Dr. Jim Jarrett joined the Old Dominion University staff in 1967 as Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education and took over the Athletic Director position in 1970, where he remained until his retirement in 2010. During his 43-year career…
Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, born and raised in Norfolk, VA, started his amateur boxing career at the age of 9. He had 214 amateur fights, winning 201, and 91 of them by knock out. He was the lightweight silver medalist…
Jess Kersey, native of Newport News, VA, devoted 36 years as a basketball official in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association. His officiating career started with the ABA where he worked for 5 years and refereed the…
Ida Simmons Slack is considered one of the greatest women duckpin bowlers of all time. On seven occasions, she was ranked No. 1 bowler in the nation, an honor based on comparison of all bowlers’ scores in sanctioned league play. …
Smith, a native of Norfolk, first drew national attention at Virginia Tech when he won the 1985 Outland Trophy, awarded to the outstanding collegiate defensive lineman of the year. He was a consensus All-American that season. Picked first in the…
Norman Snead was an outstanding football, baseball and basketball player while at Warwick High School. He grew up in the Marshall Courts section of Newport News, Virginia. At one time he struck out 16 batters in a baseball game, averaged…
Wynsol Spencer was born in Mays Lick, Kentucky, but at the age of 5 moved to Newport News. Spencer was a dominant amateur golfer, both on the peninsula as well as state-wide, winning five Virginia Amateur championships covering a span…
When other young girls her age were playing with dolls and running around the playground, Hope Spivey was a gymnastics standout with the potential for stardom according to scouts around the country. Spivey, the NCAA’s all-time national record-holder for most…
Dwight Stephenson is a native of North Carolina, but resided in Hampton, Virginia where he graduated from Hampton High School. He was selected as the All-State Group AAA Team at Hampton High in 1975. He also excelled at defensive tackle…
