Hall of Fame
The first awards were presented in 1991. At that time, John T. Cicco was also honored with a special award. Though he was not an alum, he had been so devoted to the school and was a lifetime advocate of Catholic education. It was at that time that the John T. Cicco Lifetime Achievement Award was created in his name and is now given during the Hall of Fame event.
Congratulations to the 2023 Inductees!
David Del Greco
Seton LaSalle Class of 2009
David’s body of athletic accomplishments is unparalleled in the history of Seton LaSalle. He lettered in three sports: soccer, basketball, and tennis for four years, earning 12 varsity letters and captained all three sports both his junior and senior years. The Rebel boys soccer team made the WPIAL championship in all four years David played on the pitch. He led the 2007 and 2009 Rebels to WPIAL and PIAA championships, held school and WPIAL records for goals in a season (60) in 2009, and achieved 110 career goals. David’s 2006 class had a total record in soccer of 88-7-3 over four years. David earned All-Section honors three years in a row and was the unanimous MVP in 2008. He was the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Tribune Review 2008 High School Soccer Player of the Year, and the
Tribune Review’s Athlete of the Year. He was an All-State selection and a Great Lakes Region All-American that same year, while also earning a place in the National Honor Society. In college, David continued his athletic and academic dominance, captaining his team at Allegheny College, attaining All-Conference, All-Great Lakes Regional and All-Great Lakes Regional Scholar recognition while simultaneously earning Alden Scholar (Dean’s List) recognition. Upon his graduation from law school in 2016, David returned to Seton LaSalle as a volunteer assistant coach helping to guide the Rebels to a 88-38-6 record overall, including 7 Section Championships, and 1 WPIAL Championship. David is a successful property law attorney and true to his history, provides volunteer legal services for those in need. David comes from a long line of Del Greco athletes, as his father is a high school and college Hall of Fame inductee, his grandfather was a professional baseball player, and his siblings have also earned multiple section, WPIAL and State Championships.
Gino Gradkowski
Seton LaSalle Class of 2007
Gino was a standout two-way lineman during his time at Seton LaSalle. He was a four-year starter on the football team and helped lead the Rebels to the WPIAL Class AA Championship in 2004. He was a three-time All-Conference selection and earned All-State honors as both a junior and a senior. He was awarded a full scholarship to play football at Delaware University, where he became an anchor of its offensive line earning All-Conference and All-American honors. He was drafted 98th overall in the 2012 draft by the Baltimore Ravens, where he was a member of the Super Bowl XLVII team and went on to a 7-year NFL career. Since retiring from the NFL, Gino has been active at the University of Delaware, serving as the Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development for several years and as the Community Service Liaison for student-athletes and coaches, as well as the Staff Advisor to student-athlete leadership committees. He has participated in and conducted several youth football tutoring and mentoring sessions for multiple programs, including Seton LaSalle. He has volunteered his time to lead weekly Bible studies in a prison and is the Vice President of Special Olympics Delaware Board of Directors. Gino currently resides in New Jersey with his wife, Adrianna, and children, Giada and Bruno. He and his wife currently operate a private business, and Gino coaches the offensive line at Rowan University.
Billy Hartung
Seton LaSalle Class of 1989
During his time at Seton LaSalle, Billy took the stage in fall drama productions and spring musicals. Billy wrote his senior class song titled “Friends Forever”, performed it at commencement and prom, then published it in the yearbook. Billy graduated with honors from the Musical Theatre program at Point Park University. He went on to star in more than 1,000 performances on the Broadway stage in some very notable productions, including the original cast of Footloose as Chuck Cranston and the critically acclaimed Side Show as a Roustabout. He was invited to perform at the 25th Annual Kennedy Center Honors and the 75th Annual Academy Awards, and he can be seen singing and dancing in the Academy Award winning movie musical Chicago. He has performed with Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theater, City Theater, and The Pittsburgh Playhouse among others. Billy is currently the Executive Director of the Center for Theater Arts, which offers an award-winning professional curriculum of more than 80 classes in the performing arts for students of all abilities, including those with special needs. Billy has mentored children from 4 to 18 years of age. A vibrant Catholic husband and father of six, Billy and his wife Sharon met at Seton LaSalle.
Caitlin McNulty
Seton LaSalle Class of 2002
Stephen Paul (Esteban)
South Hills Catholic Class of 1966
Esteban is a globally recognized guitarist with a background in classical Spanish guitar, who plays a wide range of musical genres. After majoring in music at Carnegie Mellon University, he began teaching 150 students per week and playing in nightclubs. He rose to prominence after recovering from a serious auto accident which left him unable to perform or play guitar for several years. He credits the power of prayer with his recovery. Esteban has 8 number one Billboard albums and his albums have charted on Billboard 259 times. Esteban has achieved commercial success through the sale of his music and signature guitars which he designed and produced. He has been featured in People Magazine and The Wall Street Journal, has appeared on QVC and HSN innumerable times, and was once the guest artist on the David Letterman Show. Esteban performed the National Anthem for the first ever Arizona Diamondbacks game in 1999 at Bank One Ballpark, and has also performed at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. He has toured Europe and regularly performs together with his daughter in Las Vegas and other venues including Sedona, Arizona. Esteban performed for the students at Seton LaSalle and inspired them with the story of his recovery from the auto accident. He actively supports veterans’ causes. He has his own website at Estebanmusic.com.
Shaun Powers
South Hills Catholic Class of 1970
Shaun was an exceptional track and field athlete who gained statewide recognition for his record-setting achievements as a pole vaulter. In his junior year, Shaun led the South Hills Catholic pole vault team to the Catholic League Relay Championship, was the Catholic League individual champion, and earned a Bronze medal in the Pennsylvania State Championship. As a senior, Shaun was the top vaulter in western Pennsylvania, and was also the quarterback of the football team. Undefeated in the pole vault, he won Gold medals and set meet records at the prestigious Canon McMillan Relays, Brentwood Invitational, and Tri-State AAU Indoor Championships at Pitt Field House. Additionally, his pole vault team not only won the Catholic League Relay Championship, but also set a new meet record. Shaun won the 1970 Catholic League Championship and broke the meet record, the Catholic League record, and the South Hills Catholic school record. He also took a Silver medal at the Pennsylvania State Championship. He was awarded a full track scholarship to Fordham University where, in 1971, he won the New York Metropolitan Championship. Injuries ended his track career, and Shaun transferred to Notre Dame, where he graduated Cum Laude. He returned to South Hills Catholic where he taught economics and poetry, and coached football and track. Soon thereafter, Shaun began his extremely successful business career in the industrial gas industry, spanning over 35 years with more than 25 years in corporate executive positions. In 2001, he was hired as Division President of Airgas Inc., a position he held for 15 years in which he grew the business from $800 million to over $2.5 billion with over 4000 associates. He attained national status as one of the most influential leaders in the industrial gas industry, and was especially known for his ability to build organizations and maximize profitability in a high growth public corporation. Additionally, Shaun was recognized for his commitment to developing, training, and mentoring future executives. He established a Business Support Center in Cleveland, OH which created 325 jobs. He is a member of the Board of Directors at Brother Rice High School in Chicago and the Board of Trustees at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Shaun has shown a lifelong commitment to Catholic education and is known for his charitable giving. Shaun and his wife Nora are the parents of Shane Marie and Colin and reside in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Frank Vento
South Hills Catholic Class of 1971
Frank was a student-athlete at South Hills Catholic High School going to the state wrestling tournament in each of his four years. He achieved MS degrees in Geology and Anthropology in 1980 and a PHD in 1985 in Geology while at the University of Pittsburgh. His achievements in academia and commercially in the fields of Anthropology and Geology are numerous. He taught and served at the Clarion University of PA Dept of Anthropology, Geography and Earth Science from 1986 to 2014 and retired as Professor Emeritus. He also served in various capacities on the faculties of Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock, Pittsburgh, and Florida Atlantic Universities. He has taught and worked throughout North America, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Morocco, and Italy and many other places. Frank and his family are proud to hold dual Italian Citizenship which has afforded both education and research opportunities. In 2001 Frank was a first responder on September 11th, using geophysical equipment to aid in recovery efforts. Frank is also a practicing member of St. Ann’s Church in Erie, PA, and actively supports a half dozen charitable organizations including several Catholic charities. In this vein, Frank has provided years of pro-bono geologic work to individuals, organizations, and the PA State Police. While a professor, Frank established work study opportunities and scholarships for minority students interested in science related fields. Frank has a supportive wife in Beverly and three children. His oldest son is a graduate of Notre Dame and a radiologist in Charleston, South Carolina, his daughter is a graduate of Fordham Law with an LLM and a certificate in Italian Law from Luiss University in Rome and is working in Manhattan, and his youngest son has an MS in Geology from Shippensburg University and is working in Pittsburgh.
Timothy Zugates
South Hills Catholic Class of 1971
Tim, a basketball player for the Diocesan Champion team in 1971, served the Seton LaSalle community for 43 years as the Director of the Guidance and Counseling Department from its inception in 1979 to his retirement in 2022. During those years, he also spent several years in various other capacities that have included Director of Admissions, Director of the Alumni Office, Director of the Maintenance Department, Curriculum Advisor, SAT and ACT Test Center Coordinator, Middle States Evaluation Staff, National Honor Society Moderator and Summer School Administrator. Tim was the Head Girls Golf Coach for 25 years and has been a bowling coach, an assistant basketball coach, and an assistant soccer coach, while also making himself available to announce home football games and keep the game clock for home basketball games. He was a PIAA basketball and soccer official and served as the President of the Greater Penn Basketball Officials Chapter in the early 1990s. Tim believed in and made a lifelong commitment to the Catholic education model as evidenced by his omnipresence at the school and the consistent execution of his many duties over those 43 years. Tim and his wife Debbie have two children, Tarah (SLS ‘99) and Devin (SLS ‘04).
JOHN T. CICCO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
2011: Linda Boss, '66 & Toni Luvara**
2004: Father Joseph Lonergan
2000: James L. Palmer**
1992: James L. Murdy
1991: John T. Cicco
About the Committee
Eligibility Requirements
A nominee to the Hall of Fame should meet some, or all, of the following criteria:
- Alumnus/alumna/faculty (current or past) who exemplifies the spirit of Seton LaSalle by passionately living out God's purpose for their lives as a productive contributor to the global community
- Notably accomplished in chosen profession — industry, academia, government, service, non-profit, or religious
- Enhances the prestige of Seton LaSalle
- Significant contributor to Seton LaSalle of time, talent, and/or treasure
*The same criteria apply for the John T. Cicco Lifetime Achievement Award, but the award is for non-faculty and non-alumni.
