Odell Hodge
Encyclopedia
Odell Hodge is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 former NCAA Division I basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....

 player for Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...

 and, later, professional teams in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

.

High school

Hodge was most known for his potent scoring ability since his high school days at Laurel Park High School in Martinsville, Virginia
Martinsville, Virginia
Martinsville is an independent city which is surrounded by Henry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,821 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Martinsville with Henry County for statistical purposes...

. He is in the state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

's Top 25 single season scoring leaders of all-time because of his 786-point season during 1991-92. He is currently second all-time in Virginia high school career points (2,530).

Old Dominion University

Odell Hodge established himself as one of the greatest men's basketball players in Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...

 history. He began his career by earning the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...

 (CAA) Rookie of the Year in 1993. While playing for the Monarchs
Old Dominion Monarchs basketball
The Old Dominion Monarchs Basketball team represents Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia in NCAA Division I men's competition. The school's team currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association...

, Hodge compiled over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. His 2,117 points and 1,086 rebounds make him only one of four Division I men's basketball players in Virginia history to reach the 2000/1000 club (the others are Ralph Sampson
Ralph Sampson
Ralph Lee Sampson, Jr. is a retired American college and professional basketball player.A 7-foot-4 phenom, three-time College Player of the Year, and No...

, Kenny Sanders
Kenny Sanders
Kenny Sanders is an American former college basketball player for George Mason University. He was the Colonial Athletic Association's Rookie of the Year in 1986 and its Player of the Year in 1988...

, and Jeff Cohen
Jeff Cohen (basketball)
Jeffrey Maxwell Cohen was an All-American basketball player at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia during his senior season in 1960-61...

). In 1994 and 1997, Hodge's sophomore and redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...

 senior seasons, he was named both the CAA Player of the Year and CAA Tournament MVP. He was named to the CAA's All-Defensive squad in 1997 and ranks in the CAA's top ten all-time in scoring, second to David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...

 in career blocked shots (286), and in the top five of all-time CAA rebounding. Hodge graduated in 1997 and received his degree in recreation and leisure studies. Because of Hodge's success as a basketball player at Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...

, his #33 jersey was retired up in the banners of the TED Constant Convocation Center on February 12, 2010.

Belgian First Division

Hodge did not go on to play in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

 (NBA) despite his collegiate success. He instead moved to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

 to compete in the Belgian First Division
Basketball League Belgium
The Basketball League Belgium , also known as the Ligue Ethias or Ethias League, is the highest professional basketball league in Belgium.-Teams:* Antwerp Giants* Belgacom Liège Basket* Dexia Mons-Hainaut* Generali Okapi Aalstar...

 level of professional basketball. Between 1999 and 2008, Hodge played for three different Belgian teams. His best statistical season occurred in 1999-2000 while playing for Royal Go Pass Pepinster. He averaged 15.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 23 games played. Odell Hodge also competed in the 2000-2001 Korac Cup as a member of the Telindus Mons Hainaut for four games totaling 12 points. Though he did have moderate success throughout the other years, Hodge was never named to any all-star teams. Hodge stills plays in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 where he still resides with his wife, Sofie Ceyssens, and his two children Matthew and Jayden.

See also

  • List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
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