YSU to induct eight in HOF

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

YOUNGSTOWN — Three all-time standouts and two FCS All-American headline Youngstown State’s Athletics Hall of Fame class, which will be enshrined in October.

The group will be officially inducted on Oct. 31, prior to the homecoming game against South Dakota State.

Enshrinees are Ian Shirey (football), Ian Dominelli (football), Vickie Robinson (volleyball), Cathy Sipka (swimming), Laura Thomas (track and field/cross country), Matt Folk (track and field/cross country), Ronald Smith (men’s basketball) and Helen Stambaugh (contributor).

Shirey, Dominelli, Folk, Thomas and Robinson were chosen in their first year of eligibility.

Shirey and Dominelli were both first-team All-Americans in 1999 while helping the Penguins reach the NCAA championship game.

Shriey was a two-time first-team all-conference selection at center. In 1999, he was named to the Walter Camp Foundation All-America squad, a first-team Football Gazette All-American and a second-team selection by The Sports Network.

Dominelli was a standout linebacker, who in just two seasons recorded 235 tackles, including 224 during his 15-game senior campaign. In 1999, he was a Walter Camp Foundation All-American as well as a first-team selection by The Sports Network.

Robinson is the seventh volleyball player to be enshrined. Robinson set the school record 1,408 kills and 3.33 kills per game. She also established a school mark for hitting percentage (.277). At the time her career ended she was second in digs with 1,193 (ranks third currently), first in blocks with 405 (now fourth), She is just one of four players in program history with at least 1,000 kills and digs.

Folk qualified for the 1998 cross country national championships and was YSU’s first male cross country runner to compete at the national level. He was a nine-time Mid-Continent Conference All-Academic selection and helped the cross country and track and field program to win five Mid-Con titles. Folk, who was a two-time individual conference champion, was also named The Vindicator’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1999.

Thomas qualified for the NCAA cross country championships in 1997 and then had a provisional qualifying time for the outdoor national meet in 1999. In 1997, she won the Mid-Con cross country championship while winning the conference championship in the outdoor 5,000 and the 10,000-meter runs.

Stambaugh was married to Arnold Stambaugh, who helped spearhead the movement to get Stambaugh Stadium built. Since the time the stadium opened in 1982, Mrs. Stambaugh has been a great supporter of YSU athletics. In 2005, she was named one of YSU’s Penguins of the Year.

Sipka is the third women’s swimmer to reach the Hall of Fame. Sipka was a seven-time NCAA Division II All-American in relays and established three school marks, one of which she held until this past November.

Smith finished his career with 1,187 points in 86 career games. He ranks 19th in school history in points. He averaged 13.8 points per game, including a career-best 16.8 points as a junior. He followed that by averaging 15.1 points a contest as a senior.

The group will be honored at a brunch in the Kilcawley Center the morning of the Penguins’ football game against the Jackrabbits. For details, call (330) 941-3720 or (330) 941-2351.