FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1-14-02

Pirates Name Five To AASU Athletics Hall of Fame In 2002

SAVANNAH, Ga. – AASU's all-time baseball strikeout leader, the Pirates' first NCAA qualifier in cross country, a women's basketball and softball standout and a junior college men's basketball star from the 1950s comprise the 2002 class of the Armstrong Atlantic State Hall of Fame, announced today by AASU Athletic Director Dr. Eddie Aenchbacher.

Ed Burns (men's basketball), Chuck Christopher (baseball), Norma Faison (women's basketball/softball) and Gabi Hauck (women's cross country/tennis) make up this year's class. The induction ceremony will be on Saturday, January 26 at Noon at the Armstrong Sports Center as a part of AASU's Homecoming 2002 activities.

Joining the class of former athletes is Service Citation Award recipient and current AASU Athletics team physician Dr. Spencer Wheeler.

“The 2002 class may be our most diverse in terms of covering all eras of AASU Athletics,” Dr. Aenchbacher said. “From the days as Armstrong Junior College through our successful baseball seasons of the mid-80s, to our recent successes in NCAA Championships, this class has it all.”

A 6-foot-4 center, Ed Burns played for Armstrong Junior College from 1956-58 and led the Pirates in scoring and free throw percentage as a sophomore in 1957-58, averaging 20.2 points per game and winning the Ashley Dearing Cup. He earned All-District tournament honors and dominated the post for the Geechees despite playing just one year of high school basketball at Savannah High.

Chuck Christopher, a right-handed starting pitcher from 1985 through 1987, is AASU's all-time strikeout leader, recording 244 whiffs in three seasons. He set a school record in 1985 with 12 wins and is second all-time in AASU history with 27 victories against just nine defeats. A mainstay for the

Pirate staff in NCAA Division I play, Christopher earned All-Big South Conference regular season and tournament honors in 1985 and is among the leaders for AASU in seven categories, while holding eight AASU pitching records.

Norma Faison, a three-year standout in softball and women's basketball, played for the Lady Pirates from 1983-84 to 1985-86 and ranks in the top 10 in eight different categories in women's basketball. One of only five AASU women's basketball players to score 1,000 career points, Faison helped lead the Lady Pirates to the NAIA Tournament in 1984-85, earning All-GIAC and All-Region honors. A tremendous athlete, Faison was also a standout for the women's softball team from 1983 through 1985.

Gabi Hauck also earned a reputation for being a versatile athlete for AASU in the mid-1990s, competing in women's cross country and tennis. As a cross country runner, Hauck excelled, placing the Lady Pirate cross country program on the national map by becoming AASU's first individual qualifier for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in 1984. Hauck twice earned All-Peach Belt Conference and All-South Region honors and was a tremendous student, twice earning NCAA DII Cross Country Coaches Academic All-America honors. A former President's Cup winner, Hauck was also a two-time All-PBC women's tennis player for the Lady Pirates.

The Service Citation Award recipient, Dr. Spencer Wheeler, has been AASU's team physician for the last decade and has been a valuable resource for Armstrong athletics. As a member of the Pirate Club booster organization and the Armstrong Atlantic foundation, Dr. Wheeler has donated countless hours of time and energy to the Pirates. His medical partnership, the Chatham Orthopaedic Associates, has been a consistent sponsor of AASU Athletics and his own contributions to the AASU Athletic program are immeasurable.

The induction ceremony, a luncheon banquet in AASU's Sports Center, will take place at Noon on Saturday, January 26 as a part of AASU Homecoming's activities. Tickets for the Hall of Fame luncheon banquet are $16 apiece and will be available at the door.

Seating is limited, however, and those interested in attending are encouraged to contact the AASU Athletic Department at 921-5849 to RSVP.

Following the banquet, the AASU men's and women's basketball teams will host UNC Pembroke at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Pirates' annual homecoming basketball games.

The five honorees bring the total membership of the AASU Athletic Hall of Fame to 46 since the inaugural class was inducted in 1995.

-Pirates-