WORCESTER, Mass. – A group who set numerous school records and earned extensive recognition headline this year's class of six individuals who will be inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2022 inductees into the Hall of Fame are Ron George (Class of 1988, football), Stephanie Okpoebo (Class of 2014, track and field), Mike Pazik (Class of 1972, baseball), Neil Solomon (Class of 1980, baseball and football), Bill Walker (Class of 1993, basketball) and Linda George Paçuku (honorary). 



Ron George was a standout offensive lineman for the Crusader football team, playing a key role on some of the top squads in school history. A three-year starter at left guard, he earned first team All-New England and All-Patriot League honors as a junior in 1986, with Holy Cross posting an overall record of 10-1 and finishing the season ranked No. 5 in the nation. George was then named a consensus first team All-American as a senior, in addition to being selected first team All-ECAC, first team All-New England and first team All-Patriot League. He was also one of Holy Cross' team captains in 1987, when the Crusaders posted a perfect 11-0 mark and earned the No. 1 ranking in the final national poll. 



Stephanie Okpoebo was a star sprinter on the Holy Cross women's track and field teams from 2010-2014. At the time of her graduation, she was the school record holder in the 55-meter dash (7.14), 60-meter dash (7.49), 200-meter dash (24.05) and 300-meter dash (40.52), in addition to being a part of the school record-setting 4x100-meter (46.98) and the 4x200-meter (1:42.24) relay teams. Okpoebo was named the Athlete of the Meet at both the 2013 Patriot League outdoor championship and the 2014 Patriot League indoor championship, while winning first team All-Patriot League and All-New England honors in both indoor and outdoor track multiple times. She was the Patriot League outdoor champion in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash for four straight years, while winning the Patriot League indoor championship in the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash three times each.



Mike Pazik was a standout starting pitcher for the Crusader baseball team from 1969-1971. He went 4-6 with a 2.99 earned run average and a team-best 67 strikeouts as a sophomore, before posting a 3-4 record with a 1.63 earned run average and a team-high 76 strikeouts as a junior. At the time of his graduation, Pazik ranked among the leaders in program history with a 2.36 career earned run average and 13 complete games. Following his junior season, Pazik was drafted in the first round by the New York Yankees and signed a professional contract. He went on to play three seasons in the major leagues with the Minnesota Twins, before spending several years as a professional manager, coach and scout. 



Neil Solomon was a two-sport star for the Holy Cross baseball and football teams from 1976-1980. A third baseman on the baseball diamond, he was a two-time first team All-New England selection and helped the Crusaders to an overall record of 82-50-3 during his career, with the team advancing to the NCAA Tournament in his sophomore year (1978). Solomon hit .380 as a junior and had a .359 batting average as a senior, while ranking third all-time at Holy Cross in both runs batted in (100) and triples (10) at the time of his graduation. A backup on the gridiron for three and a half years, he took over as the starting quarterback midway through his senior season and led the Crusaders to a 3-2 record. Solomon finished the 1979 season with 1,046 passing yards and five touchdowns. 



Bill Walker was a standout guard on the Crusader men's basketball team from 1989-1993. He helped lead the team to an overall record of 83-36 during his career, with Holy Cross advancing to the National Invitation Tournament during his freshman year and the NCAA Tournament in his senior season. A first team All-Patriot League selection as a senior, Walker and the Crusaders won the first Patriot League title in school history in 1993, including a 98-73 victory at Bucknell in the championship game. A three-year starter in the backcourt, he totaled 1,337 points, 291 rebounds, 182 assists and 117 steals during his career, and was Holy Cross' 13th all-time leading scorer at the time of his graduation. 



Linda George Paçuku has been a valuable part of the Holy Cross department of athletics for 50 years. She joined the Crusaders as the department's head secretary in 1972, before being promoted to assistant business manager in 1987. She has performed numerous duties over the years, including assisting with ticket operations, handling insurance claims and coordinating team travel. Throughout the years, she has also provided support for countless athletes, coaches, staff and alumni, along with mentoring new employees to the Holy Cross athletics family and putting in countless hours behind the scenes to keep the department operating smoothly. 

These new honorees and the Class of 2022 will be formally inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at the Varsity Club's annual dinner in the fall of 2022. 

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