By: Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. - Nikki McCray-Penson has been taking her message on the road in an effort to win back fans who have stopped coming to Old Dominion women's basketball games.
The ODU coach wants people to know that the Monarchs are on the way back after years of mediocrity. Her message is short but compelling: We've got a good team that works hard and plays an entertaining brand of basketball, and we're going to get better, much better, in the future.
I followed her one evening recently when she spoke at a PTA training session at Norfolk's Booker T. Washington High School. She enthralled the 100 or so parents and students there, and by the end of a 30-minute speech and a Q&A, she was accorded a standing ovation.
Young women walked over to take selfies with her. No one walked away without a word of encouragement and a hug.
Clearly, she made a few fans that evening.
McCray is a former Olympian, WNBA star, Tennessee All-American and women's basketball hall of famer who not only overcame breast cancer, but also cared for her mother when the disease claimed her life.
"She's such a role model," said Cherise Newsom, a former Virginian-Pilot colleague of mine who put together the meeting.
"That's why we wanted her to speak."
She is a role model and that's why she can bridge the gap between so many former ODU fans and the program they once loved.
Some voted with their feet when Wendy Larry left as head coach nearly a decade ago and attendance slowly declined in most years thereafter. It's headed back up a bit now, but McCray wants more.
She's trying to attract old fans back by stressing the current programs connection with its stories past, when ODU won three national championships, a string of 17 consecutive conference titles and star players such as Nancy Lieberman, Inge Nissen and, of course, Anne Donovan, were so dominant at the old ODU field house.
Donovan was a three-time former All-American who passed away more than a year ago. To pay tribute to her, McCray and her staff organized the Anne Donovan Classic, which begins Thursday with three nights of consecutive round-robin games at Chartway Arena.
ODU opens the event Thursday at 5 p.m. against Richmond. Hampton and Mount St. Mary's are also competing.
McCray hopes to make it an annual event, and has the support of the Donovan family.
She also added a fall banquet, similar to the men's basketball banquet, to try and bring the team closer to fans, and brought Larry and former Monarch great Ticha Penicheiro.
Larry spoke and received an award named for Donovan. Penicheiro, the Portuguese native who is a member of the women's basketball hall of fame, also spoke.
"We can't move forward with our program if we don't understand where we've come from," McCray said. "This program was successful long before I got here, long before our players and our staff.
"It was successful because there was a sisterhood, a familiarity, the legends that have come through here, players and coaches.
"I have a great understanding of that because that's what was instilled in me at Tennessee. There's pride to win in that uniform. Players paved the way for us to wear that uniform. When I wear it, I represent them.
"It's important that our kids understand that."
Ticha certainly got that message across. After a 15-year career in the WNBA, she is now a sports agent. Six years ago she became an American citizen.
"It's been so many years, but Old Dominion is still in my heart," he said. "It feels amazing to be back. Coming here was the best decision of my life, to leave my country and leave my family. It was hard but I learned so much."
McCray calls reaching out to Larry the right thing to do.
"I've known Wendy for decades," she said. "She and (the late former Tennessee coach) Pat Summitt were tremendous friends. Wendy and I have been competitors but we remained friends and I have so much respect for her."
In recent years Larry has cared for her Mom at her Virginia Beach home. McCray was also a caretaker for her Mom in the summer of 2018, when she was sick in South Carolina.
"I know how exhausting that is," McCray said. "It weighs on you because you're constantly thinking about making sure that they are comfortable.
"You have to admire Wendy so much for her dedication to her family."
Starting a tournament in Donovan's name was a no brainer to McCray, who played for Donovan on the 1998 Olympic team.
"Anne was my coach and she did so much for this program," she said. "When she passed, I thought how can we honor someone that meant so much to women's basketball, but who meant so much here? She was the national high school player of the year and she chose Old Dominion. That says a lot.
"My goal is to get a lot of the top teams to come here and play in this event because they have so much respect for her and for her program."
Larry and Penicheiro both passed on words of encouragement to the ODU players.
"There's a lot of pride in putting that jersey on," Penicheiro said. "I'm so glad to see the program being resurrected. You guys very play hard.
"Go out to people you've never met and ask them to come to a game. ODU is a very special place. Embrace it."
As has their coach.
Contact Minium: hminium@odu.edu
Minium: ODU Women’s Basketball Team is Honoring Anne Donovan, and Trying to Win Back Fans
