Courtesy: Virginia Tech Athletics
BLACKSBURG – Four All-Americans, including two Olympians, and one Super Bowl champion comprise the 2021 Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame seven-member class as announced Tuesday.
The 2021 class of inductees includes:
Queen Harrison Claye, a three-time NCAA women’s track and field champion, a six-time All-American, 2010 Bowerman Award winner and a 2008 Olympian;
Kristi Castlin, a seven-time All-American in women’s track and field, a three-time ACC champion and the bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympics;
Xavier Adibi, a football All-American and a two-time All-ACC player who helped the Hokies to two ACC championships during his career in the mid 2000s;
Jamon Gordon, the 2006-07 ACC Defensive Player of the Year who guided Tech back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996;
Macho Harris, a first team All-American at cornerback as a senior who led the Hokies to back-to-back ACC football titles in 2007 and 2008;
Jackie Davoud Hendrick, the Atlantic 10’s Most Outstanding Diver in 1998 and 1999, a five-time conference champion; and
Tyronne Drakeford, a three-time All-BIG EAST selection and won Super Bowl XXIX with the San Francisco 49ers.
The seven new inductees bring the total number enshrined to 211. The Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame, which is located at the south end of the Cassell Coliseum ambulatory, was established in 1982.
Queen Harrison Claye
Sport: Women’s Track and Field
Years at VT: 2006-10
Notable: 2010 Bowerman Award winner, three-time NCAA champion, 2008 Olympian
Harrison made a name for herself on the track in the women’s 60-meter, 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles. A six-time All-American, Harrison is Tech’s only female student-athlete to ever win three national titles in a career. She brought home a title in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season and became the first student-athlete in NCAA history to win both the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2010.
In addition to her All-American accolades, Harrison was bestowed the 2010 Bowerman Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding male and female track and field student-athlete.
As a sophomore, Harrison became just the second Hokie and first female Tech track and field student-athlete to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. She competed in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where she advanced to the semifinals.
The Richmond, Virginia native still holds school records for two indoor events (60-meter hurdles, 7.94; 4×200-meter relay, 1:36.43) and four outdoor events (100-meter hurdles, 12.46; 400-meter hurdles, 54.55; 4×400-meter relay, 3:32.05; SHR, 54.27).
During her illustrious career, Harrison guided the Hokies to four ACC team championships (two indoor and two outdoor) and accounted for 20 of Tech’s 33 points at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships when the team finished a program-best fifth.
Individually, Harrison racked up nine ACC titles – three indoor (4×400-meter relay, 60-meter hurdles and 400 meters) and six outdoor (4×400-meter relay, 100-meter hurdles (twice) and 400-meter hurdles (three times).
Harrison graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in sociology in 2010. She currently lives in San Diego, California with her husband, Will Claye, who is a three-time Olympic medalist and recently finished fourth in the triple jump in Tokyo. Harrison remains a professional track athlete, training under current coach, Lawrence Johnson.
Heavily involved with charity, Harrison launched her own organization – Elevate Youth Empowerment Foundation – in 2020. Additionally, she plans to unveil her beauty/cosmetic brand in early 2022.
On the track, Harrison has her sights set on the 2022 World Championships, which will be contested in Eugene, Oregon.
Kristi Castlin
Sport: Women’s Track and Field
Years at VT: 2006-10
Notable: Seven-time All-American, three-time ACC champion, bronze medalist at 2016 Olympics (100-meter hurdles)
Castlin was a seven-time All-American – the most individual All-America honors by a Virginia Tech student-athlete. She was a three-time ACC champion – once in the 60-meter hurdles (indoor) and twice in the 100-meter hurdles (outdoor).
The Douglasville, Georgia product was a part of four ACC championships (two indoor and two outdoor) and was on the 2010 squad that finished a program-best fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Perhaps her most prominent achievement is her bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Representing Team USA, Castlin was clocked at 12.61 to place third in the finals of the 100-meter hurdles. She was part of an historic sweep in that event for the Americans. Castlin still remains the only female Hokie medalist to compete in the Olympics.
Castlin’s times in the 60-meter hurdles (8.01) and 100-meter hurdles (12.81) both rank second all-time in program history.
A current resident of Atlanta, Georgia, Castlin graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2010. She is the CEO of Castlin Homes, which is her own construction and real estate company.
Xavier Adibi
Sport: Football
Years at VT: 2003-07
Notable: Second Tech football player to earn All-America honors, two-time ACC champion
Adibi is one of many in a long line of great Tech defensive backs, earning All-America honors and All-ACC recognition during an illustrious career from 2003-07.
He became just the second linebacker in program history to earn All-America honors when he accomplished the feat as a senior following the 2007 season.
Adibi led the Hokies that fall with 115 tackles, including a team-best 12 for a loss. He also added three sacks and two interceptions on his way to earning first team All-ACC recognition.
Behind him, Tech finished near the top of the ACC in virtually every defensive category that season, which was highlighted by a 30-16 win over No. 12 Boston College in the 2007 ACC championship game.
A two-time All-ACC pick, Adibi earned second team distinction in 2006 after finishing second on the team with 82 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss, three sacks and three interceptions.
The Hampton, Virginia product started the final 40 games of his career, and he finished his career with 291 tackles, including 30 for a loss and 11 sacks.
Adibi was a fourth-round draft pick (118th overall) by the Houston Texans in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played five seasons in the NFL – Houston (2008-10), Minnesota (2011) and Tennessee (2012).
A 2007 Virginia Tech graduate with a bachelor’s degree in apparel, housing and resource management, Adibi currently lives in Commerce, Texas and is the defensive coordinator for Texas A&M-Commerce. Adibi’s defensive unit was one of the best in the Lone Star Conference in 2019, leading the league in sacks per game and finishing in the top two in total defense, passing yards allowed, rushing defense, red zone defense, defensive touchdowns, and tackles for loss.
Jamon Gordon
Sport: Men’s Basketball
Years at VT: 2003-07
Notable: 2006-07 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, 2007 NCAA Tournament
Gordon established himself as one of the better Virginia Tech men’s basketball players in program history during his career in the mid 2000s.
He, along with teammate Zabian Dowdell (hall of fame class of 2017), guided the Hokies back to the NCAA Tournament in 2007. It was their first appearance since 1996. Tech, the No. 5 seed in the West Region, edged No. 12 seeded Illinois in the first round before falling to No. 4 seeded Southern Illinois in the second round.
The Jacksonville, Florida product averaged 10.9 points, 4.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game for his career. Known as a stat sheet stuffer, Gordon led the Hokies in rebounding as a junior and led the team in assists all four seasons, joining Bimbo Coles as the only Hokies to achieve that.
The 2006-07 ACC Defensive Player of the Year led the team in steals as a sophomore and senior and earned third team All-ACC accolades as a senior. He was a member of the all-defensive team each of the three seasons Tech was in the ACC during his career.
Gordon departed Virginia Tech with 1,280 points, 514 assists and 290 steals. He still holds the single-season steals record with 94 during the 2006-07 season.
Gordon currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with his daughter, Jamyah. A 2007 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, Gordon currently owns a real estate company and a basketball training facility.
Macho Harris
Sport: Football
Years at VT: 2005-08
Notable: First Team All-American in 2008, two-time ACC champion, drafted by Philadelphia in 2009
Harris was a key cog in a defense that steered the Hokies to back-to-back ACC championships in 2007 and 2008.
A first team All-American at cornerback as a senior, Harris led Tech with six interceptions and added 46 tackles and a team-best eight pass breakups.
Harris ended his career as a two-time All-ACC honoree and holds the program record for most interceptions returned for touchdowns with four. He still ranks third in career interceptions at Tech with 15.
The Highland Springs, Virginia native was a fifth-round selection (157th overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2009 NFL Draft. After playing the 2009 season with the Eagles, Harris was traded to Washington for the 2010 season.
In 2012, he left the NFL for the Canadian Football League before announcing his retirement from professional football on March 14, 2019.
Harris was a sociology major while at Tech. He resides in Saskatchewan, Canada with his wife, Kylie, and daughters, Kamila and Layla. Harris is currently a quality control supervisor and technical trainer at Evraz North America, which is one of the largest steel and pipe manufacturers in North America.
Jackie Davoud Hendrick
Sport: Women’s Swimming and Diving
Years at VT: 1995-99
Notable: Two-time Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Diver, holds school record in 1-meter diving for 11 dives
Davoud was a five-time conference champion, winning the 1-meter event three times and the 3-meter event twice when Tech was competing in the Atlantic 10.
As a junior and senior, Davoud was named the Atlantic 10’s Most Outstanding Diver.
Following her senior season, Davoud held the school record in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events; her 1-meter record lasted for 14 years. She still holds the Tech record for 1-meter diving for 11 dives (439.05 points in 1998). Davoud also ranks second in 3-meter diving for 11 dives (483.85 points in 1997).
After finishing second in 1997 and 1998, the Hokies finally broke through to win their first A-10 championship in 1999. Davoud won the 1-meter event that year en route to her Most Outstanding Diver recognition.
Davoud, a 1999 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in human, nutrition, foods and exercise, currently lives in Midlothian, Virginia with her husband, Jason Hendrick. They are the proud parents of three daughters: Lexi, Emma and Summer. In addition to supporting her family’s construction company, Davoud can be found driving her daughters around to their soccer practices and games.
Tyronne Drakeford
Sport: Football
Years at VT: 1990-93
Notable: Three-time All-BIG EAST honoree, ranks second in career INTs at Tech, Super Bowl XXIX Champion
Drakeford was a three-time All-BIG EAST selection, including twice being named to the first team in 1992 and 1993.
To this day, he ranks second at Tech in career interceptions with 16. Drakeford led the Hokies in interceptions for three consecutive seasons (1990-92).
As a junior in 1992, Drakeford had seven interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown. Those seven interceptions are tied for third on Tech’s single-season list.
