Saluki Athletics announces 2015 Hall of Fame class
12/17/2014 | 12:00:00 | General
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University Department of Athletics announced today its 2015 Saluki Hall of Fame class. The distinguished, six-person class, which will be formally inducted in a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, includes Muhammad Abdulqaadir (Football), Harry Gallatin (Men's Basketball coach), Lauren Haas (Softball), Alison Hiller (Women's Golf), Charles Ropiequet (Gymnastics) and Bob Schroeck (Baseball).
Abdulqaadir (2002-03) played running back for two spectacular seasons at SIU, finishing fifth in school history in career rushing yards (2,372) and third in career rushing TDs (31). He was a two-time First-Team All-Gateway Conference selection and was named All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation, the Sports Network, and Dan Hansen's Football Gazette in 2002. He was also named to SIU's All-Century team in 2013. Abdulqaadir has three of the top five single-game rushing marks in school history (312 at Eastern Michigan, 264 vs. West Virginia Tech, 261 vs. Western Illinois), and ranks sixth in career 100-yard rushing games with 10, including six-straight during the 2002 season. In 2003, he helped lead the team to its first playoff appearance in 20 years. Presently, he works as a software analyst for Cerner Health Care.
Gallatin (1959-62) recorded a 79-35 record in four seasons at Southern. Among SIU head coaches, only Chris Lowery won more games in his first four seasons as head coach. Gallatin's teams were the first in school history to make the small-college NCAA Tournament doing so in 1959, 1960 and 1961. He led the Salukis to three 20-win seasons and three IIAC conference championships. A veteran of World War II, Gallatin played nine years in the NBA for the New York Knicks and was selected to play in seven All-Star games. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as well as six other Halls of Fame. Gallatin is retired from coaching.
Haas was a power-hitting first baseman for the Salukis who posted a career .320 batting average and finished third in school history in career home runs (24) and fifth in doubles (33). She was the Missouri Valley Conference MVP in 2008 when she hit .388, which ranks eighth in single-season batting average at Southern. During her tenure, the Salukis advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and also won the league title in 2005. She was a two-time All-Conference pick and a three-time Academic All-Conference and All-District selection. She currently works in foreign military sales for the Department of the Navy.
Hiller (1998-2002) was a three-time All-MVC selection who finished in the Top 10 at the MVC Tournament all four years. She qualified for the U.S. Women's Golf Amateur Championship in 2000. Two years later, she became the first SIU golfer to qualify for the NCAA Regionals since 1978. Hiller won five tournaments during her career and set the school record for career stroke average (77.94). She stands sixth in career rounds in the 70s (55), sixth in all-time low 18-hole score (69), and first in all-time low 54-hole scores (215). After graduation, she served as an assistant coach under Diane Daugherty for the 2003-04 season. Hiller currently works for The Container Store, which specializes in storage and organization solutions.
Ropiequet (1970-71) never formally participated in gymnastics prior to enrolling at Southern Illinois, but was persuaded to walk-on to the team as a freshman. It's a good thing he did, because he became the NCAA national runner-up in the Still Rings in 1970, before claiming the NCAA National Championship outright in the event in 1971. The Salukis were among the top programs in the country during Ropiequet's years at Southern, finishing fourth at the national meet in 1970 and second in 1971. The Salukis won the initial Midwestern Conference meet in 1971, and he had a season average in the still rings of 9.41. After graduation, Ropiequet went on to claim an AAU Championship in the still rings in 1973. He presently lives in Columbia, where he works as a linguist.
Schroeck (1978-80) was a dominant pitcher for the Salukis during one of the finest baseball eras in school history. He posted a career record of 23-4, which still ranks sixth in school history, while the team was 108-40 during his career, won an MVC Tournament title and made a trip to the NCAA Midwest Regionals in 1978. The Salukis finished ranked 20th in the nation in 1978, and 21st in 1979. Schroeck went 12-0 in 1979 -- the best single-season record in school history, and posted a 1.03 ERA, which still ranks sixth-best all-time. He earned All-American and All-MVC status that season. He was a second-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1980, and is currently the senior vice president of operations for Big Heart Pet Brands.
