May 17, 2006
NORFOLK, VA--In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Old DominionUniversity, pitching standouts Justin Verlander ('04), Wayne Gomes ('93), andKevin Bearse ('87) headline the 20-member all-time baseball squad as voted by thefans on the ODU website, announced today by the athletic department.
Verlander, the all-time strikeout leader in ODU, CAA and Virginia DivisionI history appeared on 49 of the 106 ballots, while former ODU major league pitchersWayne Gomes and Kevin Bearse were on 41 of the ballots. Rounding out the first team are: Kevin Gibbs, Tim Hummel, Sean O'Hare, Tony Morris, Terry Bell, Freddie Edmonds, Jr., Todd Azar, Matt Quatraro, Ron Walker, Jeff Ware, Mark Wasinger, Tony Gsell, Wiley Lee, Jim Hvizda, Bob Walton, Tommy West, and Jim Zadell.
Verlander, the number two overall pick of the 2004 draft completed his careerat ODU with 427 strikeouts in 335.2 innings. He averaged 11.5 strikeouts during hiscollegiate career and earned All-CAA honors, pitched for team USA in the Pan American games. Justin is a starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.
Wayne Gomes, was the fourth overall pick of the 1993 draft by the PhiladelphiaPhillies. Gomes is ODU's second all-time saves leader with 16. He fanned 150 battersin just 100 innings pitched. He played six years in the major leagues. He was inductedinto the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Kevin Bearse was ODU's all-time strikeout leader before Verlander. The lefthander fanned 15 batters in a game twice. The all-Sun Belt and All-Americanpitcher fanned 325 batters. In 1985, ODU was 50-11 and captured the Sun Belt Conference championship as Bearse was 14-3. Bearse pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1990. He was Inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
Kevin Gibbs earned All-American honors both on the field and in the classroom.Gibbs is ODU's third all-time hitter with .392 career average and still owns the ODUAll-time stolen base mark of 134. Gibbs earned All-American honors in 1994 and 1995.He was the CAA Player of the Year in 1994 and was CoSIDA Academic All-Americanin 1995. He was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, and played forTeam USA in 1994.
Tim Hummel was ODU's first Division I consensus first team All-American in2000. The 2000 CAA Player of the Year was selected in the second round by theChicago White Sox. He has played in the major leagues for Cincinnati. Hummel hit.408 in 2000 and .388 for his career.
Sean O'Hare was a member of the 50-11 Monarch team which captured the1985 Sun Belt title. The All-Sun Belt firstbaseman led the league with 86 RBI with13 homers. He was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Tony Morris earned All-ECAC South honors in 1982 in the outfield. He ledODU in hitting in 1981 with a .382 batting average and in runs batted in with 49in 1981 and 53 in 1982. Morris hit 12 homers in 1982.
Terry Bell was selected in the first round of the 1983 draft by the SeattleMariners. Bell led ODU with 22 doubles in 1982 and in triples in 1981. Bell wasnamed to the SPORTING NEWS All-American squad in 1982.
Freddie Edmonds, Jr. completed his career at ODU with a 2.02 earnedrun averge with five career shutouts and 201 strikeouts in 2014 innings. He helpedlead Old Dominion to the 1963 and 1964 NCAA East Division Championship. Wasinducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.
Todd Azar hit .486 in 1986 to lead the Sun Belt Conference and finish thirdnationally. Azar was the leagues Player of the Year and Tournament MVP. Azarcompleted his career with a .378 batting average which ranks fifth all-time at ODU,he is first in total bases with 487 and first in career RBI's with 258 and301 base hits. The Cherry Hill, NJ., native earned first team All-American honorsand COSIDA Academic All-American honors. He was inducted into the ODU SportsHall of Fame in 1992.
Matt Quatraro helped lead the Monarchs to consecutive straight CAA titles in1994, 95 and 96. Playing either catcher, outfield, third or first base Quatraro earned All-American honors in 1996, and was the 1994 CAA Tournament MVP. Quatraro hit .416to win the CAA batting title in 1996 and .413 in 1994. He completed his career by batting.400, and leading ODU in slugging percentage at .706. He still owns five school individual records. Quatraro earned Academic All-American honors in 1996 and was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Ron Walker hit and pitched his way into ODU records. The third basemanis ODU's second all-time homerun hitter with 36 and as a pitcher, he was the MonarchsAll-time saves leader with 17. Walker was the CAA's Player of the Year in 1996 andTournament MVP in 1996. In 1997, Walker slammed 20 home runs which is still theschool single season record.
Jeff Ware is a two-time All-Sun Belt pitcher and was selected in the sandwichround (between the first and second round) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1991. Warecompiled an 11-4 record and pitched for team USA in 1991. He also earned All-American honors in 1991. Ware pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1995 and 1996.
Mark Wasinger earned the SPORTING NEWS All-American honors in 1982.He was a two-time ECAC South All-Conference selection in 1981 and 1982 at secondbase. Wasinger was selected in the third round by the San Diego Padres.
Tony Gsell, ODU's All-time home run hitter with 37. Gsell hit 17 in1999.He is fifth in career hits with 261 and doubles with 55. Gsell earned All-CAA honors in 1997, 98 and 1999. He helped lead ODU to the CAA Championshipgame in 1998 and 1999.
Wiley Lee is ODU's second all-time stolen base leader with 120 in 132attempts. Lee earned All-Sun Belt honors both in 1985 and 1986 at second baseand at shortstop in 1987. Lee and teammate Todd Azar played for team USA in1986. A freshman All-American, Lee was drafted in the fifth round by the CaliforniaAngels. He is now the head coach at Great Bridge High School where he took theWildcats to the Virginia AAA State title in 2003. Lee was inducted into the ODU SportsHall of Fame 1994.
Jim Hvzida was a two-time All-Sun Belt pitcher in 1987 and 1988. He ranksthird and fourth in ODU's top five single season innings pitched. He compiled a 12-3record in 1986 and made 32 appearances in 1988. While pitching in the Texas Rangersorganization, he was named Fireman of the Year in 1989.
Bob Walton helped lead the Monarchs to the 1963 and 64 NCAA Collegedivision Eastern Regional title. He compiled a career ERA of 2.38 which ranks fourthAll-time at ODU. Walton completed his career with a 25-7 record and earned All-American honors in 1963 and 1964. He was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall ofFame in 1983.
Tommy West combined with Kevin Bearse to give ODU's 50-11 squad asolid two-two punch on the mound. West was 15-2 that year, winning a school andSun Belt Conference mark of 15 straight starts. West earned All-Sun Belt honors in1983 and 1985. He was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
Jim Zadell hit .423 in 1963 which is the fourth highest single season batting average in school history. That same year, he led ODU with 36 RBI in 27 gamesOld Dominion won the 1963 NCAA College Division Eastern Regional Championship.Zadell earned second team All-American in 1963 and was a two-time Mason DixonConference Selection.
Receiving honorable mention votes: Leo Anthony ('61), Ted Bacalis('48), Woody Barnes (37), Nick Boothe ('85), Wilson Dozier ('39), Ron Drews (69), Fred Edmonds, Sr.('35), Geoff Edsall('93), Pat Evangelista (91), Scott Hafling('90), Kirkie Harrison ('62), Scott Hughes (84), Fred Kovner ('65), Stephen Lyons (92), Shawn McDonnell ('92), John Mitcheltree ('81), Paul Mitchell('72), John Montague('66), T.J. O'Donnell ('92), Dennis Riddleberger ('66), Tom Reichel ('86), George Sells ('90), John Smith ('94), Maika Symmonds ('95), Rufus Tonelson('31), and Tony Zontini ('68).
The next all-time team selection will be women's lacrosse.