2007 Hall of Fame Class Set

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern has announced the selection of three former athletes to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on October 6 as part of the Homecoming and Hall of Fame Weekend at CSU. Mary Pipilas (women’s soccer), John Rocco (baseball), and Jake Sills (football) will be honored at an induction banquet Friday, Oct. 5.

Pipilas played soccer at CSU from 1993-96, placing herself atop the leader board in most categories. Her 206 shots are second all-time, and her 31 goals tie her for the second spot. She is third in career assists with 21 and is one of only three people to tally more than 10 assists for a career. As a whole, she combined for 83 points, which is the second highest total ever, and she is in the top-10 twice for points scored during the 1993 and 1994 seasons. She is fourth all-time in games played and third all-time in career starts, earning All-Conference honors four times, and All-Tournament team honors twice. Still in the Lowcountry, Pipilas is currently working on her master’s degree in nursing as she pursues a career in forensic nursing.

“I am just amazed,” said Pipilas. “When I found out I was being inducted, I was taken aback. It was amazing to realize that people still remembered me, and I am very flattered. Soccer was such a big part of my life and it’s a real honor to be remembered for what I did at CSU.”

Rocco was on the diamond for CSU from 1996-99, and continues to stay in the record books. He played in 223 career games with 806 at-bats, both of which are records that still stand. He also still holds the record for runs scored in a career with 171, and for triples with 14. His record-setting 234 career hits stood up until the 2005 season, and his 65 stolen bases is the second-highest total ever. During the 1999 season, he crushed five triples, which set the school mark at the time. In 1998, Rocco scored 47 runs, following that up with 46 runs in 1999, both of which put in him the top-5 for a single season total. Now an eight-grade teacher, Rocco and his wife, Amy, live in Johnstown, Penn., with their son, Natallo.

“This is such a great honor,” said the former shortstop. “I have seen other people inducted, including (teammate) Mark Cisar, and it is an honor to be put in the same category as them. I started college just hoping to have a solid career, but never expected something like this.”

On the gridiron for just two years, Sills set just about every passing record during his stay from 2000-01. His 55 pass attempts against Liberty on Nov. 10, 2001, still stands as a record. He had a 95-yard pass completion against Austin Peay in his first season as a Buccaneer that also still stands. He remains second all-time with 261 completions, 471 pass attempts, and 3,537 total offensive yards. He accounted for 22 touchdowns in his career and completed 55.4 percent of his passes, ranking second and third, respectively. Now a Secret Service Agent in El Paso, Texas, Sills is married to Sariah and has two daughters, Samantha and Sophia.

“The first thing I thought about when I heard the news was what an honor this is,” said Sills. “It was a complete shock. When I got a call from (Athletic Director) Hank Small, it just knocked me off my feet. I’m so excited to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at Charleston Southern.”