April 10, 2003
NORFOLK, VA. - This year's Old Dominion University Hall of Fame induction class features four U.S. national team participants, two Olympians and a two-time NCAA Tennis qualifier. The 2003 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies and Athletic Honors banquet will be held Tuesday, April 29 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
This year's class includes Ericka Davidheiser (Lacrosse), Patrick Downey (Sailing),Kelli James (Field Hockey), Louis Morris (Tennis) and Jan Trombly (Women's Basketball).
Ericka Davidheiser, a two-time lacrosse All-American, was the 1995 Old Dominion University Alumni Association Female Athlete of the Year, and four-time All-CAA selection. She was named first team All-American in 1994 and 1995 by Brine and the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association. She also earned Academic All-American honors bothyears.
In 1995, Davidheiser helped lead the lady Monarchs to its first Colonial AthleticAssociation Championship with a 9-7 overtime victory over 13th ranked Delaware. Davidheiserranked fourth nationally in assists with 21 and 21st nationally in scoring with 44 points and 23goals. Upon graduation she ranked fourth all-time at Old Dominion with 119 careerpoints, fourth all-time in goals scored with 79 and second in assists with 40. The two-timeteam MVP was a member of the Virginia select lacrosse team and member of the U.S. women's lacrosse squad coached by ODU head coach Sue Stahl. Davidheiser graduated with a B.S. degree in speech pathology and audiology in 1995 and later earned a master's degree in the same field from West Chester. She is currently a speech/language therapist at Lower Gwyneddelementary school in Pennsylvania. She also officiates high school and college lacrosse.
Patrick Downey, a three-time All-American sailor, was instrumental in Old Dominion'sthird place finish in the 1995 ICYRA Team Race National Championships and eighth placefinish at the ICYRA Dinghy National Championships. As a sophomore, Downey won the1993 ICYRA Sloop North American Championships in Honolulu, HI.
Downey, a two-time team MVP was the Monarchs coed team captain as a senior. Inboth 1993 and 1994, he led ODU to four first place regatta finishes and four second place finishes. Since graduating, Downey competed in the 2000 U.S. Olympic trails in the windsurfing class. He is currently teaching and coaching sailing with the Coconut Grovejunior racing team and five of his sailors are members of the U.S. Junior National Sailingsquad. Downey also is the sailing coach at Ransom Everglades High School. The Miami, FL.native graduated in 1996 with a degree in english.
Kelli James was a two-time All-American field hockey player, leading ODU to NCAAnational championships in 1988, 1990 and 1992. The Lady Monarchs were 23-2-1 in 1990, and 25-0 in 1992. In 1992, James became one of an impressive list of six Lady Monarch field hockey players to win the coveted Honda Award as the nation's top player in her sport.
James led the nation in scoring with 131 points and 59 assists n 1992. That year ODUcaptured the NCAA National Championship with a 4-0 victory over Iowa in Richmond, VA.James was twice named the New Jersey Writer's Association's Female Athlete of the Year in1990 and 1992. She completed her career with 65 career goals, 66 career assists and 198career points. James earned first team All-American honors in 1990 and 1992. She also earnedAll-CAA honors in 1992. She was a four-time All-South Region selection and was the 1990 and1992 NCAA All-Tournament selection.
James was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic field hockey team which competed in theAtlanta games. She served as vice-captain for the USA field hockey squad at the 1998 World Cup, and tied for the team scoring lead for team USA in the 1999 Pan American games. TheMedford, NJ native graduated with a degree in marketing education in 1992, and has a master'sdegree in corporate training. She currently lives in Atlanta, GA., where she has her own business.
Louis Morris was the 1976 Tom Scott Award winner as the top senior athlete at OldDominion University. Morris was selected the tennis team's Most Valuable Player three times.Teamming with Jose Benjumea as the squads' top doubles pair, they qualified for the NCAADivision II National Championships both in 1975 and 1976. The two compiled a 12-6 doublesrecord in 1976.
Morris helped lead the Monarchs to a 13-3 dual match record in 1976, including victoriesover tennis powers Virginia Tech, American University and Atlantic Christian. At the 1976NCAA Division II National Championships, Morris helped the Monarchs place 17th. He won hisfirst round singles match, defeating Carey Brading of Southern Colorado, 6-2,6-1. Morris was13-5 in singles that season.
Morris was named by the Mace and Crown student paper as one of the top athletes atOld Dominion in 1976. The Portsmouth, VA., native played for head coach Al Tatem as afreshman and then for Ken Rand his last three years. He played number one singles for threeseasons. Morris graduated summa cum laude in 1976 with a 3.85 grade point average in finance.He now lives in Hampton, Va., and is president of Old Point National Bank.
Jan Trombly started on the 1978-79 AIAW National Championship team at Old Dominion, and was the heart and soul of the Lady Monarchs. She averaged 12.1 points and 8.4Rebounds per game in 1978-79 as the Lady Monarchs defeated Louisiana Tech, 76-65 in theAIAW National Championship played in Greensboro, NC. She shot .55 percent from the fieldas she scored a career high 21 points against Kansas State and 18 against Ohio State. Tromblyhauled down ten or more rebounds 11 times that season. ODU compiled a 35-1 record.
Trombly did not play in the 1979-80 championship season due to a knee injury, butin 1980-81 she returned and started 14 games as Old Dominion finished third at the AIAWnational championships, compiling a 28-7 record. Trombly completed her careerwith 604 career points and 438 career rebounds. She averaged 6.1 rebounds per game for hercareer.
She was selected for the final trials for the 1980 U.S. Olympic basketball team, and played for the US in the 1979 Pan Am Games, as well as helped the U.S. win the gold at the 1979 World Championships. The Lady Monarch captain in 1980-81, Trombly was drafted in thefourth round of the WBL by Colorado.
Trombly competed in the 1984 Olympics on the U.S. team handball squad that finishedfourth in the Los Angeles games. In 2000 She was selected by the Olympic Committee to carry the torch as it crossed America . Trombly graduated with a degree in health and physical education in 1981, and earned a master's of Science in Sports Management in 1987. She currently is the color analyst for Lady Monarch basketball games on ESPN1310 radio as well as a certified fitness instructor and owner of her own fitness center.
The evening begins with a social at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Hall of Fame ceremonyat 6:15, and the banquet at 7:00. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Old DominionUniversity athletic ticket office. For more information, call 683-5484.