7 will enter SRU Hall
SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University will induct seven new members into its Athletic Hall of Fame this fall.
Garry Benford, Roger Flynn, Laurel Heilman, Duane Kirklin, Robert Ogoreuc, William Rometo and Chuck Vietmeier will enter the SRU Hall Sept. 26 before The Rock's home football game against Indiana (Pa.) University.
With the seven new members, the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame will be 163 strong.
Following are profiles on the members of the Class of 2009:
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Garry Benford, weightlifter, won six National Masters 198-pound championships, two National Masters Bench Press titles and one World Masters title. He also was a member of the USA Powerlifting team from 1995 to 2000.The Morrow Field House weight room is named for Benford.•
Roger Flynn was a standout pitcher for the SRU baseball team from 1966-68. He was 7-1 in two seasons and set a school record with an 0.80 ERA in 1968.Flynn compiled a 531-201 record in 27 seasons as the girls basketball coach at Grove City High School.He led the Eagles to 14 Mercer County Athletic Conference championships, three District 10 titles and four trips to the PIAA Western Final.•
Laurel Heilman will enter her 10th season as the women's basketball coach at SRU and ranks second on the school's all-time wins list.As a player for SRU, Heilman earned all-conference honors and was a two-year team captain. As a senior, she led The Rock to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship, the only conference title won by an SRU women's basketball team.•
Duane Kirklin was a three-sport star for SRU. He earned four letters in both football and outdoor track and field, and received two letters in indoor track and field.Kirklin was the SRU most valuable player in the 1963 state championship football game and shared the 1963 team MVP award with 1999 SRU Hall of Fame inductee Jim McElhaney.•
Bob Ogoreuc ranks second among SRU swimming coaches in career victories with 101. He coached both the men's and women's swim teams from 1991-2003.Ogoreuc is the only Rock coach to have three teams finish the season undefeated. In nine other seasons, his teams had only one loss.•
William Rometo played football for two seasons at Slippery Rock State College before an arm injury ended his career.•
Chuck Vietmeier was a four-year letterman for The Rock men's tennis team and advanced to the semifinal round of the PSAC Championships in his senior season.After graduating from SRU in 1982, Vietmeier won numerous U.S. Tennis Association championships.
