ATHLETIC
HALL OF FAME
Class of 2013
Inaugural Inductees
Odeika Bent
2007
At ORHS - Odeika competed in track & field, basketball, and cross country. In track & field she won state titles in the long jump and 4 by 400 relay. She won a national championship at the Nike Outdoor Meet and holds school records for the 100, 200 and most points scored in a state meet. She helped her Lady Pioneer Track & Field Team win Metro Conference, District, and Region Championships in 2005, 2006, and 2007, State Championships in 2006 and 2007, and a state runner-up in 2005.
Post HS - At The University of Georgia, in track & field, Odeika earned All-Conference status in the SEC, the toughest track & field conference in the country. She is currently the head Girls Track & Field Coach at Oak Ridge.
Terry Billups
1993
Football and Track
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State Champion 110 HH & All-Central FL Honors at DB
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Named ORHS Best All-Around Athlete, 1993
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Orlando Downtown Athletic Club Scholar Athlete, 1993
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Played Collegiately at UNC & Professionally in the NFL
LaQuanda Cotten
1999
At ORHS - LaQuanda competed in track & field, volleyball, basketball, and cross country. In track & field she was a 3 time State Champion in the discus and state champion in the shot put. She was an All American and holds the school records for both the shot put and discus. She helped her Lady Pioneer Track & Field team win District Championships in 1996 and 1997, a Region Championship in 1998 and top 8 finishes in the State Championship meet in both 1998 and 1999. She was also all-conference in both volleyball and basketball.
Post HS - At Barton Community College LaQuanda was a National Junior College Champion in both the discus and hammer throw. At The University of Florida LaQuanda was an NCAA All American in the throws.
Michelle Finn
1983
At ORHS - Michelle competed in track & field and basketball. In track & field she was a 2 time State Champion in the 100 and 2 time state champion in the 4 by 100 relay. She was a high school All-American, National Junior Olympic Champion, and member of the United State Jr. National Team. She helped her Lady Pioneer Track & Field team win Metro Conference, District, Region, and State Championships in 1981, 1982, and 1983.
Post HS - At Florida State University, in track & field, Michelle was a 4 time NCAA National Champion including the 4 by 100 relay in 1987 with High School team-mates Janet Levy and Andrea Hunter, a 16 time NCAA All-American and helped FSU win an NCAA championship. Professionally, Michelle was a 3 time USA Track & Field National Champion, represented the USA in the World Championships where she earned a silver medal and in 1992 made the United States Olympic Team and won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 relay in the Barcelona Olympics.
Earl Carr
1974
Football – Track- Basketball
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First Ever HS All American Football Player at ORHS
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Only Pioneer to Letter 3 Times in Football – Track - Basketball
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Played 4 years in the NFL following his Gator Career
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Considered the Greatest Athlete to Wear the Green & Gold
Willie Fisher
1990
Basketball
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High School All American
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Led Team to 1989 State Runner-Up Finish / 34 - 2
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MVP FACA North – South All Star Game
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Played Overseas Following Career at Jacksonville Univiversity
Andrea Hunter
1984
At ORHS - Andrea competed in track & field and basketball. In track & field she was a state champion in the 100 high hurdles, 2 time state champion in the 4 by 100 relay and state champion in the 4 by 400 relay. She was an All -American, National Jr. Olympic Champion and holds the school record in the 100 high hurdles. She helped her Lady Pioneer Track & field Team win Metro Conference Championships in 1982 and 1983, District and Region Championships in 1982, 1983, and 1984, State Championships in 1982 and 1983 and a state runner-up in 1984.
Post HS - At Florida State University, in track & field Andrea was an NCAA National Champion on the 4 by 100 relay in 1987 with high school team-mates Michelle Finn and Janet Levy and was a 3 time NCAA All-American.
Tim Groves
1977
Football – Baseball - Track
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All Metro & All Central Florida Football Teams
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3 Year Starter and Played in FACA All Star Game
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Member of School Record Setting Decathlon Team
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Played in the USFL after 4 Year Career as a Florida Gator
Lindi James
1980
At ORHS - Lindi competed in volleyball, basketball, softball, and track & field and earned all-conference status in all 4 sports. As a senior, never having run before, Lindi helped a Lady Pioneer Track & Field team that was last in the Metro Conference the previous year earn a 2nd place finish by winning the 400 and leading the team in scoring which gave us a great start going into the rest of the 80's.
Post HS - At The University of South Carolina Lindi competed in both volleyball and softball and earned NCAA All American status in softball for 3 years. After college, Lindi represented the USA in softball at the Pan-Am Games and twice in the World Championships. She also led her Orlando Rebels professional softball team to a National Championship.
Alonzo Harris
1989
Basketball - Track
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Basketball High School All American
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Led Team to 1989 State Runner-Up Finish / 34 – 2
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Ranked #4 All Time with 47.6 Relay Split for 400M
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Played In Europe Following Career at Jacksonville Univiversity
*Janet Levy
1983
At ORHS - Janet competed in track & field and basketball. In track & field she was a state champion in the 4 by 100 relay and the 4 by 400 relay. She was an All-American, National Junior Olympic Champion and holds the school record for the fastest 4 by 400 meter relay split. She helped her Lady Pioneer Track & Field Team win Metro Conference, District, Region, and State championships in 1981, 1982, and 1983.
Post HS - At Florida State University, in track & field, she was an NCAA National Champion on the 4 by 100 relay in 1987 along with high school team-mates Michelle Finn and Andrea Hunter and was a 4 time NCAA All-American
Jovennie McDuffie
1988
At ORHS - Jovennie competed in track & field and volleyball. In track & field she was a State Champion in the 100 and the 4 by 100 relay. She was an All-American in the heptathlon and holds school records for the heptathlon and most championship meet points in a season. She helped her Lady Pioneer Track & Field Team win Metro Conference Championships in 1987 and 1988, a District Championship in 1987, a Region Championship in 1988, a State Championship in 1998 and a State Runner-up in 1987. She was also all conference in volleyball.
Post HS - At Louisiana State University, in track & field, she was a 2 time NCAA All-American and helped her team win 2 NCAA National Championships.
John Hemmer
Coach
Coached five state championship boys track & field teams at Orlando’s Oak Ridge High School. In his 29 years as head coach at the school, the Pioneers won 301 meets, including 159 major invitationals. Hemmer has coached a total of 33 All-American athletes, 10 All American relay teams, 14 individual state champions and eight state champion relay teams. More than 120 athletes he has coached have earned athletic scholarships in track and/or football. Hemmer was an assistant manager on the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team that participated in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games. He is second (one of only four) high school coach to have served on an Olympic track & field staff. Hemmer also was head manager of the U.S. men’s team that outscored 140 other nations and won seven gold medals in the 1999 IAFF World Track & Field Championships in Seville, Spain. In 1998, Hemmer was inducted into the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into the Florida Track Hall of Fame and was named the National High School Coach of the Year in 1993. He also served on the Coaches Advisory Board and Men’s Track & Field Committee for USA Track & Field. While at Oak Ridge, he also served as head football coach for four years and an assistant football coach for 14 years. Hemmer was also an assistant coach for the University of Central Florida football program in 1979, the first year UCF had a team. After retiring from coaching track, he served as the Meet Director of the FHSAA Track and Field State Meet.
Pete Post
1978
Football - Baseball
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1977 All Metro QB on 10-2 Metro & District Champions
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Starter on Pioneer’s First Ever Baseball Region Champion, 1976
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Played at Florida International & NY Yankee Organization for 2 Years
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Head Baseball Coach at Boone with over 400 Wins and Counting
Lavera Morris
2004
At ORHS - Lavera competed in track & field, cross country, basketball, and weight lifting. In track & field she was State Champion 3 times in the 800 and once in the 4 by 400 relay. She was an All-American, National Jr. Olympic Champion and holds the school record for the 800. She helped her Lady Pioneer Track & Field Team win Metro Conference Championships in 2002, 2003 and 2004, District and Region Championships in 2001, 2002, 2003,and 2004, a State Championship in 2004 and a State Runner-up in 2001. In cross country Lavera finished state runner-up and was a 3 time all-state athlete. In 2003 she led her Lady Pioneer Cross Country Team to a District Championship and 3rd place in the State Championship – the highest finish in school history. In weightlifting she helped her team win Metro conference championships in 2003 and 2004.
Post HS - At The University of Kentucky, in track & field, she was an NCAA All-American.
Joe Joseph
2004
Football - Basketball - Track
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All Metro / All Central Florida / All State / Top 25 in 2004
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Played in Fla vs. California & Fla vs. Louisiana All Star Games
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4 Yr Starter was 1st Pioneer to Attend Miami on Scholarship
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Played Two Years in the NFL with the Redskins
Barbara Pierre
2005
At ORHS - Barbara competed in track and field and was a State Champion in the 100. In 2005 she helped her Lady Pioneer Track & Field team win District and Region Championships and a State Runner-up.
Post HS - At Saint Augustine’s College Barbara was a 7 time NCAA Division 2 National Champion and a 19 time NCAA Division 2 All-American in the sprints. Professionally Barbara represented Haiti in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and holds the Haitian National records for the 60, 100, and 200. Now representing the United States she placed 4th in the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul and was the 60 meters US Indoor Champion in 2013 & 2016. She became the World Indoor Champion at 60 Meters in 2016.
James Rolle
1982
Track
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Only 3 Time HS All American in Pioneer History
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State Champ in 400 & Member of 12 Major Championship Teams
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USA Junior National 400 Meter Record Holder
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Pan Am Gold Medalist & 4x400 Record Holder, 1983
Bill Stamper
Coach
In his 31 years as head coach his Lady Pioneers teams amassed nine state championships and five-time state runners-up. Stamper has coached 21 All-America athletes, 10 national champions, 21 individual state champions and 11 state championship relay teams. 54 of his athletes have received college scholarships including 9 NCAA All Americans, 4 NCAA National Champions and an Olympic Gold Medalist along with a 2nd Olympic Participant. In cross country, Stamper coached the girls program for 25 years. He also coached the boys cross country program for 19 years. Stamper coached the girls team to a district championship and a conference championship, and the boys team to two region titles, one district title and three conference titles. Stamper served as the Florida Athletic Coaches Association district track & field chair for 13 years, and was a member of the FHSAA Track & Field Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Metro Conference, FACA, FHSAA, Golden South Classic and Florida Track & Field Halls of Fame. Stamper was the 2006-07 Florida Dairy Farmers Coach of the Year, NHSCA National Coach of the Year in 2009, and a four-time finalist for NHSACA National Coach of the Year, finally winning the honor in 2010.
Vernice Smith
1983
At ORHS - A 3-year letterman as a tight end and outside linebacker. In his senior year, in addition to being named the Defensive Player of the Year, Vernice was selected as the Team’s MVP.
Post HS - Moving on to Florida A&M University, Vernice was a three year letterman and starter at Offensive Guard. Upon graduation, Vernice was signed as a free agent but was cut three times before finally making the Phoenix Cardinals in 1990. He went on to play eight years for four teams retiring after the 1997 season. Of the four Oak Ridge Alumni to play in the NFL, Vernice is the most tenured athlete in this group. In his 8 seasons, he played in a total of 74 games and was a starter in 25 of those.