We’re building a better WCU. You tell us how far we can go.

Two Golden Rams who have dedicated decades to advancing West Chester University — Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson ’70 and Tom Fillippo ’69 — received the ultimate tribute when their names were revealed on the University’s football field. The name Tomlinson-Fillippo Field, which stretches 30 total yards in length from one 35-yard line of the football field to the other 35-yard line, cements the legacy of the long-time friends as standout football athletes and lifelong champions of West Chester University students. The ceremony took place on Saturday, September 20, at the University’s first home football game of the season as the Golden Rams took on their Seton Hill rivals during a high-energy competition that drew nearly 2,000 fans; the Golden Rams won 34 to 16 over Seton Hill.

(L to R) Pictured on Tomlinson-Fillippo Field are Agnes Ware, Roger Ware ’82, Head Football Coach Duke Greco, West Chester University President Dr. Laurie Bernotsky, Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson ’70, Tom Fillippo ’69 (sitting), Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs Dr. Zebulun Davenport, Vice President of University Affairs and Chief of Staff Andrew Lehman, Director of Athletics Terry Beattie, Executive Director of the West Chester University Foundation Deb Cornelius, and Interim President of Commonwealth University Dr. Jeffery Osgood, Jr.

More Than Names on a Field

“This is a tremendous honor to me,” said Tomlinson. “West Chester University has been part of my adult life for as long as I can remember. The lessons I learned as part of the football team — teamwork, resilience, leadership — have stayed with me throughout my career. To have my name associated with the field where so many Golden Rams have given their all is incredibly humbling. It’s a reminder that the values we learn as athletes carry us far beyond the game.”

A standout player from 1967-1969, Tomlinson helped lead WCU to State Championships in 1967 and 1969 and appeared in the Tangerine Bowl in 1967. A leader on and off the field, he went on to have a distinguished 32-year career in public service, serving as a Pennsylvania State Representative from 1990 until 1994 and then as a senator from 1995 until 2022. His efforts in the state legislature helped improve education and health care in his Bucks County district and throughout the Commonwealth. Always true to his alma mater, he also served as chair of the University’s Council of Trustees and championed fundraising for WCU Athletics. He was inducted into the Killinger Foundation Football Hall of Fame (1992) and the Sturzebecker Foundation Hall of Fame (2002).

Like Tomlinson, Tom Fillippo was particularly moved by the way the University demonstrated its gratitude. “I’ve always believed that my experience at West Chester shaped the person I became,” he said. “The lessons I learned on the field guided me throughout my career and my life. Being able to give back to the University that gave me so much is one of my proudest achievements, and having the field bear my name alongside Tommy’s is a true honor.”

Fillippo’s time wearing the Golden Ram uniform created profound and enduring consequences for the team’s evolution and his personal career path. A member of the 1967 State Championship team, Fillippo played from 1966-1968 and appeared in the Tangerine Bowl in 1966 and 1967. The persistence that defined his athletic career became the foundation for his business success as president and CEO of Devault Foods, a premier and trusted name in the meat production and processing industry. Always a dedicated Golden Ram, he later served as chair of the Council of Trustees and remained a strong supporter of WCU Athletics. He was inducted into the Killinger Foundation Football Hall of Fame (2002) and the Sturtzebecker Foundation Hall of Fame (2011). He also received the Distinguished Alumni Award (2006) and the President’s Medallion for Service (2019).

Committed to Making West Chester Better Than Ever

(L to R) Pictured standing in front of the Roger & Agnes Ware Scoreboard are Vice President of University Affairs and Chief of Staff Andrew Lehman, Director of Athletics Terry Beattie, Agnes Ware, Roger Ware ’82, West Chester University President Dr. Laurie Bernotsky, Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs Dr. Zebulun Davenport, and Interim President of Commonwealth University Dr. Jeffery Osgood, Jr.

In the same way that Tomlinson and Fillippo feel a lasting connection to West Chester University, so, too, does Roger Ware ’82, president and chief executive officer of Jencap Insurance Services, Inc. He is particularly energized by all that West Chester University can be and the next chapters that will be written.

Thanks to his generosity and that of his wife, Agnes, West Chester University unveiled an impressive state-of-the-art video scoreboard at its first football home opener of the season; it replaced a scoreboard that had been used on the field for numerous years. The massive LED video board, which bears the couple’s name, now serves as a game scoreboard that is dramatically enhancing the experience for fans by displaying videos, graphics, and live video stream.

The Ware’s commitment to the University is quite evident. Thanks again to their thoughtfulness, the gateway to the University’s campus was transformed in 2021 when a plaza and fountain were added at the northwest corner of High Street and Rosedale Avenue in West Chester.

“Agnes and I solely want to make WCU even better,” Ware said in a recent interview. “When prospective students arrive on this campus, we want them to be inspired to stay and we want our alumni to be proud.”

University President Dr. Laurie Bernotsky recognized the lasting impact made by the three dedicated alumni.

“All of us at West Chester are incredibly fortunate to have alumni who have consistently given to this University,” she said. “Tommy’s, Tom’s, and Roger’s commitment to West Chester University and their support of our students is unmatched. They have proven that once a Golden Ram, always a Golden Ram. As leaders and changemakers, their legacy will continue to inspire future generations of students to pursue excellence both on and off the field.”