MEAC Announces 2016 Hall of Fame Class

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NORFOLK, Virginia  –  The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced today the five members of its 2016 Hall of Fame Class. The inductees will be enshrined during an awards brunch on Thursday, March 10, beginning with a welcoming gathering at 9:30 a.m., at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia and will also be recognized before the 6 p.m. men’s basketball game during the 2016 MEAC Basketball Tournament on March 10 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Virginia.

“I’d like to congratulate the 2016 Hall of Fame class for all their accomplishments both athletically and professionally,” said Dennis E. Thomas, MEAC Commissioner. “The honorees have made significant contributions to their communities, institutions, and this conference.”

The MEAC Hall of Fame highlights former student-athletes, coaches, university and conference administrators as well as special contributors, who have enriched the legacy of the conference since its inception in 1970. Enshrinees were selected by a 13-person committee made up of administrators and representatives from member institutions.

The inaugural Hall of Fame class was inducted on May 29, 1981, during a 10-year anniversary banquet in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since its establishment, the MEAC Hall of Fame has enshrined 133 people, including the class of 2016.

Tickets for the induction brunch are $35 per seat or $300 per table (10 persons). Tickets can be purchased by calling the MEAC office at 757-951-2055.

The 2016 MEAC Hall of Fame Inductees are:

Inducted as Student-Athletes:

LaShondra Dixon-Gordon, Hampton – Dixon-Gordon was a four-year women’s basketball standout at Hampton where she helped lead the Lady Pirates to NCAA Division I Tournament first-round appearances in 2000 and 2003. An MEAC All-Tournament Team performer in each of her four years, Dixon-Gordon graduated as the school’s second-leading all-time scorer with 1,967 points. She led the conference in scoring each of her last two years and was recognized as a two-time Black College Sports Information Directors of America (BCSIDA) All-American.

As a senior, Dixon-Gordon led the MEAC in scoring with 18.2 points per game and was third in 3-point percentage (.326) and 3-pointers per game (1.8). She finished second in school history in made free-throws (453) and attempts (600). Also, she ranks sixth in the Hampton record books in career assists (363) and is one of only four Hampton women’s basketball players to have her jersey retired. After a successful collegiate career, Dixon-Gordon served as an assistant coach at Hampton from 2004-2009. Currently, she is in her seventh year as an assistant coach at Norfolk State, where she holds responsibilities of guard development and recruiting coordinator for the women’s basketball team.

Bobby Moore, South Carolina State  – Moore was a four-year defensive lineman for the Bulldogs. He was a two-time All-MEAC first-team performer (1976, 1978), including MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honor (1978) and All-American from the Mutual Black Network (1978). Moore led the Bulldogs in tackles during the 1976 and 1978 seasons. During his career, the Bulldog teams compiled a 35-6-3 overall mark and a 21-2-1 MEAC record during a four-year period (1985-87), while winning four MEAC Championships. Moore played one season in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders (1979).

Following his athletic career, Moore served 17 years as a teacher and coach in the Aiken, S.C. and Burke County, Ga. public school systems. Currently, he is an Assistant Principal at Blakeney Elementary School in Waynesboro, Ga. Also, he is involved in many community and civic programs that mentor at-risk students.

David Oliver, Howard – Oliver won four consecutive MEAC outdoor track and field titles in the 110m hurdles from 2001-2004 and the 2003 MEAC indoor champion in the 55m hurdles. He was Howard’s first two-time Division I All-American selection. Oliver received his first All-American honor with a fourth-place finish at the 2003 NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship, running a personal record of 13.60 seconds. The following year, he received a second All-American honor, finishing fifth, at the NCAA Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championship with a University record in 7.69 seconds in the 60m hurdles. Also, he registered an outdoor record with a time of 13.55 seconds in the 110m hurdles at the Georgia Tech Invitational. In addition to track and field, Oliver was a member of the Howard football team (2004).

After leaving Howard, Oliver became a four-time United States Track and Field (USATF) Outdoor champion in the 110m hurdles (2008, 2010, 2011, 2015). He was selected the 2010 Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year and won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the 110m hurdles. He captured gold in four meets (2008 IAAF World Athletics Final, 2010 Diamond League, 2013 Diamond League and 2013 World Championships). Oliver partners each year with youth track and field organizations to sponsor track and field events for youth in both Orlando, Fla. and Washington, D.C.

Inducted as Coach:

Joe Taylor, Hampton – Taylor amassed a 233-96-4 (.700) record in 29 seasons at Hampton, Florida A&M and Virginia Union, ranking him third all-time in wins among HBCU football coaches, behind John Merritt (Tennessee State) and Eddie Robinson (Grambling State). At Hampton, Taylor became the all-time winningest coach in school history, boasting a 136-48-1 (.735) record. He accounted for four Black College National Championships (1994, 1997, 2004, 2005) and won five MEAC titles with postseason appearances in the NCAA FCS playoffs (1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006). Before Hampton’s transition to Division I, he coached the Pirates to two NCAA Division II playoff appearances (1992, 1993), including their first playoff win over Albany State (33-7).

Taylor coached 12 future NFL players, including current players Kendall Langford, Justin Durant, Kevin Elliott and Brian Tyms. He won a share of the 2010 MEAC title at Florida A&M, guiding the Rattlers to a 37-29 mark in four seasons. At Virginia Union, Taylor won one CIAA Championship in 1986 and guided the Panthers to three NCAA Division II appearances, while compiling a 60-19-3 mark. He has been inducted into three collegiate hall of fames: Western Illinois, Virginia Union and the CIAA. Taylor currently serves as the Director of Athletics at Virginia Union University.

Inducted as Administrator:

Lynn Thompson, Bethune-Cookman – Thompson began his career 25 years ago when he became one of the youngest NCAA Division I athletic directors in the nation at Bethune-Cookman. Under Thompson’s leadership, the Wildcats have won 64 championships, including 44 MEAC crowns. He was the first African-American to chair the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee. Thompson assembled the Bethune-Cookman Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and launched the Wildcats athletic graduate assistant program. He was instrumental in launching a 30-minute coaches television show highlighting Bethune-Cookman football and basketball programs (men’s and women’s) where he produces and hosts on Fox Sports Florida and Bright House Networks.

Because of his dedication to athletics and the university, Thompson was elevated to the position of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics in July 2015 and continues to oversee the 17-sport Division I program. Away from the athletic fields, Thompson is heavily involved in the B-CU Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and for over ten years, he has served as a staff pastor at Calvary Christian Church in Ormond Beach, Florida and is leader of the men’s ministry.

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS