Bowling Green State University Athletics
Vince Palko: 2006 BGSU Hall of Fame Inductee
September 06, 2006 | General
Sept. 6, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University Athletics Hall of Fame will welcome nine new members on Friday (Sept. 8). The 2006 class will be inducted during a formal dinner on the BGSU campus.
The class of 2006 includes Sara Collas '90 (women's cross country/track and field), Carlyn Esslinger '96 (volleyball), Steve Klein '98 (men's soccer), Brian Leaver '95 (football), Carla Marshack '92 (women's tennis), Jim McDonald '59 (men's basketball), Megan McGuire '91 (women's basketball and volleyball), Vince Palko '95 (football) and Andy Tracy (football and baseball).
The official induction ceremony will take place Friday evening in the grand ballroom of BGSU's Bowen-Thompson Student Union. The social hour begins at 6:00 p.m., with dinner served at 7:00 p.m. and the program starting shortly thereafter.
In addition, the class will be introduced at halftime of Saturday's (Sept. 9) BGSU-Buffalo football game at Doyt Perry Stadium. The game begins at 3:00 p.m. and is designated as Hall of Fame Day.
Tickets for Friday's dinner are $35 ($30 for Varsity BG members), and advanced reservations are preferred. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Falcon Club office at (419) 372-7100. Football game tickets can be purchased through the ticket office by phone, at 1-877-BGSUTICKET, or on the web at www.BGSUFalcons.com.
The public is invited to attend the induction dinner. As mentioned, reservations are encouraged, but walk-ups are welcomed as well.
The following is the eighth of a nine-part series that takes a look at this year's inductees...
VINCE PALKO (football; 1991-94)
Vince Palko, a native of Stow, Ohio, was a two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year for the Brown and Orange. A two-time co-captain at his inside linebacker position, he started every game as both a freshman and a sophomore, helping the Falcons to bowl wins in each season. In 1991, he had 98 tackles to finish second on the team, and again placed second the following year, with 119 stops.
As a junior in 1993, Palko earned his first MAC Defensive P-O-Y honor, also garnering All-MAC and Academic All-MAC First-Team honors. He led the team and was seventh in the MAC with 141 total tackles, and was BGSU's nominee for the Vern Smith Award. That fall, he led the entire league with 15 tackles for loss, including four sacks.
As a senior in '94, Palko again was the league's Defensive P-O-Y, and again made both the all-league and academic all-league first teams. He again led the team in tackles, with 120, giving him a career total of 478 stops, which remains the school record. Palko was one of 48 players considered for the Butkus Award, given to the top linebacker in college football, in that 1994 season.
Palko currently resides in Sylvania, Ohio. He took his passion for fitness and athletics to the internet, having launched a fitness course appropriately titled Linebacker Fitness.
He is also a virtual fitness trainer and information entrepreneur, and publishes an online newsletter and has a website, VincePalko.com. Additionally, he is preparing to release a book, the "Art of Selling Using Cartoons." He and his wife, Cheri, have three daughters -- Sophia, Georgia and Vivian -- all under the age of 5.
