Western Wayne Today

The Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame recently honored Fred Delcomyn during its 48th annual induction ceremony, held on October 25, 2024, at The Eastern in Detroit. Over the coming weeks, the university plans to share speeches and remarks from the event.

Fred Delcomyn is recognized for his significant contributions to WSU athletics as a six-time letterwinner in cross country and indoor/outdoor track between 1959 and 1961. He also earned freshman numerals in track and cross country in 1958.

Delcomyn led the WSU cross country team as captain in 1960 and 1961, contributing to three consecutive President Athletic Conference (PAC) titles from 1959 to 1961. His performance included a second-place finish at the 1959 conference championships and winning the 1960 championship by a margin of 22 seconds. In his final year, he was WSU's top runner, finishing fourth overall.

In track events at the PAC Championship, Delcomyn set a record with a time of 10:16.4 in the two-mile race in 1959 and secured second place in the mile run. In subsequent years, he continued to compete successfully, finishing third in the one mile and fourth in the two-mile event in 1960. As a senior captain in 1961, he won the one mile run at the PAC Championship meet.

His athletic career at WSU was guided by coach Frank McBride for most of his tenure and David L. Holmes during his first track season. Delcomyn graduated in 1962 with a degree in Biological Sciences and was named to the PAC's 60th Anniversary Men's Cross Country Team.