(Photos provided courtesy of Shannon O'Sullivan)
Upper Dublin Coach Bret Stover Inducted into the PSFCA Hall of Fame
Upper Dublin football coach Bret Stover was one of six inductees in the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Below is the bio that accompanied his selection:
Bret Stover is a 1984 graduate of Upper Dublin High School where he was a three-sport letterman (football, basketball, and baseball). He attended Millersville University (1984-88) where he was Quarterback and captain for legendary coach Dr. Gene A. Carpenter. During his time at Millersville, he posted a 17-1 record as a starter and in 1988 led the Marauders to their first-ever Division II playoff win at IUP and nearly upset #1 Nationally Ranked North Dakota State in Fargo, ND, the following week. His team was also named the recipient of the Lambert Meadowlands Cup in 1988.
Bret graduated from Millersville University in 1988 with a BA in Economics. In 1990, Bret landed his first coaching job at his high school alma mater under PSFCA Hall of Fame coach John Pavlick and has been a coach at Upper Dublin to this day. In 2003, Bret took over as head coach and has accumulated a record of 156-79 - even after beginning his coaching career with a less-than-stellar 4-27 record. His teams have accounted for eight Suburban 1 American and Continental League Championships, one PIAA District 1 4A Championship (2015), and three PIAA 5A Championships (2018, 2020 & 2022). In 2015, on their way to the school's first-ever District1 Championship, his team knocked off the three largest enrollment schools in District 1: Upper Darby, Pennsbury, and North Penn. With the four District 1 Championships came four Eastern Final appearances, but the elusive trip to the state championship game is an opportunity for another season.
Bret was named the PSFCA District 1 Coach of the Year following the 2014, 2015, and 2022 seasons. The Philadelphia Inquirer also named him Coach of the Year in 2015. He has served as a PSFCA Director and Executive Committee member since 2010, serving as the President in 2019. He coached in the 2009 PSFCA East/West game, has been a coach of 15 Montgomery County All-Star Classics, and was an assistant coach for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl East Squad in San Antonio, TX, in 2016. In that game, he coached the defensive line and two future, first-round NFL draft picks: Dexter Lawrence and Javon Kinlaw. Bret was inducted into the Philadelphia Area Chapter of the National Football Foundations, and the College Hall of Fame in 2019.
Although honored to receive this award, he views this award as a program award, knowing that none of the accolades above would have been possible without the help of many assistant coaches and great players. In 2007, Upper Dublin was the only team in the Suburban 1 to not have made the district one/state playoff system. Since 2007, Upper Dublin has been in the playoffs in 15 of the last 17 seasons.
For 32 years, Bret has been married to his wife Allyson, whose support through good and bad seasons has never wavered. They have been blessed with three outstanding sons - Ryan (26), Cory (24), and Drew (21) -and are both very proud of their accomplishments on and off the playing fields of Upper Dublin.
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