Class of 2005
L-R: Tina Barrett, Bob Burger, Julie Dayton, Jerome Kersey, Barbara Smith, Michael Tucker
November 27, 2005
Longwood University inducted its inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame Class Sunday night, November 27, in the Lee Grand Dining Room of the Dorrill Dining Hall on-campus in Farmville. The inaugural class includes Jerome Kersey ‘84, a two-time men’s basketball All-American (1983-84) who played 17 seasons in the NBA, including a Championship with San Antonio (1999); Tina Barrett ‘88, a four-time women’s golf All-American (1985-88) and Honda-Broderick Award Winner (1988) who is currently competing in her 18th year on the LPGA Tour; Michael Tucker ‘93, a two-time baseball All-American (1991-92) and United States Olympian (1982) who is currently playing in his 11th year of Major League Baseball with the Philadelphia Phillies; Dr. Barbara Smith, retired founder and 26-year head coach of the Longwood women’s golf program - three national titles; Julie Dayton ‘81, a two-time women’s lacrosse All-American (1980-81), former 10-year member of the United States National Team, and current Director of Athletics at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond; and the late Dr. Elizabeth Burger Jackson ‘34, a former member of the United States Field Hockey National Team (1947-50, 1954-55), past Vice-President of the United States Field Hockey Association, and 39-year Professor of Natural Sciences at Longwood (1938-76).
2005 Longwood University Athletics Hall of Fame Class Bios
Tina Barrett ‘88 (Women’s Golf, 1984-88) recently completed her 18th season on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. She won the 1988 Honda-Broderick Award for Golf, only the second Division II student-athlete to ever win the award at the time. A three-time National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-American (1986-88), Barrett was also named a Small College All-American as a freshman (1985). She was a two-time NGCA National Champion (1986-87), national runner-up (1988), and four-time NCAA National Tournament qualifier (1985-88) -- three-times the Division II top finisher (1985-86, 1988). Barrett was also a three-time GTE-CoSIDA Academic All-American, and NGCA All-Academic selection (1986-88). She still holds the school-record for season scoring average (75.8, 1987-88), and was also previously inducted into the NGCA Hall of Fame (1999).
Dr. Elizabeth Burger Jackson ‘34 (Field Hockey, 1930-32; Professor of Natural Sciences, 1938-76) attended Longwood and was member of field hockey team before graduating from the College of William and Mary. She returned to Longwood as a Professor of Natural Sciences for 39 years and was selected as Distinguished Professor of Natural Science and Professor Emeritus, receiving the 1979 Distinguished Alumni Service Award. Dr. Jackson was a member of United States Field Hockey National Team from 1947-50, and again from 1954-55. She was a past Vice-President of the United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA), as well as a past President of the Virginia Field Hockey Association (VFHA). Dr. Jackson also previously received induction onto the Virginia Sports Wall of Fame (1983), and into the William and Mary Hall of Fame. She died in 1998.
Julie Dayton ‘81 (Women’s Lacrosse, 1978-81) was a two-time women’s lacrosse All-America selection (1980-81), scoring 93 career goals, and also competed in field hockey at Longwood. She was a 10-year member of the United States Women’s Lacrosse National Team (1982-91), playing in the 1986 World Cup and the 1984 Olympics Exhibition. Dayton previously received induction into both the Virginia Lacrosse Hall of Fame (1997), and the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame (1993). She has also previously served as a head coach in field hockey at both the University of Virginia (1992-93) and at Dartmouth (1993-99). Dayton is currently the Director of Athletics at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond.
Jerome Kersey ‘84 (Basketball, 1980-84) played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for six different teams, winning an NBA Championship with San Antonio (1999). He was a two-time National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II All-American (1984, 1st-Team; 1983, 3rd-Team). A 1984 NBA Draft Second-Round selection (46th overall) of Portland, Kersey was the 1984 Virginia College Division Player of Year. He received an invitation to the 1984 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) NBA pre-draft camp, and earned PIT All-Tournament Team honors. Kersey still holds 10 school-records, including career rebounds (1,162), and scored 1,756 career points to rank second all-time at Longwood. He served as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks during 2004-05, and also played professionally for Golden State, Los Angeles (Lakers), Seattle, and Milwaukee.
Dr. Barbara Smith (Women’s Golf Head Coach, 1966-92) is the retired founder and 26-year head coach of the nationally prominent Longwood Women’s Golf program, earning 137 career victories. She guided the program to three NGCA Division II National Championships (1987, 1988, 1990), five national runner-up finishes (1981, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1992), and six Virginia State Championships (1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1979). Dr. Smith previously received induction into both the NGCA Hall of Fame (1992) and the Limestone College Athletic Hall of Fame (1996). She also received the LPGA’s Ellen Griffin Rolex Award (2003), and was named an LPGA Master Professional (1994). Dr. Smith was also a two-time LPGA Coach of Year (1989, 1983), as well as a two-time Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of Year (1987, 1985). She coached 19 individual All-Americans (athletic and academic), several with multiple honors, during her Longwood tenure. Dr. Smith is retired and resides in Farmville.
Michael Tucker ‘93 (Baseball, 1990-92) recently completed his 11th season of playing Major League Baseball (MLB), playing with his sixth team after having been traded to the Philadelphia Phillies late in the 2005 season. A member of the 1992 United States Olympic Baseball Team, the first and only Olympic athlete from Longwood, he was a two-time NCAA Division II 1st-Team All-American (1991, 1992). Tucker was the 1992 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division II Player of the Year, and the 1992 Baseball America Small College Player of the Year. He won the 1992 NCAA Division II Triple Crown, hitting .489 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI. A 1992 MLB Draft First-Round selection (10th overall) of Kansas City, Tucker still holds seven school-records, including career batting average (.428) and home runs (45). He has also played professionally for Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago (Cubs), and San Francisco.
