NORFOLK, Va. – Legendary football coach Joe Taylor and women's basketball standout LaShondra Dixon-Gordon have been named inductees into the 2016 class of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame, the conference office announced on Friday.
 
"I'd like to congratulate the 2016 Hall of Fame class for all their accomplishments both athletically and professionally," MEAC Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas said. "The honorees have made significant contributions to their communities, institutions, and this conference."
 
Taylor is the winningest coach in Hampton University football history, and in 29 combined seasons (between Hampton, Florida A&M, and Virginia Union), he amassed a record of 233-96-4 (.700). Taylor is third all-time in wins by HBCU coaches, behind only John Merritt (Tennessee State) and Eddie Robinson (Grambling).
 
At Hampton, Taylor was 136-48-1 (.735), and he accounted for four Black College National Championships (1994, 1997, 2004, 2005) and won five MEAC titles with postseason appearances in the NCAA Div. I FCS playoffs (1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006).
 
Before Hampton's transition to Div. I, Taylor 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.
 
Dixon-Gordon helped lead the Lady Pirates basketball program to NCAA Tournament 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 (and remains the school's top all-time scorer at the Div. I level).
 
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). She also 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 2004-09 – and she is in her seventh year as an assistant coach at Norfolk State, where she holds responsibilities of guard development and recruiting coordinator.
 
Joining the pair in the 2016 class will be former football standout Bobby Moore from South Carolina State, Howard track star David Oliver, and Bethune-Cookman Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lynn Thompson.
 
The 2016 class will be formally inducted on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Va. at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $35 per seat or $300 per table (10 people). Tickets may be purchased through the MEAC office at (757) 951-2055.
 
For more information on Hampton University athletics, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.