CEDAR CITY, Utah, Feb. 6 - Southern Utah University will induct seven former athletes and administrators into its Athletics Hall of Fame this Saturday.

Doug Berry, Randy Bostic, Paula Burgoyne, Dr. Steve Lunt, Buck PaoPao, Susie Pedersen and Joy Peterson will be inducted at ceremonies Saturday afternoon and will also be recognized at halftime of the men's basketball game against IUPUI.

The induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with an awards dinner Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in the Sharwan Smith Center Ballroom. The event is open to the public. Cost of the dinner is $20.

A two-year starter for the Thunderbirds at wide receiver, Berry earned NAIA all-American honors at SUU in 1970 and was a two-time all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honoree. Upon his graduation from SUU he held the SUU records for receptions in a game, receiving yards in a game, receptions in a season, receiving yards in a season, and career records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions. Following the 2011 season his 258 receiving yards vs. Ft. Lewis in 1970 still ranked second on the all-time SUU list and his 240-yard game vs. Colorado Mines in 1970 was fourth.

Bostic was Southern Utah's first all-American after the Thunderbirds made the move from NAIA to NCAA competition. He earned first-team Kodak All-America honors in 1989 and 1990 and was a three-time first-team all-Western Football Conference honoree. He was the first offensive lineman to start every game as a freshman at SUU and is still the only offensive lineman in SUU history to start every game during his career.

Burgoyne was a two-sport standout for SUU in the early 1980s who helped lead the SUU volleyball team to four RMAC championships, two District VII titles and a pair of appearances at the NAIA national tournament. Also a letter-winner in basketball, she was named SUU's Outstanding Female Athlete in 1983 and was an academic all-American in 1982. She has also distinguished herself as a volleyball official at both the high school and collegiate levels since her graduation.

Dr. Lunt has dedicated most of his life to SUU and SUU athletics. A former student-athlete at SUU, Lunt served as a professor of physical education, chair of the SUU Department of Physical Education, head track & field coach, head athletic trainer and as the school's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. He also was an assistant coach with the football, baseball, men's basketball and wrestling programs. Perhaps he is best known, however, for establishing the SUU Coaching Factory Hall of Honor and Circle of Fame.

PaoPao was a quarterback for the Thunderbirds in 1969 and 1970. He earned second-team all-American honors and first-team all-RMAC recognition in 1970 when he set the SUU career records for pass attempts, completions, passing yards, total yards and total plays as well as the single-season records for pass attempts, completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns. Having passed away in 2003 after complications from surgery, Mr. Paopao is being honored posthumously.

Pedersen was a two-time all-RMAC performer in both basketball and softball, earning the recognition in both 1979 and 1980 in both sports. SUU's Outstanding Female Athlete in 1979 she was an all-district selection in softball in both 1979 and 1980. During her career at SUU, Pedersen earned a total of 11 varsity letters, and was named the basketball team's MVP in both 1978-79 and 1979-80.

A former professional softball player, Peterson retired as SUU's winningest coach in any sport in 1998 after compiling 269 wins in softball. She spent a total of 18 seasons as SUU's softball coach, 11 as the school's volleyball coach and six at the helm of the women's basketball program. In addition to her success with the softball program she was a tremendously successful volleyball coach, leading the Thunderbirds to seven RMAC championships, two district championships, two appearances in the NAIA national tournaments and a fourth-place national finish in 1981. Peterson also coached the Thunderbirds to the 1977 women's basketball championship.

This year's inductions into the SUU Athletics Hall of Fame are the first since Matt Cannon was enshrined three years ago and the first multiple inductions since 1996.

-- SUU --