Robert Morris University Athletics has announced the inductees of the Hall of Fame Class for 2025, the university’s 34th installment of Colonial greats from the past.
The three individuals and one team who will join the elite group of former student-athletes, administrators and coaches are Jaycee Gebhard (women’s hockey), Jessica Karwacki (women’s lacrosse) and Jason Spencer (football). Additionally, the 2000 undefeated Colonials football team will be enshrined.
RMU Hall of Fame inductee Jaycee Gebhard (Photo courtesy of RMU Athletics)
Gebhard scored 198 points, setting the all-time career point record during her stint on the women’s hockey team from 2016-20. She was named College Hockey America (CHA) Rookie of the Year and Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Year in 2017.
Gebhard was a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award nominee in 2020 and was a finalist for the CHA Player of the Year award. In her senior season, she set a program record with 63 points, breaking her previous record of 51, and recorded 43 assists, which surpassed her previous best of 32. A two-time College Hockey America (CHA) scoring champion, Gebhard was also a three-time CHA All-Conference honoree.
RMU Hall of Fame inductee Jessica Karwacki (Photo courtesy of RMU Athletics)
Karwacki finished with 644 draw controls from the circle, concluding her four years on the women’s lacrosse team (2013-16) at RMU with the NCAA Division I career record in the category. She also established single-game and single-season marks in draw controls, posting 25 against Quinnipiac (4/19/13) and establishing the season standard a year later with 216 in 17 games (12.71 per contest).
In 66 career games, Karwacki compiled career totals of 104 points (78 goals, 26 assists), 97 ground balls and 58 caused turnovers. She also ranks second in program history in free-position goals with 25. At the conclusion of her senior season, Karwacki was invited to play in the Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) North/South Division I All-Star Game, where she scored three goals and posted seven draw controls for a North squad that earned a 13-4 victory.
For those efforts, Karwacki was named MVP of the game. She was also selected by US Lacrosse to try out for the 2017 U.S. Women’s National Team, becoming the first student-athlete in school history from RMU to earn a tryout. Finally, Karwacki was named All-Northeast Conference three times (2014-16) and All-American twice (2015-16). She was selected to the All-NEC rookie team in 2014 and was named RMU’s outstanding senior female student-athlete in 2016.
RMU Hall of Fame inductee Jason Spencer (Photo courtesy of RMU Athletics)
Spencer, a defensive lineman on the RMU football team from 1994-97, finished his career with 234 tackles (tops in school history at that position), including 103 solo stops. He holds the RMU single-game record (5) for sacks, and his 17 career sacks stood as the career record until being surpassed in 2006 by defensive lineman Ray Gensler (RMU HOF ’19). His single-game record came against Saint Francis on Nov. 18, 1997.
As a senior, Spencer earned a spot on the 1997 All-Northeast Conference Team. He was part of the inaugural team in 1994, was a four-year starter and team captain. Spencer was instrumental on two Northeast Conference championship teams – 1996 and 1997 – both of which earned ECAC Bowl titles over Duquesne and Georgetown, respectively. His honors include being named to the All-NEC team and All-ECAC squad and culminated in 1997 by being selected honorable mention All-American.
The 2000 RMU football team’s remarkable run of success under inaugural head coach Joe Walton culminated that season with a perfect 10-0 record, and the Colonials claimed the NCAA I-AA nonscholarship national championship, according to Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette. The 2000 Colonials are the only team in school history to finish a season with an undefeated record.
Eight times during the 10-game season Robert Morris eclipsed the 30-point plateau, but arguably the biggest victory of the season came in a 17-13 triumph at Dayton in the middle of the season. Six former student-athletes from the squad have been enshrined in the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame, including quarterback Tim Levcik (2008), running back Sam Dorsett (2009), offensive lineman Mark Leyenaar (2015), safety Ray Thomas (2012) and defensive backs Nick Downs (2010) and Jason Hempstead (2016).
The individual inductees of the Class of 2025 will be honored during a ceremony at the men’s basketball game against Green Bay on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the UPMC Events Center. The 2000 football team will be honored at Joe Walton Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, during the game against Duquesne.
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