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We have received several compliments on our blog project. Thanks for the input!
Here's the latest, gleaned from several sources:
• We are sad to report former Rock all-conference football defensive lineman
Pat Risha passed away Saturday at the age of 60. Following graduation from The Rock, Pat served 17 seasons as head football coach at Clairton High School and was superintendent of schools in three districts (South Allegheny, McKeesport and West Mifflin). A funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 10 a.m. in St. Michael Church in Elizabeth Township. The Risha family and Pat's friends are in our thoughts and prayers.
• Former Rock Head Football Coach
Bob DiSpirito suffered a heart attack Oct. 18 and underwent open heart surgery Oct. 22 at Butler Memorial Hospital. Current Rock Head Football Coach George Mihalik said Coach D's son, Rob, reported surgery went well and Coach D iwas resting comfortably at BMH. He is expected to be hospitalized 4-5 days before continuing his recuperation at home. Former players and friends are encouraged to drop him a note at:
Bob DiSpirito
RD #3
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Kudos to the doctors and staff of BMH's Cardiovascular Center!
• Speaking of BMH and kudos, a big shoutout to former Rock football student
Rick Allen, one of the VPs of the Butler Health System, for a job well done overseeing the renovation and expansion of BMH. More particularly, though, we thank him for the continued support of Rock Athletics and our office. That allows us to overlook the fact he's also one of those "meddling parents" as the proud father of freshman linebacker
Gary Allen.
• Congratulations to
David Brown, a 1971 Slippery Rock graduate and former memberr of The Rock men's tennis team. The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis recently named a squash court in his honor. Brown coached squash at Navy from 1977-1998 and directed the Midshipman to a 267-117 record. He received Navy’s Coaches Award for outstanding sportsmanship in 1982, ’85, ’87 and ’96. Brown is currently the assistant director of club sports at Notre Dame University in South Bend. He is married to
Gerry Brown, a 1972 SR graduate.
• The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, of which SRU is a member, recently won a $1,500 special recognition award from the NCAA. The conference was recognized for its “Students of Today are Referees of Tomorrow (officiating development)” program.
• Hard to believe The Rock basketball season unofficially starts a week from Wednesday when first-year head coach T
anya (Bauer) Longo and her women's basketball team head for Cleveland, Ohio, and an exhibition game vs. Division I Cleveland State University. Tipoff in the Wolstein Center is set for 7 p.m.
CSU is picked to finish fourth in this year's Horizon League competition. The Rock, which returns two starters from last year's squad, will find out its preseason Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division ranking Thursday as part of the conference's media day event.
That's all for now. Talk to you soon.
GO ROCK!!
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
