SLIPPERY ROCK — Seven new inductees will join the Slippery Rock University Athletic Hall of Fame before SRU's home football game against Shippensburg Oct. 7 at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

Heading the 2006 class is a former Olympic consultant and three All-Americans.

Dr. Richard Hudson, a 1968 Rock graduate and former baseball player there, served as a consultant to the United States, Australian and Swedish Olympic teams for the 1996 and 2000 Games in Atlanta, Ga., and Sydney, Australia, respectively.

He will be joined in the 23rd class of inductees by 1973 graduate Mark Balbach, an All-American basketball player, 1966 graduate Jon Boyd, a baseball All-American, and 1975 graduate Jim Cichra, an All-American golfer.

Rounding out this year's induction class are 1982 graduate and former track and field standout Gary Aldrich, 1984 graduate and former women's softball pitcher Deb Feather and 1970 graduate and former Rock tennis player and administrator Dr. Robert Watson.

Induction ceremonies will be held in the multi-purpose room of the University Union on the SRUcampus. A social hour begins at 2:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 3:30 p.m.

Tickets are $35 and include admission to the dinner and football game. Call the SRUathletic office at 724-738-2021 or Pearl Shaffer at 724-738-2768.

Upon the induction of the 2006 class, there will be 151 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and boosters enshrined in the SRUAthletic Hall of Fame.

Here is a brief synopsis of each inductee:

Gary Aldrich

A four-year letterman in track and field and a two-year member of the SRUfootball team, Aldrich also served six seasons as an assistant coach for Rock cross country and track and field teams from 1989-95.

Aldrich received a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1982 and a master's degree in Science of Sport and Exercise, Kinesiology/Biomechanics in 1989.

Now living in Cranberry Township, Aldrich was head cross country and track and field coach at Alfred University from 1995-98 and received a Coach of the Year honor.

Mark Balbach

Balbach played basketball at The Rock from 1970-73 and earned Academic All-America and honorable mention NAIAAll-America honors in 1973 after leading SRUto a fourth-place finish nationally.

He was the team's top scorer and rebounder that season.

Since graduation, Balbach has served 25 seasons as a basketball coach at Southmoreland and Blackhawk high schools.

Jon C. Boyd

Boyd was an all-state selection and four-year letterman in basketball and baseball at The Rock.

He led the baseball team in hitting and and the basketball team in scoring two seasons each. Boyd led SRUto a state runner-up basketball finish in 1965.

Jim Cichra

Cichra won the PSACindividual golf championship and earned first team All-America honors. He was coached by 2005 SRUHall of Fame inductee Dr. Al Schmittlein.

He was inducted into the Professional Golfers of America (PGA)in 1983 and is still an active tournament participant.

In 1995, Cichra was named Tri-State PGAPlayer of the Year after winning the Pennsylvania state PGAchampionship. He had the lowest stroke average in the tri-state area in 1987, 1990 and 1991.

He is currently the golf director at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center Golf Dome.

Deb Feather

Feather lettered four seasons in softball and once in field hockey at The Rock. She closed out her career by posting a 0.46 earned run average and hitting .519 as a senior.

She was team captain and helped The Rock softball team — coached by 1988 HOFinductee Jan Kasnevich — to a pair of national tournament appearances.

Following graduation, Feather earned Amateur Softball Association fastpitch All-America honors and won the national home run championship in 1994. She went on to serve 11 seasons as softball coach and five as volleyball coach at Octorara High School.

Dr. Richard A. Hudson

Hudson lettered four seasons in baseball and was team captain his junior and senior year under 1994 HOF inductee Wally Rose.

He became Coordinator of Olympic Activities for the University System of Georgia from 1990-96 and was presented Sweden's Medal of Appreciation by King Karl XVI Gustaf and Queen Sylvia in 1996 for his work with the Swedish Olympic Committee.

From 1997-2000, Hudson served as a consultant to the 2000 Olympics Planning Committees in Sydney and Canberra, Australia, and received the Outstanding Service to Australia Award from the Australian Ambassador to the United States.

Dr. Robert J. Watson

Watson's forefathers were among the founding members of Slippery Rock State Normal School in the late 1890s. His father, the late John Watson, was inducted into the SRUAthletic Hall of Fame in 1995.

Watson lettered three seasons in tennis at SRU, was team MVPin 1969 and a team captain in 1970. He also played men's soccer and golf.

He began a 34-year career as an SRUstaff member in 1973 and retired in March of this year as Vice President for Student Life.