Congratulations are in order for Rock graduates
Dick Hudson and
Michele (Ide) Zabinski.
• Dick Hudson, who received an SRU "Distinguished Alumni Award" last weekend as part of Rock Homecoming Weekend festivities, will be inducted into the Mercer County (Pa.) Sports Hall of Fame. Induction ceremonies are set for Jan. 22-23 in Sharon.
A feature story in the Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald earlier this week also pointed out "Hudson is one of Athens' best senior tennis players" and was named as the MVP of an Atlanta summer baseball league last summer after he batted .441 "despite being the oldest player on the team: 65."
Hudson, a 1968 Slippery Rock graduate, was inducted into the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
He is a longtime administrator at the University of Georgia and was in the forefront of UGa's involvement in the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta.
We mustn't forget to mention Dick's wife, Brenda, who keeps him straight and competes in the Athens triathlon.
• Michele (Ide) Zabinski recorded her 100th win as head coach of the DeSales University women's volleyball team Wednesday night as the Bulldogs defeated King's College, 3-0 (25-9, 25-16, 25-16), to earn the fourth seed in next week's Freedom Conference playoffs.
DeSales will be making its fourth straight appearance in the Freedom Conference postseason competition, having won the title in 2007 and advanced to the championship match in each of the last three appearances.
Zabinski has compiled a 100-81 (.552) record in six seasons as head coach at DeSales. She was named the Freedom Conference Coach of the Year in 2007 after guiding the Bulldogs to the Freedom Conference championship and to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in school history. Zabinski also led the Bulldogs to the Freedom Conference title match in both 2008 and 2009 and has guided DSU to three-straight 20+ win seasons.
Zabinski was a four-year letterwinner, three-time first-team all-region performer, two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division selection and two-time team captain at The Rock. She also served one season as an assistant coach under veteran Rock Head Coach #Laurie Lokash#. She graduated from Slippery Rock as a double major with a Bachelor of Science degree in both exercise science and health and physical education.
In addition to serving as Head Volleyball Coach, Zabinski is the University's Intramural Director. She also serves as the Chair of the MAC Volleyball Committee and the AVCA Division III Head Coaches Committee.
Michele and her husband, Brian, have one son named Alex.
• Rock athletics mourns the passing of longtime supporter and SRU alumnus
Donny Bayne, owner of Bayne and Associates in Butler, who died in an automobile accident Tuesday morning. The Bayne family and friends of Donny are in our thoughts and prayers.
• Rock women's basketball fans will be able to follow the action via a "Gametracker" live statistics feature Wednesday, Nov. 3, when the Green and White take on NCAA Division I Cleveland State in an exhibition game. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
GO ROCK!!
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
