SLU to Induct Eight into Billiken Hall of Fame

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University director of athletics Doug Woolard announced today that eight individuals and one team will be inducted into the Billiken Hall of Fame on Fri., Jan. 24, at the Missouri Athletic Club in downtown St. Louis. A reception will begin the evening at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

The Billiken Hall of Fame was originally opened on Jan. 21, 1976, with the induction of 13 Saint Louis athletes and coaches. On April 8, 1979, a ceremony honored four more SLU greats. The Billiken Club, founded in 1991 as a comprehensive athletics booster organization continues to sponsor the Hall of Fame. J. Kim Tucci chairs the Billiken Club Executive Committee, and Bill McDermott serves as the chairman of the Hall of Fame subcommittee. The Billiken Hall of Fame room is located in the historic Bauman-Eberhardt Center on the University campus.

Tickets to the dinner are available by calling (314) 977-8180. The eight new inductees are broken down into three categories. The honorees follow by category:


BILLIKEN GREAT - CONTEMPORARY
Mike Barger - (Baseball 1993) - In just one season with the Billikens, Mike Barger made an impact on the school record books. The program's first All-America selection since 1965, he holds a pair of school records with 81 hits and 37 stolen bases in 1993. His .460 batting average is the second-best mark in school history. Barger was named both the Great Midwest Conference's Player and Newcomer of the Year, honors which helped him become a 23rd-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners.

Pat Conreaux - (Baseball 1991-94) - A four-year player for head coach Bob Hughes, Pat Conreaux played more games than anyone who put on a baseball uniform for SLU. A two-time All-Conference selection, Conreaux also holds school records for career hits, runs scored and total bases. He ranks among the program's top five in seven other career categories. In addition to his playing achievements, Conreaux was named Academic All-America and Academic All-District in his career.

Jeff Harris - (Men's Basketball 1994-97) - Twice named MVP by his teammates, Jeff Harris was a third-team All-Conference and honorable mention All-Midwest Region selection his senior and junior years, respectively. Averaging double-figure points and over seven rebounds per game his last two seasons, Harris is one of the most beloved former Billikens for more than his accolades or statistics. Fans loved Harris for the type of generous, caring, thoughtful person he was every day as much as they loved and admired his warrior-like play on the court.

Carlos Martinez - (Men's Basketball 1969-72) - Carlos Martinez was a three-year starter for the Billikens who provided solid scoring while often drawing the defensive assignment of an opponent's best guard. As a senior, he was a Missouri Valley Conference All-Star selection and named team MVP. He helped the 1970-71 Billikens to a share of the MVC Championship as a junior averaging 10 points per game. After completing his career at SLU, Martinez went on to play professionally in Puerto Rico for seven years.

Beth Winter - (Field Hockey 1982-85) - A four-year starter for the Billikens, Beth Winter was named the team's Best Offensive Player each year of her career. Earning All-Conference honors her junior and senior years, Winter's 20 assists in 1985 is still the school record as is her career total of 45 assists. Winter is among the program's top five in career and single-season points and ranks in the top 10 in career goals.


DISTINGUISHED ALUM - CONTEMPORARY
Chuck Zorumski - (Men's Soccer 1972-73) - Dr. Chuck Zorumski earned his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Saint Louis in 1974 and '78, respectively. As an undergrad, Zorumski was the starting goalkeeper on the Billikens' last two NCAA Championship teams. A member of the U.S. Olympic Team from 1973-75, he also was a part of the U.S. National Team. When his playing career ended, Zorumski came back to the University as a volunteer soccer assistant coach from 1983-87 and again from 1990-96. He is currently the chairman of Washington (Mo.) University's Department of Psychiatry.


BAUMAN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Val Pelizzaro - (Men's Soccer Assistant Coach) - A Billiken soccer assistant coach for 30 years, Val Pelizzaro spanned the careers of two legendary head coaches in Harry Keough and Joe Clarke. Pelizzaro was a part-time assistant, but rarely, if ever, missed a training session despite holding down a full-time job as a U.S. Postman. Responsible for the team's physical preparation, he helped guide the Billikens to 27 NCAA Tournaments, including five of the program's 10 national championships. Four of Pelizzaro's sons - Matt, Mike, Tom and Tony - played soccer for the Billikens.

Deborah A. Yow - (Athletic Director) - Joining the Billikens in June 1990, Deborah A. Yow became just the fourth female athletic director of an NCAA Division I program. During her four years at the University, Yow created the Billiken Club, the program's first annual fund for athletics, guided the program through its change to the Great Midwest Conference, helped revitalize the men's basketball program with the hiring of Charlie Spoonhour and spearheaded an increase in student-athlete graduation rates to 92 percent. Internally, Yow was responsible for the creation and/or upgrade of numerous administrative and head coaching positions, including the program's first full-time women's basketball, volleyball and baseball head coaches. Near the end of her tenure, Yow became the first woman appointed to a full four-year term on the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics' Executive Committee on the University Division level. Yow is currently the athletic director at the University of Maryland, the position she assumed after leaving SLU.


BOB BURNES AWARD
1994-95 Men's Basketball Team - Head coach Charlie Spoonhour led the 1994-95 squad to a 23-8 overall record and the Billikens' second-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Eight seniors powered a team that finished second in the Great Midwest Conference and advanced to the conference tournament title game. The Billikens were among the nation's top 10 in scoring defense, scoring margin and three-point field goals made per game. In the program's first season at the Kiel Center, the 1994-95 Billikens drew 17,714 fans per game to rank seventh in the nation in attendance. Playing on the team for Spoonhour and assistant coaches Greg Lackey, Kelvin Lee and Donn Parr were Sekeue Barentine, Donnie Campbell, Erwin Claggett, Derek Falb, Corey Grays, Greg Hardin, Jeff Harris, Scott Highmark, Eric Jones, Ryan Luechtefeld, Carlos McCauley, David Robinson, Carl Turner and H Waldman.