling program that ultimately brought local, regional, and national attention to the college. The Lakers went a combined 70-31 in Paul's four years and he captained the team which represented the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 18 in the 1978 national championships in Kansas City. That team ended the season with a 26-3 record and a final national ranking of 10th. Paul was the consummate team player and was adept at every phase of the game - shooting, passing, rebounding, and defense. The late Dick Fox, Mercyhurst's first men's coach, recruited Young from Baldwin High School in Pittsburgh. In a 1974-75 preseason outlook, Coach Fox called Young "the surprise at practice, smart for a freshman" and a potential "sleeper." Young had a few nagging injuries during his career, but still finished with 797 points and is still among the top 30 scorers of all-time.

He graduated with a degree in Law Enforcement in 1978 and was the college's male Student Athlete of the Year. Paul is in the insurance business. He is married to the former Cheryl May (Mercyhurst '81). The couple has two children, Adam and Audra, and resides in Bridgeville, Pa. Young is the second men's basketball player in the Hall of Fame, joining all-time leading scorer John Green.