Shawn Gallagher, one of MMI Prep’s all-time basketball greats and a key contributor to an NCAA Division III Final Four team has earned his place in the Hazleton Area Sports Hall of Fame.

A four-year letterwinner at MMI from 1980 to 1984 and the Preppers’ team captain during his senior year, he ended his high school career with 1,109 points, placing him 10th on the school’s all-time scoring list. The 6-foot-5 center also pulled down 658 rebounds, ranking him among the tops in that statistical category in MMI history.

Gallagher reached the 1,000-point mark during a home game against Shamokin Lourdes Regional late in his senior year. His milestone came about a month after he poured in a career-high 44 points in a win over rival Freeland. He also grabbed 28 rebounds in one game.

Gallagher scored 25.7 points per game as a senior, accounting for 45 percent of his team’s points. He also averaged 14 rebounds and five blocked shots per game,.

He took his immense talents to the University of Scranton, where he played for legendary head coach Bob Bessoir from 1984-1988. As a senior in 1988, Gallagher was the Royals’ starting center in five NCAA Division III tournament games, averaging 13.8 points and 10.6 rebounds. They reached the national championship game, where they lost to Ohio Wesleyan.

He finished his college career ranked third among all Scranton players in blocked shots (151), fourth in rebounds (943) AND 13th in scoring (1,234 points). He led the Royals in rebounding and blocked shots each season from 1986 through 1988.

Gallagher was part of three MAC championship teams at Scranton. The Royals’ Final Four team was named the ECAC Team of the Year in 1988.

Overall, Scranton went 89-30 during Gallagher’s time at the university.

He was inducted into University of Scranton Wall of Fame in 2005.

Gallagher and his wife Katie, also a Scranton Wall of Fame honoree that same year after her own distinguished basketball career at the university, live in White Haven. They are the parents of a son, Tim, and daughters, Kate and Jackie.

Shawn currently serves as the regional vice president for Skyjack, a company which makes construction equipment.