April 9, 2007
NORFOLK, VA--The 2007 Old Dominion University sports Hall of Fameinduction class features an all-conference and former NBA basketball player, two All-Conference Baseball players who set ODU home run records, an Olympic and All-American field hockey player and a long-time athletic administrator. The 2007 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and Athletic Honors Banquet will be held Tuesday, April 24th at the Constant Convocation Center.
This year's class includes Cal Bowdler (basketball), Jill Reeve (field hockey),Tony Gsell and Tony Morris (baseball) and Dr.Mikki Baile (administrator).
Baile served as an athletic administrator at at Old Dominion University from 1975 to 2004. She started her career as the school's field hockey from 1975 1979.She became the assistant athletic director in 1979, and later the senior associate athleticdirector. Baile was instrumental in the growth of the athletic program which included 27 of the schools current 28 team national championships won. She served on the NCAA Council from 1983-87, was the chair of the NCAA Field Hockey Committee. She was tournament director for the 1983 Final Four Women's basketball tournament, as well as director for two NCAA field hockey National Tournaments at ODU. Baile is a member of five other Sports Hall of Fame, and she was a member of the U.S National field hockey team and an accomplished athlete at West Chester State University where she played in the first AIAW basketball championship.
Only the second Monarch to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft,Cal Bowdler was the 17th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1999 draft. Heearned first team All-CAA honors as a senior leading ODU to a 25-8 record and secondplace in the CAA and to the second round of the NIT. Bowdler hauled in a career high20 rebounds in the first round NIT win over Seton Hall in 1999. A two-time CAA All-Defensive selection, Bowdler led the CAA in both rebounding and blocked shots in 1998 and 1999. He had 18 double-doubles in 1999 and ranked 13th nationally in blocked shots that year at 2.8. Bowdler completed is career with 1,017 career points and ranks 13thall-time at ODU with 783 career rebounds and fourth in blocked shots with 219.He graduated in 1999 with a degree in sports medicine.
Tony Gsell , the 1999 ODU Alumni Association Male Athlete of the Year is stillODU's all-time homerun leader with 37. He also led ODU with four career grand slam home runs. A three-time All-CAA selection and two time ABCA All-Regional pick, Gsell led the Monarchs with 17 homeruns and a .375 batting average and second on theteam with 61 RBI's in 1999. He finished his career at ODU as the fifth all-time leader in career runs scored (191), fifth all-time in hits (261), seventh in runs batted in (174), fourth in doubles (55) and second in total bases (447). Gsell helped lead the Monarchs to the 1996 NCAA tournament. Gsell started 120 straight games at shortstop and second base before suffering a hand injury. He graduated with a degree in sports management.
Jill Reeve earned third team All-American field hockey honors in 1992. Shehad 52 assists that year and finished her career as the NCAA's all-time assist leader with 138. She tied the school mark with six assists in a game three times in 1992. Amember of the U.S. Olympic team and national teams, Reeve competed in the 1996Summer Games in Atlanta. She was also honored as the United States Field Hockey Association's Female Athlete of the Year in 1999 and served as the teams lone captainin 1997 and 1998. She also earned NCAA All-Tournament honors in 1991, andhelped the Lady Monarchs win three straight NCAA titles from 1990-92. Reeve isthe head field hockey coach at the University of Miami of Ohio. She graduated with adegree in health and physical education.
Tony Morris became the first Monarch to hit single season double-figure homeruns as he set the single season home run record at ODU in 1982 with12. He earned first team ABCA All region honors in 1982 and first team All-ECACconference honors the same season. Morris owned the schools longest hitting streak record at 23 games for 18 years. He led the team in RBI's with 49 in 1981 and 53 in 1982. Morris also led the team in hitting with a .382 batting average in 1981. He completed his career with 22 career home runs. As a sophomore in 1980, Morris slammed two homeruns against future Cy Young award pitcher Frank Viola of then nationally ranked St. John's. He helped lead ODU to the 1981 ECAC South Finals and the1982 NCAA regionals, the schools first NCAADivision I tournament appearance. Morris still owns the school mark of six walks received in a game, against VMI in 1981.Tony graduated from ODU in 1982 with a degree in education.
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. at the Ted Constant ConvocationCenter Arena floor. Tickets are $30.00 and can be purchased at the Old Dominion University athletic ticket office, by calling 683-5484.