UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Former Penn State running back Curt Warner is among two honorees elected to the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. Warner and Hall of Fame wrestler Larry Shaw will be enshrined at the 70th annual Victory Awards Dinner at the Charleston Center Coliseum on Sunday, May 15.
A native of Pineville, West Virginia, Warner was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 8, 2009. He was the 17th former Nittany Lion player and 22nd member of the Penn State football family to gain induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Warner was a two-time first team All-American, earning honors in 1981 and 1982. He led the Nittany Lions in rushing his final three seasons and was instrumental in helping Penn State compile a 31-5 record during that span, including the 1982 national championship. He garnered Fiesta Bowl Offensive Player of the Game honors twice in his career. In 1981, Warner rushed for 1,044 yards and nine touchdowns. The following season, he had 1,041 rushing yards with eight touchdowns as the Nittany Lions claimed the 1982 national championship. He also caught 24 passes for 335 yards and five scores as a senior.
At the completion of his career, Warner held 42 school records, including the career rushing record of 3,398 yards, which he held until his mark was passed by Evan Royster in 2010. Warner still holds the Penn State record with 18 100-yard rushing performances in his career. He scored 24 rushing touchdowns during his career.
Warner was the third overall pick of the 1983 National Football League Draft. He played for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.
During his high school career, Warner took home first team all-state honors in football, basketball and baseball. He was the first person to win the Harrison H. Kennedy Award as West Virginia's top football player and West Virginia's Amateur Athlete of the Year in the same year (1978). Warner rushed for 2,532 yards and scored 48 touchdowns as a senior. On the hardwood, Warner scored more than 1,500 points in three seasons.