Sept. 3, 2012
NORFOLK, VA-- The Hampton Roads Hall of Fame announced that ODU basketball great Dave Twardzik (ODU' 72) will be one of its six inductees on Oct. 30 at the Scope Arena. He will join Bobby Dandridge, John Brophy, Nancy Fowlkes and athletic directors C.J. Woollum and Marty Miller.
The program will begin at 6 p.m. with a social, then dinner at 7 p.m. Ticketsare $60 each. For more information, please call 622-2222 (ext. 101).
Twardzik whose number 14 was retired in 1972, passed out 880 assists which is second all time at ODU and scored 1,660 points while triggering the Monarchs fast break attack. He also established career records by making 548 free throws out of 686 attempted.
One season record he set were 332 assists in 1970-71, a free throw percentage record of 84.5 and 222 free throws made. Standout single-game performances included 20 assists against Mount St. Mary's College, and making 24 of 26 free throws in a 102-97 win over cross-town rival Norfolk State.
David J. Twardzik became Old Dominion University's initial first team All-American basketball player after leading the Monarchs to the runner-up honors in the 1971 NCAA Division II national championships. He helped lead the Monarchs to 56 victories in three years before going on to spark the Portland Trailblazers to the 1976-77 National Basketball Association championship. In between, the 6-1 guard proved himself in professional basketball with the American basketball Association's Virginia Squires.
His outstanding passing, aggressive floor play and pressure shooting earned him berths on ASSOCIATED PRESS, UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL, BASKETBALL NEWS and National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America teams after the 1971-72 season.
Twardzik first made the All-America ranks on the NABC third team in 1970-71 season. Other honors included being picked as All-Virginia for three years and being named as captain of that squad as a senior.
Twardzik played four seasons with the ABA's Virginia Squires and four more with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, who won the 1977 NBA title. He has spent 25 years working in the NBA as an assistant coach and executive. He is currently with theOrlando Magic.
"Dave's accomplishments and individual statistics are very obvious but his greatest assets were his leadership and unselfish team play," said Sonny Allen, his ODU coach. "He brought out the best in his teammates."
Twardzik, who was recruited by Old Dominion after leading his Middletown Pa., team to a 29-1 record and the Class B state championship, said the 1971 NCAA finish was his most satisfying memory in Old Dominion blue and white. "That and the NBA championship stand out."
Twardzik has also been inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Dandridge averaged 22.5 points and 12.9 rebounds from 1965-69 at Norfolk State. He later won two NBA titles, averaging 18.5 points in regular-season games and 20 points in playoff contests.
Brophy coached the Hampton Roads Admirals to three East Coast Hockey League titles and is 1 of 2 North American coaches with more than 1,000 professional victories.
Fowlkes won 13 state field hockey championships at Cox High, including seven in a row. Her career record was 390-55-20.
Miller has spent more than 40 years at NSU in various roles. As a baseball player, he batted .400 twice, led the nation in doubles in 1968 and was named All-American. He won 718 games and 17 CIAA titles as the baseball coach and has been the athletic director since 2004.
Woollum served 25 years as athletic director at Christopher Newport, and as Captains basketball coach, he won 502 games and coached nine All-Americans.