April 4, 2005
NORFOLK, VA--This year's Old Dominion University Sports Hall of Fameinduction class features a two-time baseball All-American, a two-time CAA BasketballPlayer of the Year and Tournament MVP, an Olympic Sailor and record settingtrack athlete. The 2005 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and Athletic Honors banquetwill be held Tuesday, April 26 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
This year's class includes Ronnie Drumwright (track and field), Odell Hodge(basketball), Charlie Ogletree (sailing) and Kevin Gibbs (baseball).
Ronnie Drumwright ran track and field for the Norfolk Division from 1955-58. He set five school and Little Eight conference records in track and field in the mid-50's while running for ODU Hall of Fame coaches Scrap Chandler and Lou Plummer. He won the 1957 conference title in the 880, with a record time of 2:03.08 (indoors).
Drumwright repeated the title in 1958, breaking the record with a time of 2:02.3. In outdoors, he was undefeated in the 880 the entire season. He set both the school andConference records, and repeated the title again in 1958 with a record time of 1:59.5.Drumwright anchored the 1958 championship mile-relay team in the conference meet.He helped lead the Baltimore Olympic Club to the Gold Medal in the club two-mile relay at the Millrose Games in Madison Squad Gardens. He also ran cross country for the Norfolk Division and served as co-captain of the school's first team in 1955. After graduation Drumwright worked for the Army Corp of Engineers and then Tidewater Construction where he retired in 1998. He and wife Pat currently reside in Virginia Beach. Drumwright graduated with a degree in engineering in 1958.
Kevin Gibbs patrolled the outfield for ODU from 1993-95. He was the 1994 CAA Player of the Year and member of team USA that same season. In 1994, Gibbs hit .436, the second highest bating average in school history and the best in the CAA. He led the league in stolen bases in 1993 with 45 and in 1995 with 48. Both ranked in the nation's top ten. Gibbs completed his career as ODU's third all-time hitter with a .392 career mark.
Gibbs helped lead the Monarchs to consecutive CAA titles and NCAAAppearances in 1994 and 1995. He was named third team All-American in 1994 and second team All-American in 1995 by the Baseball Coaches Association and COLLEGIATE BASEBALL. In the 1995 regional, Gibbs helped lead ODU to wins over Mississippi and Central Florida. In 1994, he helped ODU knock off Notre Dame, and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team. Gibbs also got the job done in the classroom as he was named CoSIDA Academic All-American in 1994 and 1995. Drafted in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Gibbs graduated with a degree in political science. He is currently enrolled at the University of Maryland Law School.
Odell Hodge is one of only four Virginia Division I collegians to score over 2,000 career points and haul in over 1,000 career rebounds. Odell Hodge was named CAA Player Of the Year and Tournament MVP in 1994 and 1997. In 1997, he was the recipient of the CAA's prestigious Dean Ehlers Award for his sportsmanship, leadership and community service. Hodge completed his career at ODU with 2,117 career points and 1.086 career rebounds. He was named to the CAA's All-Defensive squad in 1997 and ranks sixth all-time in CAA scoring, second only to David Robinson in careerblocked shots with 286, and third in CAA history in rebounds.
As a senior, Hodge helped lead the Monarchs to a 22-11 record, capturingthe CAA crown and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He also earned AssociatedPress Honorable Mention All-American honors and NABC first team All-Districthonors in 1997. Hodge was the CAA Rookie of the Year in 1993 and freshmanAll-American. He missed the 1995 season with a knee injury. The Martinsville, VA.native was also the all-time scorer in Virginia High School league history. He currentlyresides in Brussels (Belgium). Hodge received his degree in recreation and leisure studies in 1997.
Charlie Ogletree earned first team Collegiate Sailing All-American honors in1989 after leading the Monarchs to a fifth place finish at the ICYRA Collegiate sailingteam race national championships in Chicago. He skippered ODU to first place finishesat the War Memorial regatta and the Anderson Trophy as a junior. Since graduatingfrom ODU, Ogletree has represented the United States three times as a member ofthe Olympic teams.
In the games in Athens, Greece he teamed with John Lovell to win the silver medal in the Tornado sailing class finishing second to defending gold medallists Roman Hagara and Hans Steinacher from Austria. The duo finished eighth in 1996 and seventh in 2000. The Houston, TX. Native graduated in 1989 with a degree in English.
The evening begins with a social at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Hall of Fameceremony at 6:15, and the banquet at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchasedat the Old Dominion University athletic ticket office. For more information, call 683-5484.