A Vikings Football coach, school board member, and generous supporter of our school, Roger Beck has been coaching football at Pacelli since 2001. He is responsible for many recent campus improvements, including Deimel Field and The Beck Center for Academic and Athletic Success. He also is a devoted donor to our school’s Adopt-A-Viking program, removing the financial barriers for students to receive a St. Anne-Pacelli education.
Giorgio Hiatt, Pacelli Class of 1991, is a three-time wrestling state champion who brought about an enormous love for the sport to our school. While wrestling was his primary sport, he was also an All-Bi-City soccer player and a standout kicker for our Vikings Football team. In 1995, he was awarded the Page One Athletics Award.
Giorgio's athletic accolades speak for themselves, but his desire to be a lifelong learner and his servant heart make him a beautiful representation of Pacelli's mission and core values. After 10 years as the founding pastor of a multi-ethnic church in Charlotte, North Carolina, he has served as the senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem for the last 12 years.
Dr. Bernard Russell Simmons, or as many know him, Rusty Simmons, Pacelli Class of 1962 received the Patrick A. McCauley Memorial Award as the Most Valuable Football Player for the 1960 season. Here’s a really cool fact: His grandson, Bridge Pepper, Pacelli Class of 2021, was named the MVP 60 years later, in 2020!
As a player, Rusty played various positions in order to strengthen our school’s early football squad - from quarterback, to guard, to tackle. He wore jersey 74 and embraced the title of Captain. In addition to being a member of our school’s 1961 Undefeated Football Team, Rusty served as Class President during his senior year. He went on to attend the University of Georgia for undergraduate studies, and then graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1970. He is now retired, but practiced in Columbus for a number of decades and specialized in Urology. He and his late wife, Cissie, had four children and many grandchildren, including three grandsons who are also Viking alumni.
Pacelli's 2002 State Championship Girls Softball Team had a 25-9 record for the 2002 season. The team was composed of Brooke Bucholtz, Katie Bucholtz, Mandy Cotto, Catharine Crenshaw Pellegrino, Jennifer Downey, Dalin Gillis, Kim Klugh, Kelsey McGee, Jessika Nelson, Margaret O'Brien, Amy Prather, Rachel Spivey, Katie Tuel. The Lady Vikings progressed to the Georgia High School Association Single A Fast Pitch Finals held at South Commons October 31st to November 2nd, 2022. They beat Georgia Military College, Gordon Lee, and Brookstone, before beating Bremen 1-0 in the final game. They were coached by Lonny Arrington, Leo Valero, and Tim Downey.
