SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – A pair of All-America performers headline the group of six former Slippery Rock University student-athletes who will comprise the Class of 2008 for the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Lori Way Galati (’91) was a three-time All-America selection as a member of The Rock women’s lacrosse program, while Jerry Skocik (’76) earned national honors as a member of the football team.

Joining them in the Hall of Fame’s 25th induction class are Walter Esser (’60, soccer/track and field), Rita Belavic Harrell (’74, women’s basketball), Blair S. Hildebrand (’48, football) and Bridget Sheehan (’77, ’90-M, volleyball).

In addition to the induction of the Class of 2008, the Hall of Fame board of directors  will also present a special award to the pioneers of Rock women’s athletics: Wilma Cavill, Anne Griffiths, Martha Haverstick (posthumous), Caroline Williams, Marie Wheaton and Pat Zimmerman.

Induction-day ceremonies will be held Saturday, Sept. 20 in the Multi Purpose Room of the University Union on the SRU campus. Festivities will start with a 2:30 p.m. social hour, followed by dinner and the induction ceremonies at 3:30 p.m. The inductees will also be honored during halftime of the home football game vs. Kutztown (7 p.m. kickoff) on Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

Tickets for the induction ceremony are $35 each and can be purchased from the SRU Athletic Office, 103 Morrow Field House, Slippery Rock, PA 16057 or by calling 724.738.2021.

With the induction of the Class of 2008, the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame’s roster will include 156 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and contributors. The first class was honored in 1984.

The following are thumbnail profiles of the members of the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2008:

WALTER ESSER earned first-team all-conference honors as a member of The Rock men’s soccer program and set a state record in the pole vault competition as a track and field student-athlete. A three-sport student-athlete, he was a member of both the gymnastics and track and field teams for all four seasons of his collegiate eligibility and played three seasons of soccer competition. Co-captain of both the soccer and track and field teams in his senior year, Esser served as Student Government president and was selected to play in the North/South Soccer Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Following graduation from SRU, Esser was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was awarded a Bronze Star, six Air Medals, a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and numerous campaign ribbons during the Vietnam War.

A graduate of Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, Esser is currently president of Walter M. Esser and Associates, Inc., a human resources consulting group located in Cary, N.C.

LORI WAY GULATI earned all-region and All-America honors in her final three seasons of collegiate lacrosse competition and was a four-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference performer. A four-year letterwinner at SRU, she was selected to play for the USA National Lacrosse team three consecutive seasons (1989-91).

Following graduation from SRU, Gulati taught part-time at an American school in Lausanne, Switzerland, and served as an assistant coach at Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pa.

A graduate of Phoenixville High School, Gulati resides in Collegeville and is a stay-at-home-mom to four children.

RITA BELAVIC HARRELL walked onto The Rock women’s basketball team and, as a senior, helped lead the team to a perfect 11-0 record in 1975. Her success at SRU led to an invitation to play basketball in Germany and to participate in the 1976 Olympic Trials.

Following graduation, Harrell was a member of four United States Slowpitch Softball Association (USSSA) world championship teams and earned All-World Team honors in 1976.

A graduate of Rankin High School, Harrell is currently the Director of Athletics, Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Shannon Forest Christian School in South Carolina.

BLAIR S. HILDEBRAND earned first-team all-conference honors in 1947 as a member of The Rock football team. He was a three-year member of the team and served as team captain in his senior season. His collegiate career was interrupted from 1942-46 by service in the U.S. Marines,

Following graduation from SRU, Hildebrand served 36 years as athletic director and supervisor of the health and physical education department at Oil City High School. He also served as director of the District 10 high school wrestling tournament and was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1981.

A graduate of Ferndale High School, Hildebrand is retired and resides in Charleston, S.C.

BRIDGET SHEEHAN was a four-year member of The Rock volleyball program and served as team captain in her senior season. Following graduation from SRU, Sheehan was team captain of the Athletes in Action East Regional team.

Sheehan is currently preparing for her 22nd season as head volleyball coach at Allegheny College in Meadville, where she has compiled a 533-239 career record. Allegheny’s all-time leader in career wins, she ranks 13th in the NCAA in total wins, 55th in win percentage (.625) and eighth in wins among active Division III coaches. Sheehan was named as the 1987 NCAA East Region “Coach of the Year” and earned North Coast Athletic Conference “Coach of the Year” honors in 1987 and 1990.

In addition to her coaching duties, Sheehan – who received a master of science degree in athletic administration from SRU in 1990 – is president and chief operating officer of Aetna Machine Company in Cochranton.

JERRY SKOCIK earned Churchmen, Kodak, NAIA and Associated Press (AP) All-America honors as a member of The Rock football team. A three-year letterwinner, he was a team co-captain and set the school record with seven pass receptions in one game in 1975.

Following graduation from SRU, Skocik earned a master’s degree in elementary education at California U. of Pa.

Skocik currently serves as Product Manager/Marketing Manager for  Oil Country Tubular Goods in Wildwood, Mo.