Ohio Northern legends Helen Ludwig, D'Artis Jones to be named to 2014 Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame Class
By Tim Glon
| Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame Release (.doc) |
ADA — Ohio Northern women's athletics pioneer Helen Ludwig and former ONU men's basketball NCAA Player of the Year D'Artis Jones will be inducted into Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2014 in May.
Ludwig and Jones will join former men's basketball coach Joe Campoli and Ohio Northern's 1993 men's basketball team as recent inductees into the prestigious Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
Eight former players, five coaches, an official and a pioneer for women's college athletics will have their names added to the distinguished group of honorees.
Former players Dean Chance, Helen Darling, Henry Finkel, Dennis Hopson, D'Artis Jones, Campy Russell, Georgia Schweitzer Beasley and Nick Weatherspoon will join college administrator Helen Ludwig, and coaches Brian Agler, Vince Chickerella, Walter Harrop, Ed Jucker and Jerry Scheve as individuals to be honored.
The two teams entering the prestigious Hall of Fame are Wright State University's 1983 NCAA Men's Division II national champions and the Wilmington College women's team that won the 2004 NCAA Division III national title.
Joe Pangrazio, the 2014 officiating honoree, was selected by his fellow officials.
All other selections are made by a panel of Ohio College All-Americans, NBA Hall of Fame players, Ohio high school and college coaches, and the OBHOF board of directors.
Ludwig is considered one of the developers and guardians of women's athletics at Ohio Northern University.
After receiving her bachelor's degree in 1944 from ONU, Ludwig paved the way for women's athletics at Ohio Northern,
Ludwig was inducted into the Ohio Northern Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989.
A professor in the Department Physical Education department from 1963-84, she was critical in the formation of women's athletic teams before and during the implementation of Title IX.
In her time the Polar Bears she helped hire ONU softball and basketball coaching legend Gayle Lauth and fellow coaching legend Sheila Wallace.
She helped form the ONU softball team in 1968 with Gayle Lauth and was for two years the coach of the volleyball team.
She served as an assistant athletic director, the academic director of the physical education department and a head or assistant coach for nearly all of ONU's female athletic teams before she retired from ONU in 1984.
She was also a crucial part of the development of the Women's Recreation Association.
She was on the same staff in 1969-70 with fellow ONU pioneers Marv English, Arden "Stretch" Roberson, Gayle Lauth, Herb Strayer and Sheila Wallace.
Jones was undoubtably one of the best basketball players in Ohio Northern history.
He was a three-year letterman from 1993-95 and was a key player as the Polar Bears won the 1993 NCAA Division III national title.
Jones was also named the 1995 NCAA Division III National Player of the Year and was the 1995 Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
He was a three-time All-OAC honoree, named First Team All-Conference in 1994 and 1995 and Second Team All-OAC in 1993.
He was a First Team All-American in 1995 and was a Third Team All-American in 1994.
Jones was inducted into the Ohio Northern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
In his three seasons at Ohio Northern, he helped his teams to a 63-20 overall record and the 1993 and 1995 OAC crowns.
He currently ranks fourth all-time at ONU with 1,575 career points and his 634 points in 1995 remains the school's single-season record.
Jones also ranks 11th all-time in ONU history with 695 career rebounds, is fifth with 185 steals, is 19th with 233 assists and is seventh with 64 blocked shots.
He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from ONU in 1997.
Jones and his wife Tiffani have three children, Aubrei, A'daira, and Ayden.