Sports Briefs

ODU Extends Taylor’s Contract Through 2010-11
Head men’s basketball coach Blaine Taylor has accepted an offer to extend his contract two more years through the 2010-11 season. The previous extension was through 2008-09.
“The program is enjoying tremendous growth under Blaine’s leadership, and I am particularly pleased with the type of student-athlete he recruits and the quality of his ethics,” said athletic director Jim Jarrett, who made the announcement.

Taylor recently completed his fifth season at ODU, leading the Monarchs to a 24-10 record and the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament. ODU compiled a 52-16 record the past two seasons and, overall, Taylor has a 93-58 mark at the university.

In 2005, he was the Coach of the Year in the CAA and in Virginia as Old Dominion won a school-record 28 games, captured the league crown and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

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Fans Select All-Time Men’s And Women’s Basketball Teams
In celebration of the university’s 75th anniversary, basketball fans recently voted on the athletic department Web site for ODU’s all-time men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Mark West ’83 and Kenny Gattison ’86 headlined the 15-member men’s squad, while Anne Donovan ’83, Ticha Penicheiro ’98 and Nancy Lieberman ’80 were the top vote-getters among the women.

West appeared on 65 of the 104 ballots, while Gattison garnered 61 votes. Rounding out the first team are: Odell Hodge ’97, Alex Loughton ’06, Petey Sessoms ’95, Dave Twardzik ’72, Ronnie McAdoo ’83, Leo Anthony ’61, Chris Gatling ’91, Oliver Purnell ’75, Frank Smith ’88, Wilson Washington ’77, Joel Copeland ’74, Ronnie Valentine ’80 and Joey Caruthers ’77.

On the women’s side, Donovan appeared on 77 of the 88 ballots cast, while Penicheiro was on 74 and Lieberman on 70 of the ballots. Rounding out the first team are: Inge Nissen ’80, Medina Dixon ’85, Tracy Claxton ’85, Clarisse Machanguana ’97, Mery Andrade ’99, Celeste Hill ’94, Kelly Lyons ’90, Natalie Diaz ’00, Lucienne Berthieu ’02, Nyree Roberts ’98, Lisa Blais ’85 and Adrienne Goodson ’88.

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Baseball Team Finishes Regular Season 39-17, But Goes 0-2 At CAA Tourney
After winning 18 straight games early in the season and moving up to No. 15 in the Baseball America poll, the Monarchs were eliminated from the Colonial Athletic Association tournament in late May after dropping their first two games to UNC Wilmington and Georgia State.

The losses dropped the Monarchs’ record to 39-17.

ODU’s 18-game win streak, which ended April 7, tied the program’s longest single-season Division I mark, set by the 1985 Monarch squad. The longest overall single-season ODU record record is 21, set by the 1964 Monarchs who won the NCAA Division II East Regionals.

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Oliver Purnell Named President Of NABC
Former ODU basketball player and coach Oliver Purnell ’75 was named president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches during the men’s NCAA Final Four. He will serve in this capacity for 2006-07.

Purnell recently completed his third season as head coach at Clemson, where he has guided the program to postseason play the past two seasons. He has coached at four different schools over 18 seasons.

He also served as an assistant coach with the 2004 U.S. Olympic team and was head coach of the undefeated, gold medal U.S. team during the 1999 World University Games.

Purnell captained the 1975 ODU squad that captured the NCAA Division II national championship. As head coach, he led the Monarchs to the 1992 CAA title and NIT trips in 1993 and 1994.