Jan. 13, 2005
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Contact: Brian McCann
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Six former Viking student-athletes, who combined to play eight different varsity sports at CSU, make up the 30th class of inductees into the Cleveland State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Joining the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame are Matt Dulka (wrestling, 1979-84), Beth Eggleston (women's fencing & track, 1994-95), Dana Labrie (women's swimming, 1991-94), James Paynter (men's soccer, 1976-79), Robin Sobolewski (women's basketball & softball, 1980-83) and Mike Sweeney (men's basketball, 1979-82). In addition, Tim Brimus will receive the Varsity "C" Club Honorary Achievement Award.
The class will be enshrined at a ceremony on Saturday, February 12 on the fourth floor of the CSU Convocation Center. The class will then be honored later that day prior to the Cleveland State men's basketball game against Illinois-Chicago. Admission to the ceremony is free but there is a $15 charge for admission to a post-ceremony reception. Reservations can be made by contacting the CSU Varsity "C" Club at (216) 687-5119.
Dulka, the only player in Eastern Wrestling League history to win titles at three different weight classes, was a three-time NCAA qualifier as a Viking, advancing to the NCAA's in 1981, 1983 and 1984. He compiled an 87-32-1 record during his career (.731), including a 29-5 record as a senior in 1983-84, wrestling mostly at 177 pounds.
Eggleston's time at CSU was limited to just two years, but she made the most out of them. She qualified for the NCAA Fencing Championships in both 1994 and 1995, becoming the first women's fencing All-American in school history when she finished 12th at the NCAA's. She graduated in 1996 with a degree in education.
One of the most honored athletes in women's swimming history, Labrie held six school records when she graduated, breaking them on numerous occasions throughout her career, earning most outstanding swimmer awards during each of her final three seasons.
Paynter was a starter on some of the best men's soccer teams in school history, playing on teams that compiled a 46-15-4 record (.738) and earned three NCAA Championship berths. A three-time All-Ohio selection, he twice received all-region honors. He graduated in 1980 with a degree in marketing.
Sobolewski excelled in both basketball and softball during her career. On the softball diamond, she helped the team to All-Ohio titles in both 1983 and 1984, serving as player-coach during her senior season. On the hardwood, she helped the Vikings to a 65-41 record during her career, including a school-record 23 wins in 1982-83.
Sweeney earns the honor because of his competitiveness and toughness. A four-time recipient of the team's Viking Award, he fought through chronic injuries to help lead his team's to a then-school record 67 wins during his career. He was the squad's sixth-man of the year as a sophomore and started 46 games his final two years. He played professionally in Norway, returning to CSU as an assistant coach for the 1984-85 season.
A 1969 graduate of Cleveland State with a degree in accounting, Brimus has been very active within the athletic department for the last decade. He has served as the chair of the Alumni Golf Outing on six occasions while also serving terms as treasurer of the baseball alumni group and chair of the Varsity "C" Club reverse raffle. He was president of the Varsity "C" Club from 1997-99 and has served on the Hall of Fame selection committee since 1997.
A synopsis of the accomplishments of the student-athletes being inducted in the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame:
Matt Dulka (Wrestling, 1979-81, 82-84)
A native of Middlefield, Ohio, Dulka is one of two Vikings to win three Eastern Wrestling League titles during his career, claiming the title at 158 as a sophomore and 167 as a junior before winning the 177 championship as a senior in 1983-84. A three-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships, he posted an 87-32-1 record during his career (.731), including a 5-6 record at the NCAA's. Dulka emerged during his sophomore season, going 21-7 and setting an EWL record with a 19-1 super superior decision in the title match at 158. After sitting out the 1981-82 season because of injury, he stormed back, posting a 25-6-1 mark en route to earning two team most improved wrestler honors in 1982-83. A pre-season All-America pick that year, he went on to win the first of two All-Ohio Championship titles. Dulka was nothing short of spectacular during his senior campaign in 1983-84, going 29-5 at 177, winning the All-Ohio and EWL titles. The only wrestler in EWL history to claim titles at three-different weight classes, he was inducted into the league's hall of fame in 1990.
Beth Eggleston (Women's Fencing & Track, 1994-95)
Although she competed for only two seasons at Cleveland State, she made her mark as one of the top women's fencers in school history. Eggleston transferred to CSU in 1993 after two years at Ohio State and immediately made an impact on the program. In just her first season as a Viking, she became the first women's fencer in 10 years to qualify for the NCAA Championships, narrowly missing out on claiming All-America honors with a 13th place finish. Her senior season of 1994-95 was even better as she again qualified for the NCAA Championships, finishing 12th to become the first women's fencer in school history to earn All-America kudos. A two-time recipient of the team's most outstanding fencer award, she graduated in 1996 with a degree in education.
Dana Labrie (Women's Swimming, 1991-94)
One of the most honored swimmers in women's swimming history, Labrie finished her career in 1994 as the holder of six school records (four individual, two relay). A three-time recipient of the school's most outstanding swimmer award, she still holds the school mark in the 200 IM (2:06.77) with the second-best times in the 100 (57.64) and 200 back (2:04.32). Her debut in the Viking lineup in 1990-91 was a smashing one as she set six school records on her way to earning freshman swimmer of the year honors. She won three individual and two relay titles to help CSU win the team title at the 1991 Penn-Ohio Championships. She reset four of her school records in 1991-92 and toppled school marks in six events in 1992-93. She capped her career by winning the 200 IM and finishing second in the 100 and 200 back at the Mid-Continent Championships.
James Paynter (Men's Soccer, 1976-79)
One of the key members of the Viking men's soccer resurgence in the late 70's, Paynter played on three teams that earned NCAA Tournament berths during his career. After earning first team All-Ohio and team most outstanding player honors as a freshman as part of a 8-5-1 season in 1976, he repeated on the All-Ohio squad and was a second team all-region pick in 1977 as the Vikings stormed to a 14-2 record, a No. 6 national ranking and the NCAA Tournament second round. He battled through a leg injury in 1978 to be an honorable mention all-region and second team All-Ohio choice in 1978, helping CSU to a No. 14 national ranking and the NCAA Tournament. He capped his playing career in 1979, playing in every game during a 14-3-2 season that saw the Vikings earn a No. 10 ranking and advance to the NCAA tourney for a school-record third time. Paynter graduated in 1980 with a degree in marketing and has worked the last 24 years as managing partner of a successful floor covering company in his native Bermuda.
Robin Sobolewski (Basketball & Softball, 1980-83)
A two-sport standout for the Vikings in the early 80's, Sobolewski earned four letters in basketball and three in softball and played on three CSU teams that qualifeid for the national championship tournament (one basketball, two softball). On the softball diamond, she earned team most outstanding player honors in 1981 after hitting .477. In 1982, she helped CSU win a then school record 14 games, including the program's first All-Ohio title. As a player-coach in 1983, she guided CSU to a 12-3 record, winning the All-Ohio title and setting a school record for winning percentage (.800). On the basketball court, she ended her career ranked in the top 10 in five statistical categories. Sobolewski helped the Vikings to a 65-41 record during her career, including a school-record 23 wins in 1982-83.
Mike Sweeney (Men's Basketball, 1979-82)
The epitome of competitiveness, Sweeney battled through injuries during his career but earned so much respect through his play to be selected team captain in all four seasons. He received CSU's prestigious Viking Award an unprecedented four times and played on teams that won a then-record 67 games during his career. He was tabbed as the team's sixth man of the year as a sophomore in 1979-80 and went on to start 46 games over his final two seasons. He was a first team All-City College choice by the Cleveland Press as a junior in 1980-81 and ended his career as the first Viking to total 800 points, 400 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 steals in a career. He went on to play and coach professionally in Norway before returning to serve as an assistant coach at CSU for the 1984-85 season.
