NORFOLK – Old Dominion University Athletics announced its 2026 ODU Sports Hall of Fame Class on Monday. This year’s class includes Maggie Simmermacher (Women’s Golf), Tim Hopkinson (Men’s Soccer), Sarah Breen (Field Hockey), Taylor Heinicke (Football), and Daniel Hudson (Baseball).
A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Simmermacher enjoyed one of the most decorated careers in Old Dominion women’s golf history from 2014-18. She earned multiple all-conference honors and became the first golfer in program history to earn a conference player of the award when she was voted Conference USA Player of the Year as a senior. She posted numerous Top-10 finishes, helped lead the Monarchs to their first-ever conference title in 2016-17, and earned three VaSID All-State selections. Since graduating in 2018 with a degree in international business and a minor in economics, she has competed professionally on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour, represented Argentina at the Tokyo Olympics, and secured her LPGA Tour card for 2023 after a strong performance at the 2022 LPGA Q-Series.
A forward from Nottingham, England, Hopkinson played at ODU from 2010-13. After making four starts in 19 appearances as a freshman, he broke through in his next two seasons with multiple all-conference and regional honors. With 28 goals scored and eight assists as a sophomore, he earned Second Team All-CAA, CAA All-Tournament Team, and Second Team All-South Atlantic Region honors in 2011. As a junior, he earned spots on the All-CAA First Team and NSCAA All-Region Second Team after pacing the Monarchs with 10 goals and 25 points. Hopkinson then capped off his collegiate career in 2012 by being named a Second Team All-American, a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, and the VaSID State Player of the year. He finished his time at ODU ranked third in program history with 85 points, fourth with 33 goals, and seventh in with 19 assists before moving on to play professionally for Ilkeston Town F.C.
A midfielder from Melbourne, Australia, Breen played all four years at Old Dominion from 2012-15, earning multiple All-Conference and postseason honors. She was named an NFHCA Division I Third Team All-American as a freshman and went on to collect several NFHCA All-Region and All-CAA accolades throughout her career, including First Team All-CAA honors in 2015. Breen finished her freshman season with 12 goals and eight assists, recorded a team-best 17 points in 2013, and totaled 10 goals and two assists in 2014 while helping lead ODU’s attack. As a senior, she led the Monarchs with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists. Over 88 career matches, Breen tallied 44 goals and 16 assists for 104 points
From 2011 to 2014, Heinicke helped lead ODU Football’s transition from FCS to FBS while setting 33 program records, to include 132 career touchdowns and 14,959 passing yards. The quarterback from Atlanta, Georgia threw 25 touchdowns against just one interception to lead the Monarchs to a 10-3 record as a freshman in 2011. He then won the prestigious Walter Payton Award and earned First Team All-American honors after leading the nation in nearly every major passing category in 2012. That season, he threw for 5,076 yards –breaking Steve McNair’s 18-year-old record – and set a Division I single-game record with 730 passing yards in a thrilling 64-61 victory over New Hampshire. By 2013, Heinicke continued his record-breaking trajectory by becoming only the 18th quarterback in Division I history to eclipse both 10,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a career.
A Virginia Beach, Virginia native, Hudson played three seasons at ODU from 2006-08, finishing as the program's third all-time strikeout leader with 295 and compiling a 20-14 record as a Monarch. His collegiate success began in 2006 when he earned Freshman All-American and CAA All-Rookie Team honors after posting a 7-3 record with a 3.28 ERA. He followed that with even more accolades as a sophomore in 2007, securing spots on the All-CAA First Team, the CAA All-Tournament Team, and the VaSID All-State Second Team by going 8-5 with a 3.46 ERA, finishing second in the conference in both innings pitched and strikeouts, and throwing two complete games. In 2008, he earned Second Team All-CAA honors as a junior after leading the league with 107 strikeouts over 92 innings. The Chicago White Sox selected Hudson in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB Draft, kicking off a 16-season Major League career (2009–2024) that saw him win a Silver Slugger Award with the Diamondbacks in 2011 as well as two World Series titles – memorably closing out Game Seven of the World Series for the Washington Nationals in 2019 and capping off his career with another championship run with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.
The 2026 ODU Sports Hall of Fame Class will be inducted during the Jeff & Billye Chernitzer Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner, which is scheduled for Friday, September 25 in Chartway Arena. The full schedule of events can be found below.
The Jeff & Billye Chernitzer Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony
Schedule of Events
6:00pm: Cocktail Reception
Hall Of Fame Lobby
Complimentary Cocktail Hour
7:00pm: Dinner and Induction Ceremony
Chartway Arena
Seated Dinner & Cash Bar
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Presenting Sponsor - $10,000.00 - SOLD OUT
- Recognition as the Presenting Sponsor on all event marketing materials
- Recognition as the Presenting Sponsor at the Cocktail Reception and Induction Ceremony Dinner
- Special Videoboard Recognition
- Preferred Reserved Table for 8
All-American Reception Sponsor - $5,000.00
- Sponsor recognition on all event marketing materials
- Sponsor recognition at the Cocktail Reception and Induction Ceremony Dinner
- Special Videoboard Recognition
- Preferred Reserved Table for 8
All-Conference Sponsor - $2,500.00
- Sponsor recognition on all event marketing materials
- Sponsor recognition at the Cocktail Reception and Induction Ceremony Dinner
- Special Videoboard Recognition
- Preferred Reserved Table for 8
MVP Table Sponsor - $1,000.00
- Sponsor recognition on all event marketing materials
- Reserved Table for 8
Tickets are available for $75 per person. Those wishing to attend or become a sponsor can register online here. For questions, please contact the ODAF at 757-683-6963.