Sept. 21, 2008
Former Old Dominion University basketball standout and captain of the 1975NCAA Division II National Championship team,Oliver Purnell (ODU'75) had his jersey number 22 retired last Friday, Sept. 19 in a ceremony held at Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin, MD. Purnell, a 1971 graduate, was presented a framed number 22 jersey during halftime of the school's football game at Seahawk Stadium.
Purnell led Decatur's 1970 team to a state championship in boys' basketball and went on to an outstanding collegiate career with the Old Dominion Monarchs.Purnell totaled 1,090 points and 476 assists while leading the Monarchs to a Division II national championship in 1975, and earning All-American honors.
He has been a Division I head coach for 20 seasons, including the last five at Clemson. During his time with the Tiger program, he has accumulated an overall record of 94-68. Clemson has posted a school-record 49 wins over the past two seasons under Purnell's watch. Last season, Purnell's team went 24-10 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. He also coached the Tigers to the championship game of the ACC Tournament, a feat previously accomplished only once by Clemson in the 55-year history of the conference. Purnell was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. Purnell was the Monarchs head coach from 1991-94 taking ODU to an NCAA tournament and two NIT berths as well as the 1991-92 CAA championship.