Jamal Allen, Longwood ’21 Lives Dream as Pro Baseball Umpire

Roger Strong and Greg Gilliam were pioneers.  They enrolled at Longwood in the first year of full co-education in 1976-77 and were on the first Men’s Basketball team.  In the last game of a 2-12 season, their beloved teammate - Jimmy Yarbrough made history in a 134-93 loss.   The 5-6 Yarbrough scored 46 points and made 16 field goals, records that still stand today.  Listen to Roger and Greg talk about their unique experiences at Longwood and beyond – and their friend, the late Jimmy Yarbrough. 

Byron Bracey was a citizen leader long before it became part of Longwood's admissions literature.  Raised in a family of educators, Byron made Longwood history.  He enrolled in the second year of co-education in the fall of 1977.  Lettering three years on the men’s basketball team, he played his part as the Lancers shocked the nation with an appearance in the NCAA Division III Final Four.   The 1981 graduate left Longwood as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and retired 20 years later as Major Byron Bracey. 

Shortly after Longwood College became fully co-ed, Robert Boyd, Tim White, and company set the tone for Longwood Men’s Golf.  Arriving in 1977-78, Longwood experienced early success.  White was named Division III All-American in 1980 and is the only golfer named to the Longwood Athletic Hall of Fame (2016).  In 1982, the Lancers won the College Division of the Virginia Intercollegiate Championship.  Robert is retired and lives in Daniel Island, S.C.  Tim is the golf pro at Lake Chesdin Golf Club in Chesterfield County. 

In Michelle Meadow’s 17-year career at Longwood University, she relished her time helping student-athletes.  She worked her way up from assistant athletic director for compliance to LU's athletic director.  As a four-year starter on the Virginia Tech women’s softball team, she was elected to the Hokie’s Hall of Fame in 2010.  The three time Academic All-American is now the Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for the National Junior College Athletic Association. 

Jamal Allen wasted no time in becoming a professional baseball umpire.  Six months after graduating from Longwood, he headed to the Wendelstedt Umpire School and completed a season in the Northwoods League, a collegiate wooden bat circuit.  Last season, Jamal started his professional career in the Florida Complex Rooke League and is expected to umpire in Class A baseball in either the California League, Carolina League, or Florida State League for the 2024 season.  Special commentary from Kyle Nichol, Longwood '14 and  former minor league umpire.          

In just his fourth year at Longwood, Ron Carr’s 1993-94 team made their mark.  They finished the season 23-6, #19 in the nation and won the opening game in the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs.  And - they also won 20 straight games.  Carr remains the only Longwood men’s coach ever to earn two consecutive trips to the NCAA playoffs.  Ron retired from full-time teaching in Chesterfield County and continues to coach boys’ basketball at Cosby High.          

This is a bonus episode and part two of a two-part series. As a utility player, Tim Lowery totaled 49 at bats and batted .285 over two seasons - a solid, but not spectactular career.  But for Coach Buddy Bolding and the Longwood baseball team, Lowery was more than a teammate. He was an unofficial coach with a baseball mind.   Listen to Tim talk about Longwood baseball from his recruitment to his 26-2 pitching victory, to his relationship with his teammates and Coach Bolding.  Former Lancer pitching great David Mitchell is also featured on the podcast.    

This is part one of a two-part series.  Long before Longwood, Tim Lowery wanted to be a health and physical education teacher and baseball coach.  Now retired after 36 years of public-school service in Chesterfield County, Tim touches on Longwood baseball and how it shaped his high school coaching and teaching career.  With 470 victories, one state championship, three regional titles, and 11 district regular-season crowns, Tim is supported by his own all-star team, wife Lori and sons Jake and Luke.  Former Lancer centerfielder and base stealer Turk Crosby comments on Lowery in the beginning of the episode.         

Born with a curiosity about how things work, Mary Beth Wusk found her calling at NASA.  The 34-year veteran is now the Senior Leader of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center at the Langley Research Center in Hampton.   The 1989 graduate and Physics major lettered two years as a setter for the Longwood volleyball team before the program was discontinued.  She earned a second B.S. in Electrical Engineering from ODU. 

When you talk about academic and athletic excellence AND service to peers and your university, Madison Hommey is hard to beat. She completed two degrees from Longwood in five years and was a fixture at midfield for the soccer team.  Known as Maddie, she also received the Dan Daniel Senior Award for Scholarship and Citizenship and a Graduate Fellowship from the Big South Conference.  This fall, Maddie starts her teaching career at Jefferson Forest High School in Bedford County.