Hockey star Colin South joins Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, July 13, 2025 | 11:01 AM

All arrows certainly pointed north for Quaker Valley’s Colin South in his brilliant scholastic hockey career.

A 2009 QV graduate, South will be inducted into the QV Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025, which also includes the 2012 hockey squad and three other individuals — L.J. Westwood (track and field, cross country), Derek Molitor (football, track and field) and Dorian Goosby Dean (athlete).

They will be inducted Oct. 19 following a weekend of activities commencing Oct. 17 with a tailgate party and recognition ceremony at the Quakers’ football game at Chuck Knox Stadium.

“My initial reaction was shock,” South said. “I didn’t think it would happen so soon. I’m extremely humbled by the honor and thankful for being nominated and selected.

“I’m really overwhelmed to be included alongside my fellow inductees and to join all the great athletes, coaches and administrators already in the QV Hall.”

South finished his hockey career with the Quakers as a top five scorer in program history with 138 goals and 239 points.

“Playing hockey at QV was an incredible experience for me,” South said. “We were able to win a state championship and two Penguins Cups, and to be able to play with my brother and a few more of my really close friends was a really special experience.”

South went on to compete in NCAA Division I hockey at Robert Morris, where he was team captain and led the Colonials to an NCAA tournament bid in 2014.

“Colin was such a great player for a long time at Quaker Valley,” QV coach Kevin Quinn said. “He could score, had a great shot, was unselfish and came through in the clutch over and over for us.

“He had size, would compete and had an incredible shot. He played in all situations for us. He was relentless in his pursuit of scoring, and we needed it. He came through even when we weren’t very deep.”

South was a four-year letter winner in hockey and four-year competitor in the Quakers’ golf program. He skated at left wing during his freshman hockey season and at center the following three years. He stood 6-foot and weighed 185 pounds.

He finished his high school career with 24 playoff goals, a QV hockey record.

As a freshman, South was a member of the 2006 state championship hockey team at QV, while competing with his brother, Furman, a 2023 QV Sports Hall of Fame inductee.

South also was a key member on the 2008 Penguins Cup title-clinching squad and served as team captain during his senior year.

“Colin really carried us to that Penguins Cup win in 2008,” Quinn said. “He was a great leader and was a tough kid.”

South landed all-star recognition on the ice in 2009 and skated for Team Pittsburgh, which was comprised of the top high school hockey players in the area.

“Colin comes from a great family,” Quinn said, “and he always was very respectful to me and to his teammates. He played through a lot. He was driven and pushed himself to be the best that he could be — even when he was exhausted from his amateur hockey.”

The South brothers clicked for seven goals between them in the 2006 state championship game.

“Colin, like his brother Furman, worked very hard on his game,” Quinn said. “They certainly were not only great players but clutch players. They scored a ton and won a ton. They were instrumental in our state championship in 2006.

“Both had just incredible careers, and I was blessed to have them at QV. I’m so happy they are now both in the Hall of Fame together.”

The 2006 line of Furman South, Colin South and Tim Hall Jr. is considered the best in QV hockey history.

“Not many schools can say they had a line with three NCAA D-I players on it,” Quinn said.

South did not continue his career following college.

“I signed to play professionally in France,” he said, “but ultimately decided I wanted to move on from hockey.”

He lived in Dallas from 2020-2024 before returning to the Sewickley area. He works in mergers and acquisitions and is single.

“But my brother has two young sons and I spoil them as much as possible,” he said.

Family is important to the 34-year-old South. He said his “entire family” had the biggest influence in his hockey career.

“Growing up, my parents made sacrifices to allow my brother and I to play hockey that I wasn’t fully aware of until I became older,” South said. “They were both so supportive in encouraging me to chase my dream of playing college hockey. I started skating when I was 3 or 4, basically because I wanted to be like my older brother who had already started skating.

“My dad played a bit of hockey when he was younger, so I think he wanted us to play, but he didn’t push us into it. I more or less followed my brother in every step of our hockey careers — we played for the same amateur travel team, junior hockey team, and together at RMU — and he was the best role model. Playing on the same team as my brother is the most special thing I’ve done in my hockey career. Playing at QV and then at RMU with Furman was an experience that is hard to put into words how special it is.”

As far his coaches, South said Quinn was second to none.

“Kevin Quinn had a massive influence in my career,” South said. “He is the best coach I had in my career, and we certainly learned a lot from him. Without his help in skill development, and lessons in how to think about the game, I never would have been able to play at a high level.”

Along with the championships, South said the friendships he built in his career are some of his lasting memories from playing hockey at QV.

“Definitely the memories and friendships,” he said. “Playing with guys like my brother, Tim Hall, Noah Zamagias and Mik Lemieux, who are all among my best friends to this day, is something I consider myself extremely lucky to have been able to do.”

Tags: Quaker Valley