Posted: Mar 22, 2013
One of the storied programs in the history of men's collegiate basketball, Roanoke ranks as the 20th program to win 1,300 games and ranks as one of the all-time winningest program in NCAA Division III history. The program's 21 post-season appearances and 22 conference titles are unprecedented. Roanoke had two national semi-finalist finishes in 1972 and 1983 and an NIT Final Four appearance in 1939. The Maroons claimed the NCAA College Division national title in 1972. The program boasts 14 consensus All-Americans, nearly 100 all-conference selections and 34 1,000-point scorers.
The 100 Years of Roanoke College Basketball reception will highlight a number of planned events during Alumni Weekend (April 12-13). The weekend will open on Friday, with the Roanoke College Alumni Golf Tournament. Taking place at the Roanoke Country club, the golf outing will begin at 11:00 AM with lunch, followed by a shotgun start at Noon. The 100 Years of Basketball Celebration will take place in the Wortman Ballroom on Friday evening from 8:00-10:00 PM. During the event, the recipients of the All-Decade and All-Century team awards will be recognized. On Saturday morning, the women's and men's basketball teams will hold their alumni games in the Bast Center at 10:30 and 11:30, respectively. Also on tap for the weekend, the Maroon Club will host a reception from 2:00-4:00 PM at Sutton Terrace, for all Maroon Club members to attend. For more information on the Alumni Weekend events, click here. For more information on the Maroon Club, click here.
The Men's and Women's All-Decade and All-Century teams have been announced over the past week. Below are the dates of the previous releases and links to the respecitve lists.
Thursday, March 14th: Men's Pre-Modern Era - 1930s
Friday, March 15th: Men's 1940s - 1950's - 1960's
Monday, March 18th: Men's and Women's 1970's
Tuesday, March 19th: Men's and Women's 1980's
Wednesday, March 20th: Men's and Women's 1990's
Thursday, March 21st: Men's and Women's 2000's
Friday, March 22nd: Men's All-Century Team
Friday, March 15th: Men's 1940s - 1950's - 1960's
Monday, March 18th: Men's and Women's 1970's
Tuesday, March 19th: Men's and Women's 1980's
Wednesday, March 20th: Men's and Women's 1990's
Thursday, March 21st: Men's and Women's 2000's
Friday, March 22nd: Men's All-Century Team
Robbie Pridgen '03 - A two-time All-South Region selection, Pridgen was also a two-time VaSID All-State selection at Roanoke College. The three-time All-ODAC honoree was recognized widely around the country as a long-range scoring threat. A 2003 All-ODAC Tournament Team selection, Pridgen, who transferred from East Tennessee St., set a new career-record with 228 career three-pointers, single-season record 86% free-throw percentage, and his nine three-pointers made in one game is school record. Pridgen averaged 21 points per game senior season, which is the first Maroon to do so in 20 years.
Curtis Peery '09 - A Salem High School product, Peery was a four-year letter-winner and three-year starter for the Maroons. A three-time All-OAC selection, Peery saw his teams' record improve in each of his four seasons at Roanoke. His senior year, the Salem native was named All-State, All-ODAC and All-South Region, leading the Maroons in scoring and rebounding. He was named MVP of the CNU Invitational and named to four all-tournament teams en route to a 19-7 record in 2008-09. He capped his career ranked 12th in both scoring and rebounding and 11th in free-throws made. He is currently in his fourth season at University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, where he earned his master's degree. He coaches under the great Frankie Allen, class of 1971, who still owns both the Virginia State scoring and rebounding records. Peery finished his career with 1,349 career points and 649 total rebounds. He averaged 18.4 points and 6.5 rebounds during his senior season.
Brad Dunleavy '01 - A First-Team All-South Region, NABC All-District, VaSID All-State Second-Team and All-ODAC Tournament team selection as a senior, Dunleavy was also a two-time All-ODAC team player. The William Fleming product finished his career with over 1,000 points, 238 assists, and ranked 10th all-time with 133 steals. He averaged 13.6 points during senior year which helped the Maroons to back-to-back ODAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearances.
Jason Bishop '97 - Bishop completed his career with the Roanoke College men's basketball team ranked among the top-10 in scoring, assists, steals, and three pointers made. Following his senior season, Bishop was named a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III Second Team All-American. As a senior, Bishop was also named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's basketball Player of the Year and the Roanoke College Co-Male Athlete of the Year. A First-Team All-ODAC selection in 1997 and a Second Team All-ODAC pick in 1996, Bishop helped the men's basketball team to the NCAA Division III national tournament four consecutive seasons, including during the 1996 season when the team advanced to the Round of 16. Bishop completed his Roanoke playing career with 1,422 points, 239 steals, and 368 assists. He completed his playing career as the team's seventh all-time leading scorer.
Hilliary Scott '94 - One of just seven Maroon men's basketball players to have his number retired, Scott completed his illustrious playing career as the team's fifth all-time leading scorer. A two-time All-American selection, the Lynchburg, VA native scored 1,609 points in his time as a Maroon, averaging 15.2 points per game. Upon his graduation from the college, Scott was also the 10th all-time leading rebounder and also ranked fifth in career steals and eighth in career assists. Following his senior season, Scott was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Year and went on to earn First Team All-American honors. As a Maroon, Scott was named to All-Tournament teams 10 times and was the MVP of five different tournaments. After a three-year professional playing stint in Europe, Scott returned to Salem to be an assistant with the Maroons and subsequently made the jump to the Division I coaching ranks. In four years, Scott led the Maroons to a 74-32 overall record, one ODAC championship, and one berth in the NCAA postseason.
Bryant Lee '95 - Lee completed his Roanoke career with 1,229 points, which is currently 20th on the all-time list. He rates second in Roanoke history with 134 blocked shots, seventh in career field goal percentage (.552), and fifth in rebounds (736). He was a First-Team All-ODAC selection in both his junior and senior seasons. The team compiled an 80-28 overall record during the course of his four years and won the 1994 ODAC Championship. The team also made back-to-back NCAA appearances. He was named the 1995 Roanoke College Male Athlete of the Year.
Gerald Holmes '83 - During his illustrious four year career as a forward on the hardwood, he amassed 1,791 career points and led his team to a 107-12 record, including 50-5 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and a school record for victories in a season, 31. A two-time All-American, Holmes earned Second-Team honors in 1982 and First-Team honors in '83. Holmes led the Maroons to the Division III Final Four in 1983, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. His career single-game highs were 38 points and 20 rebounds. He ranks in the top five in career scoring and rebounding. He had 67 steals as a senior, the third best effort in that section of the Maroons' records book. His .595 career field goal percentage is tops in that category. A bull inside, Holmes was an unstoppable force around the basket. He was named the College Division National Player of the Year in 1982 and 1983. Maroon teams during Holmes' career racked up ODAC Player of the Year and RC Male Athlete of the Year in both 1982-83. His #33 jersey is retired and hangs in the Bast Center. He went on to a professional playing career in Europe.
Reggie Thomas '85 - Widely regarded as one of the top two guards to ever play in Salem, only one other Maroon has ever scored more career points than did Reggie Thomas during his career as a men's basketball player at Roanoke College. One of the nation's top players throughout his four-year career, Thomas completed his career as a Maroon in 1985 with 1,873 points, 186 steals, and 292 assists. He ranks third in all-time steals and sixth in all-time assists in Roanoke's record books. A native of Danville, VA, Thomas never averaged less than 13.4 points per game in a season, peaking at 18.4 points a game as a senior. He led the Maroons in scoring and assists in each of his final two seasons. One of seven players to have his jersey retired, Thomas was a First Team All-American in 1984 and 1985 and helped the Maroons to 105 wins during his career. He was a sophomore on the 1982-83 team that advanced to the NCAA Final Four, averaging 16.3 points. After being named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's Second Team All-Star squad as a freshman, Thomas followed with three consecutive appearances on the league's First Team All-Conference team.
Mike Baker '81 - Baker helped Roanoke to its first ODAC Championship and NCAA Division III Tournament bid in 1981. He was one of the "Four Horseman" at Roanoke who played in both the Div. II and Div. III National Tournaments. A 1981 ODAC Player of the Year and Virginia Small College Player of the Year, Bakse was selected to the South Atlantic All-Tournament, First-Team Regional All-American and Second-Team All-American. He played in all 108 games during his career compiling an 88-20 record and was instrumental in the resurgence of the basketball program at Roanoke, finishing his career with a record of 74-9 and two NCAA Tournament Appearances. He finished his career with 1,248 career points, then just the 12th player to reach the 1,000 point plateau.
Ken Belton '81 - A member of Roanoke College's version of the ‘Four Horsemen,' Belton is the ninth leading scorer in the history of the men's basketball team. A key factor in bringing the program back to national prominence, Belton is the best shooter in team history, having made 59.5 percent of his shots from the field. As a junior he made 62 percent of his attempts, while as a sophomore he nailed 61.5 percent of his tries from the field. Both numbers are the top two in school history. As a senior, Belton was awarded the J.S. ‘Buddy' Hackman Award, presented to the student-athlete that exhibits outstanding ‘desire, determination, dedication, and sportsmanship' in the game of basketball at Roanoke. In his only season eligible, Belton was named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's Second Team All-Star squad (Roanoke joined the ODAC in Belton's senior season of 1980-81). Prior to Belton's arrival in Salem, the Maroons had compiled a 10-43 record in the previous two seasons, but in his four years at Roanoke, Belton helped the Maroons rack up an 88-20 mark. Belton and his ‘Four Horsemen' teammates led Roanoke to two NCAA tournament appearances in their four-year careers. Belton joins Mike Baker as the two ‘Four Horsemen' in RC's Hall of Fame.
Ross Robinson '75 - A member of Roanoke College's men's basketball national championship team of 1972, Robinson is the 10th leading scorer in team history, having accumulated 1,339 career points. After his senior season, in which he scored 592 points (the ninth best single season total in team history), Robinson was named an All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Recruited to several Division I schools, Robinson became one of the best free throw shooters in the history of RC basketball, making 82.6 percent of his free throws in his career, including a school-record 89.8 percent as a senior. In his four years in Salem, Robinson helped the Maroons compile an 89-29 record. After the national championship season of 1971-72, Robinson was the key to Roanoke's appearance in the NCAA tournament in each of the next two seasons.
Jay Piccola '74 - Athletic career consisted of four years of basketball in which he performed to the greatest expectations over and above all others. One of the most fierce competitors to ever wear a Maroon uniform, he brought honor and fame to Roanoke College Basketball. Piccola unselfishly used his athletic skills for the accomplishments of the team's success - winning the 1972 College Division NCAA Championship. The Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament 1972, he was known as a tenacious defender and aggressive rebounder, frustrating future NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin out of the national semifinals in 1972. Piccola earned All-Conference Mason Dixon and All-Tournament in the conference tournament three times, including Player of the Year honors in 1974. He also earned All-State honors twice, including Player of the Year in 1974. A JV player as a freshman, Piccola was selected three times to the College All-American team, earning first-team honors in 1973 and '74. Participated in Coaches All-Star Game in 1974 as the only non division-I player. He was drafted in the eighth round (136th pick) in the ABA and NBA Draft by the New Orleans Jazz after graduation.
Hal Johnston '72 - Recognized as a superlative basketball player while at Roanoke College. Also lettered in tennis for the 1971 and '72 teams. He was renowned for his competitiveness, passing and long-range shooting. During his four years of basketball, Johnston was honored as: team captain, All-Mason Dixon First-Team (1972), All-Tournament team Mason Dixon Conference (1972), All-Tournament NCAA South Atlantic Regional, All-Tournament NCAA College Division, and Roanoke College's Outstanding Male Athlete, 1972. He helped lead the Maroons to the school's first National Championship during the 1971-72 season. In the final three games of the national tournament, he averaged 23 points per game en route to earning the NCAA Tournament's Most Valuable Player Award. Johnston became the first Roanoke College athlete ever to receive First-Team All-American honors. He finished his illustrious career with 1,322 points (14th All-Time) and is currently third all-time in career free-throw percentage (82.8%). A hometown favorite of Salem, Johnston became known as "Hal-lelujah" for his clutch play in big games. He career-high was 33 points in an upset win over nationally-ranked Mount St. Mary's as a sophomore.
Allen Jones '74 - Played only two seasons for the Maroons, but was immediately a fan favorite while in Salem. An honorable mention NCAA College Division All-America selection as a senior captain, he led the Maroons to a Mason-Dixon Conference Championship and NCAA Regional berth in 1974. Following his senior year, Jones was named All-South Region and Virginia College Division All-State teams. He averaged 14.9 points per game during career, and finished fifth all-time in free-throw percentage (82%). Jones averaged 18.3 points and 9.5 rebounds during his senior year. He went on to sign to play professional basketball in Europe.
Frank Allen '71 - An outstanding part of Roanoke's rise to the top in basketball, Allen became the first player in Roanoke College history to have his jersey retired. Allen holds 18 individual marks in the Maroon records book, including finishing with 2,780 career points and 1,758 rebounds, both records in the state of Virginia. He was the Outstanding Division II player in the state of Virginia three years in a row. He earned All-Mason Dixon, MVP Mason Dixon, All-American and many other honors during his stay in Salem. He has recently earned induction into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, becoming only the second player at Roanoke College to garner this accolade.
Everett Hurst '73 - On the track team for four years, competing in the discus, shot put, javelin, and high jump in addition to being a center on the basketball team from 1969-73. Captain of the 1972-73 basketball squad, he received the J.S. Hackman Award in 1973. Was also selected the Outstanding College Athlete of America for 1973. Among the starting five when Roanoke won over 90 games including three Mason-Dixon Conference Championships, two conference tournament titles, two NCAA Regional Championships, and the 1972 NCAA National Championship. Hurst earned NCAA All-South Region and Virginia College Division All-State honors following senior year in 1973. He finished career with 933 points and 749 rebounds (5th all-time).
John Mongero '67 - Mongero's athletic career at Roanoke was dedicated to basketball from 1963-67. During the 1964-65 season, he was selected to All-Star teams of the Little Eight Conference and the Mason Dixon Tournament. Mongero was selected Second-Team All-State, First-Team All-Mason-Dixon Conference and honorable mention All-American honors as a senior. He was selected Second-Team All-Mason-Dixon Conference as a junior, leading the Maroons in free throw percentage (85.7%). During the 1966-67 season, Mongero was named team captain, named Most Valuable Player in the Florida Citrus International and Mason-Dixon Conference Tournament. He finished his career with 1,305 points, which was second all-time at time of graduation in 1967. He set a new school-record with a career free-throw percentage of .834 which stood for over 35 years.
Morris Cregger '64 - Cregger was an outstanding student-athlete during his years in Salem. He was President of Monogram Club in 1963 and 1964 while earning varsity letters in four sports: basketball, track, soccer and tennis. In 1964 he was selected captain of the Virginia All-State team and was named All-Mason Dixon Conference all four years on the hardwood. Cregger led his basketball team in scoring with an average 17.6 points per game for his career, which currently ranks him second all-time in that category. He led the State of Virginia in scoring as a senior in 1963-64, averaging 23.3 points per game.
Jim Boon '68 - Boon was a three-year starter and 1,000-point scorer for the Maroons. He led the team in scoring (22.3 ppg) and Roanoke College to its first NCAA Tournament appearance (NCAA College Division) as a senior captain of Charlie Moir's first team, earning All-Mason-Dixon Tournament honors. Boon left Roanoke as the all-time leading scorer with 1,483 career points before Frankie Allen, who is Virginia's all-time scoring leader, broke his mark in 1971. He is currently seventh on that list and is the fourth highest scoring average in program-history (16.7 ppg). As a senior, he owned the single-season mark in field goals made (272) and earned First-Team All-Mason-Dixon Conference honors.
Walt Dierks '54 - Dierks was one of the finest performers ever to put on a Roanoke College basketball uniform. He left the school as the programs' all-time leading scorer and the school's first 1,000-point scorer. From 1950-54, he led the Maroons to some of their greatest years while earning All-American mention for himself. In 1953 and '54, Dierks was captain and both years the Maroons captured the Mason Dixon Conference Championship, led the way with his great scoring ability, which led to back-to-back All-Mason Dixon Conference accolades. In 1953, Dierks was selected an honorable mention All-American, the first in the programs' history, averaging 16.3 points per game. He broke Proietti's single-game scoring record with 32 points vs. Virginia and 33 against Lynchburg in 1953.
Dave Foltz '56 - On the basketball court, Foltz played center and forward and was team captain as a senior. He was selected First-Team All-Mason Dixon Conference; First-Team All-Little Eight and received honorable mention honors on the Virginia All-State Team. He finished his illustrious basketball career with 1,395 points, which was a school-record that stood for 12 years. He was named Mason-Dixon Conference All-Tournament team in 1955. Foltz helped lead the Maroons to four-straight Little Eight Championships along with the 1953 and ‘54 Mason-Dixon Championships. He held the single-game (44 points vs. Lynchburg) and single-season (459 in 1952-53) scoring records.
William Toomy '58 - A member of the Monogram Club, Toomy excelled in basketball at Roanoke, and was co-captain in 1957 and 58. Toomy also received the Slater Award as the Outstanding Athlete of the Year in 1958. In 1956-57, he was named captain of the All-Little Eight team, the first sophomore to receive this honor. He was also selected to the All-Mason Dixon Conference and Virginia All-State teams in 1957 and '58, and recognized on the NCAA Small College All-America basketball team in 1956 and '57. He averaged 16 points per game in each of his final two seasons.
Ed Ondrasik '47 - An outstanding athlete at Roanoke, Ondrasik was nicknamed "The Big Scoop" for controlling the backboards on the basketball varsity team. Rated one of the top centers in the state of Virginia, he was selected to the 1947 second-team Virginia All-State team. Captained the team his senior year even though Ondrasik played only half the season due to early graduation. Ondrasik was ranked among the state's leading scorers when he finished his career early. He was named All-Little Eight Conference in 1943 before leaving school for World War II. He capped his career as a three-time Virginia All-State selection.
Robert Lieb '39 - One of Roanoke College basketball's "Immortals," Lieb distinguished himself at the guard position of the "Five Smart Boys." They went 40-5 in a two-year span which gained the program national attention as they played in the National Invitational Tournament, which was bigger than the NCAA Tournament at that time. President of Monogram Club in 1938, Lieb was named First-team All-State from 1937-39 and selected to the All-American basketball team at National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament in 1938.
Paul Rice '39 - Through four years of varsity basketball, he excelled at forward for the legendary "Five Smart Boys." They went 40-5 in a two-year span which gained the program national attention as they played in the National Invitational Tournament, which was bigger than the NCAA Tournament at that time. He was named to the Virginia All-State team in 1938 and 1939. He poured in 49 points in the NAIA Tournament in 1938, which was the second-highest scoring total in tournament-history at that time. He was among the top-10 leading scorers in Virginia in his last two seasons. He set the single-game scoring record with 30 points against Randolph-Macon on senior night in 1939, which stood for 12 years. He is the first student-athlete at Roanoke College inducted in the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
