Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 1998

Six Allegheny alumni were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at its annual ceremony on Friday, Oct. 9, 1998 at The Country Club of Meadville.

The inductees, as chosen by the Hall of Fame nomination and selection committees, are Joseph Byers '67 (soccer), David Malone '76 (basketball), Susan Tibbens '80 (swimming), Gene Tommasi '82 (baseball/football), Christine Dudeck Valenta '88 (track/cross country) and Suzanne Helfant '88 (basketball/softball).

Here is a look at each of the inductees:

Byers is one of the top players in Allegheny soccer lore. He was an honorable mention All-American as a senior, a remarkable achievement considering there was no separation of NCAA divisions at the time. Byers also was a four-time All-Presidents' Athletic Conference selection. He led the Gators to two PAC championships and twice led the team in scoring. A native of Sewickley, Pa., and a Sewickley Academy graduate, Byers resides in Hudson, Ohio. He is vice president of sales and marketing for Easco Aluminum.

Malone was a four-year starter at forward during Allegheny's rise to prominence in men's basketball. He was a leader on Allegheny's first NCAA Division III Tournament and PAC champion team in 1974-75, and was co-winner of the Raymond Shafer Award as team MVP in both his sophomore and senior seasons. He currently ranks 28th in school history in points with 823, 15th in rebounds (522) and ninth in assists (213). Malone is a native of Pittsburgh and a graduate of North Catholic High School. He resides in Gibsonia, Pa., and is chief financial officer of Gateway Financial Group and president of Hotel Development Systems Inc.

Tommasi was chosen the 1981-82 Allegheny Male Senior Athlete of the Year after a stellar career in two sports. He was a star receiver for the football team, winning first team All-Presidents' Athletic Conference and Pittsburgh Press All-District honors as a senior in 1981. He completed his career second on Allegheny's all-time receiving list with 73 catches for 1,023 yards. In baseball, Tommasi was a three-year starter at shortstop and earned first team all-conference honors as a senior. He led the Gators in six offensive categories that year including batting with a .437 average. A native of Avella, Pa., and a graduate of Avella Area High School, Tommasi is a vice president for Giant Eagle supermarkets in Pittsburgh.

Tibbens was among the first All-American swimmers at Allegheny. She earned All-America honors in three events -- the 200 yard breaststroke, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay -- as a senior in 1980. Tibbens set school records in the 50, 100 and 200 breast as well as part of two relays. She was named Allegheny's Female Senior Athlete of the Year for 1979-80, and also was a four-year Alden Scholar. A native of Washington, Pa., Tibbens is a senior systems analyst at PPG Industries in Pittsburgh.

Dudeck Valenta was an All-American in both track and cross country. In track, she won All-American honors in three events her senior year, as she placed third in the 1500 meters and fifth in the 3,000 at the NCAA Indoor Championship, and then placed fourth in the 1,500 at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. Dudeck still holds four school records: the indoor and outdoor 1,500, the indoor 3,000 and indoor two mile. Over her career, she won North Coast Athletic Conference track titles in nine events. In cross country, Dudeck won All-America honors in 1987 with a 13th place finish at the NCAA meet. She was the 1987 NCAA Mideast Region and NCAC cross country champion. A native of Rochester, N.Y., and a graduate of Irondequoit High School, Dudeck Valenta resides in Gibsonia, Pa., where she is an account representative for Shell Chemical.

Helfant was a three-time, first team All-North Coast Athletic Conference selection in basketball and the 1987-88 NCAC Player of the Year. The feisty point guard is the NCAC and Allegheny career assist leader with 601, and currently ranks seventh on the school's career scoring list with 1,069 points. Helfant led the Gators to four consecutive conference championships and three trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Over her career, Allegheny's record was an amazing 94-15 overall and 46-2 in the NCAC. Helfant also played on four NCAA playoff softball teams. A native of Columbus, Ohio, and a graduate of Northlands High School, Helfant currently is the head women's basketball coach at Kenyon College.

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