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Former Titanette Coach Gets Hall of Fame Status

By Elissa K. Harvill

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Click Photo to Enlarge Dixie Woodall: 2005 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.

Click Photo to Enlarge Titanettes huddle around Woodall to prepare their next plan of attack.

Click Photo to Enlarge Rhonda Penquite (second from right, standing, next to Woodall) was a star for the Titanettes (now known as the Golden Eagles).

Click Photo to Enlarge Woodall's first year at ORU (1977-78) ended with an impressive 31 and 9 record for the women's basketball team--a record best.

Former ORU women's basketball head coach Dixie Woodall was one of six basketball superstars who was formally enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, June 10-11, 2005, during a weekend of induction festivities in Knoxville, Tenn.

Woodall commented via phone, "I am very pleased and happy. This is a great way to finish a career, to be honored by my peers and those I've worked with. I feel like I was just in the right place at the right time [during my career]. I was never one for all-star status, because basketball is a team sport. I enjoyed my years at ORU ('77-'81) and I still try to keep up with their programs--with the baseball team doing so well this year and of course the girl's basketball team, and the men's team was always good. I so appreciate the time I got to spend there at ORU."

Throughout her career, Woodall amassed a combined record of 390-97 in 14 seasons as the head coach at ORU (109-26 in four seasons) and Seminole Junior College (281-71). She captured a junior college national championship crown at Seminole in 1976 with national runner-up finishes in both 1975 and 1977. (She was at ORU from 1977 to 1981.)

Former Titanette Rhonda Penquite, ORU's first female All-American, remarked, "I had my favorite and best year of my basketball career (1977-78) at ORU playing for Dixie. She understood the game and knew how to work with people. Dixie was always fun to be around, and her sense of humor kept everyone going, even when things were difficult. Dixie is a wonderful and good person. She so deserves this award."

Other jewels in Woodall's crown: She was a three-time AAU All-American (1964, 1966, 1967) with the Raytown Piperettes; played on Nashville Business College's 1960 AAU National Championships squad; earned a silver medal as a member of the U.S.A. squad that competed in the 1967 Pan American Games; represented the United States on teams that toured South America in 1965; and competed in the FIBA World Championship in 1967.

Woodall also served as an assistant coach for the U.S.A. squad that claimed a silver medal at the 1977 World University Games in Bulgaria, and has coached U.S.A. teams competing in Russia, Korea, Hong Kong, China, and Japan.

To be considered for induction, coaches must have coached the women's game for at least 20 years. Selections are made based on various factors including moral character, integrity, sportsmanship, record of performance, ability, national or international recognition, and contributions to the game of women's basketball.

The mission of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, which opened in June 1999 (and with the 2005 inductees will have honored a total of 85 individuals), is to "honor the past, celebrate the present, and promote the future of women's basketball."

Also inducted this year were Joe Ciampi, Kelli Litsch, Hunter Low, Edna Tarbutton, and Lynette Woodard. For more information, go to www.wbhof.com.