Ten years ago, Cory Weissman '12 jogged to the free throw line for a date with destiny. It marked the culmination of three years of hard work as a member of the Gettysburg College men's basketball program, but it was far from the typical story of athletic success.
Weissman had suffered a catastrophic stroke during the spring of his freshman year at Gettysburg which left the left side of his body partially paralyzed. Determined not to let the malady take him down, Weissman made an improbable comeback, working daily through physical and mental toils alongside his family, doctors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and coaches. His perseverance and adversity paid off on Senior Day against Washington College on Feb. 11, 2012 when he earned his first career start alongside classmates Tim Lang '12 and Brendan Trelease '12.
The story, however, didn't end there…
With Gettysburg holding a sizeable lead over the Shoremen, head coach George Petrie signaled down the bench for Weissman to return to the game. Weissmen reentered the game and in an incredible display of sportsmanship, Washington head coach Rob Nugent instructed his players to foul Weissman and send him to the free throw line for an opportunity to score for the first time in his collegiate career.
With the crowd holding its collective breath, the first attempt caromed off the front of the rim.
A determined Weissman pointed to the ground, reassured his teammates the next shot was going in, and hoisted the ball toward the net. The shot swished through and the crowd erupted as everyone recognized the power of that moment.
Weissman's story was featured across national media outlets, including a feature video on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" and dozens of articles in the Baltimore Sun, Yahoo Sports, New York Times, Sports Illustrated, NPR, and many others.
The inspirational story was soon turned into a movie, "1000 to 1: The Cory Weissman Story," which featured David Henrie and Beau Bridges and filmed on Gettysburg's campus in the fall of 2012. It was released to the public in 2014.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Weissman's fated trip to the free throw line and some of the people who had front row or press box seats share their thoughts about that incredible moment on the Bream Gym court. Weissman also looked back on his experience in the latest edition of Bullets Sport Spotlight on YouTube.
When was it decided Cory would start the game against Washington and how did all the dominos fall into place to make it a special occasion?
George Petrie (Former Head Coach, Retired): It was either the day or two before. I called Coach Nugent and wanted to work things out so Cory could start the game. He wasn't all that agile to be honest, and the concern leading up to the game was safety, his personal safety and other players' safety. I was nervous, but it all came together.
Brendan Trelease '12 (Teammate): Coach Petrie called Tim Lang and I up to his office after practice the night before the game and told us. I remember getting dressed for the game the next day and there was a different buzz in the locker room. Some of the guys on the team went up to Cory privately and gave him a few words of encouragement and appreciation for his hard work. We all knew what that day meant to him and we were excited to share that moment with him.
Katie Foelber (Former Athletic Trainer): I was elated to find out Cory would be starting on his Senior Day. We didn't have much apprehension as we knew there was a plan in place and coaches and players were sensitive to Cory's situation and what it meant for him back on the court.
Braden Snyder (Former Director of Athletic Communications): Leading up to the game, my main focus was on doing my part to make it a special day for the seniors - Cory, Tim Lang, and Brendan Trelease. I put together the Senior Day script for the PA announcer and prepped our broadcast team and media that attended the game with information on the seniors. This was standard procedure, but with Cory you just had a feeling this day was going to be something special.
When Washington opted to foul Cory and send him to the line for potentially the first points in his career, what were you thinking from your vantage point?
Petrie: Well were by up by almost 20 and I turned to the assistant coaches and said "I'm going to put Cory into the game." So I brought him up and put him in. Washington scored a couple buckets and that made me question my decision a bit. I didn't want him to get hurt. Eventually Coach Nugent and his assistant coach recognized what was happening and they decided to foul Cory and put him on the line.
Trelease: My first thought, selfishly, was that this was the first and last time Cory and I shared the court together, something that we had talked about in that car ride home from Ohio after our freshman year. I was thankful for that moment. My next thought was about Coach Nugent and how much class he showed in that moment by choosing to foul Cory. Lastly, I thought about what Cory went through both physically and emotionally over the previous three years to get to this point.
Peter Barrett '15 (Play-by-Play Commentator): I was happily surprised when Cory came back in. Cory starting the game was a great moment, but I think everyone wanted to see him get a little bit more time out there. When he came back in, the energy in Bream Gym really was palpable. For a second, it seemed like Gettysburg, Pa., was the sports capital of the world. Washington fouling him was a really classy gesture. It gave him the opportunity to shine, but he had to earn it at the line. It really was a cinematic scene. Cory, walking and then jogging down the full length of the court, had overcome so much adversity to put himself in this position. Heading to the line, he had a chance to bookend the journey in a really meaningful way. Missing the first free throw heightened the pressure - and so did the fact that everyone in the gym wanted him to make it - and be witness to this special moment.
Describe the atmosphere in the gym when Cory's second shot swished through the net.
Trelease: I remember how quiet it was in the gym. Usually there are some away fans or someone making noise, but everyone in the gym wanted Cory to make that free throw. I think after he made it I just instinctively pointed at him. It was a cool moment.
Petrie: I was trying to hold back tears. You know you get that warm rush in your body and it's just…well I can still feel it thinking about it. It was a wonderful feeling for a young man to come so far and many people don't know some specifics behind the scenes that he had to go through to get to that point. I was just so happy for him.
Snyder: Everything that happened at the end of the game was just incredible. I think I was just in a state of amazement, like, is this really happening? You really couldn't have written a better ending for Cory. One of the cardinal rules in press box etiquette is no cheering, but I was guilty of breaking that one when his free throw went in.
Looking back at the moment, what stands out the most to you?
Petrie: I'm really proud of him and what he was able to do. He worked so hard to get where he ended up. He was just so determined, so focused, and through every challenge he believed he could do it and he wanted to do it. I don't recall there ever being any complaining from him. You know he's a competitor and this was a physical thing that he did just competing against the odds and he was going to beat it and he did.
Trelease: I was happy to be a part of the story. I like to think that my character that was portrayed in the movie was a microcosm of all of our friends, teammates and Gettysburgians who were there for Cory during this time in his life.
Foelber: Cory's determination and hard work were extremely inspirational. While walking with him through the recovery process I had some doubts that he could reach the milestones and accomplishments that he was striving for, but he showed us he was always up for the challenge. The athletic training staff took on a lot of extra roles during his recovery and I remember being care coordinator, counselor, cheerleader, advisor, and mom.
Snyder: It was just such an amazing moment for so many reasons. It was just incredible to watch someone persevere the way Cory did, knowing what he had gone through to get to that moment. Also, the sportsmanship that Washington College and Coach Nugent displayed that day illustrated just how much of a unifying force sports can be.
Tommy Riggs (Former Athletic Communications Assistant): Right after I took the photo, I looked at it and thought, "dang, I missed the point of release." I was a little disappointed that I didn't capture what I envisioned. Little did I know, it ended up being a pretty iconic shot, and it captured the expression on Cory's face as the ball went toward the hoop. The more attention it got, the prouder I was of the photo. It's pretty cool to capture a moment in time like that and have the sports media run with it.
Barrett: Cory's moment is so inspirational - it was nice to have been a witness. His whole journey speaks to the power of community on the campus. In his rehab, he worked so hard and had such a great support system and he gave all that good will right back to the community by bringing everyone together. His shot reverberated around the campus and town. His moment brought national attention to the school and really united everyone. From my side vantage point, it just speaks to getting out and involved on campus. If you pursue your passions, and you show up, you might witness something really cool.
About the Contributors
Cory Weissman '12: Weissman graduated from Gettysburg with a degree in health sciences in the fall of 2012. After some time living on the West Coast, he returned to school and gained a master's degree in athletic training at Seton Hall University. Weissman has worked in athletic training and medical equipment sales in the years since and currently works for Hillrom as a Respiratory Health Account Executive. He continues to share his story in the hope of helping someone else who has suffered through a similar condition.
George Petrie: Former head coach of the men's basketball and men's golf programs, Petrie led the Bullets to a school record 396 wins over 29 years on the basketball court. He passed Hen Bream '24 as Gettysburg's all-time wins leader on the day Weissman made his free throw. Petrie led the Bullets to three Centennial Conference titles (2001, 2002, 2009) and five NCAA Division III Tournament appearances (1996, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2009). Since retiring following the 2017-18 season, Petrie has enjoyed spending time with his family and still makes frequent trips back to the athletics center to work out and stay in touch with long-time colleagues.
Brendan Trelease '12: "Pops" as he was known at Gettysburg grabbed a starting role on the team as a sophomore and finished his career with an average of 6.3 points per game over 75 games. After graduating from Gettysburg with a degree in organization and management studies, he served as an assistant coach for former Gettysburg assistant Darryl Keckler at Drew University. He currently works for Vanguard and lives in Haverford, Pa., with his fiancé.
Katie Foelber: Foelber arrived in Gettysburg for the 2008-09 academic year after a stint as a graduate assistant at McDaniel College. She remained with the Bullets through 2017, helping support Weissman and other student-athletes through injuries. Since leaving Gettysburg, Foelber has been working in two different orthopedic physicians clinics in Maryland. Most recently, she has worked at MedStar Health and works with USA Lacrosse. She resides in Westminster, Md., with her husband, Brett, and two children, Blake and Brooks.
Braden Snyder: Snyder was Gettysburg's Sports Information Director/Athletic Communications Director from 2007 to 2018 and witnessed an abundance of memorable moments for the Bullets, including multiple conference and national championships. He moved on from Gettysburg to become the Director of Athletic Communications at Drew University in Madison, N.J., and promotes the institution's 22 varsity sports. Snyder lives in New Jersey with his wife, Misty, and two children, Clay and Jed.
Peter Barrett '15: Barrett served as the play-by-play broadcaster for a number of athletic teams during his time at Gettysburg and worked as an intern in the Office of Communications and Marketing. An English major, Barrett's professional interests kept him in the sports world and he has spent the last six-plus years working with Major League Baseball in sponsorships. He is married to 2014 Gettysburg graduate Darcie Connors, and is working toward a master's at the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business while living in New York City.
Tommy Riggs: Riggs worked part-time in the Office of Athletic Communications and covered Weissman's return to the court for The Gettysburg Times, with the article earning the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors award for Sport Feature Reporting. The son of former Gettysburg College President Janet M. Riggs '77 and former cross country/track and field coach Ed Riggs '77, Tommy's photo of Weissman's second free throw became the iconic image across the media and is featured in the hallway of Gettysburg's athletics center. He now works as a lab tech in a biorepository and lives in Frederick, Md., with his fiancé.