(View the complete list of Inductees)
Randolph-Macon Inducts its Sixth Class
On Friday, November 9, 2001, Randolph-Macon College held its annual Hall of Fame banquet to induct the sixth class into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Four alumni who distinguished themselves on the playing fields and courts as Yellow Jackets were honored as inductees during the event.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1996 to honor and memorialize those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Randolph-Macon athletics and have helped to bring recognition, honor, excellence and distinction to the college and its intercollegiate athletic program.
To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, an alumnus must have been a full-time student for at least two years and have been a letterwinner in at least one varsity sport at the college. Alumni are eligible at any time 10 years after leaving Randolph-Macon. The Hall may also honor former athletes who have made outstanding contributions to society in general.
The class of 2001 includes former standouts from men's basketball, football, baseball, men's track, women's soccer, women's tennis and women's basketball. Eight charter members were inducted in 1996, six were honored in 1997, five were inducted in both 1998 and 2000, and four new members were honored in 1999. The four inductees this year bring the total number of Hall of Fame members to 32.
Jesse Hellyer '85 (Orignally from Bensalem, PA; Currently from Waverly, VA)
Jesse Hellyer was a four-year standout on the basketball court for Randolph-Macon. He was a member of a Yellow Jacket squad that was nationally-ranked for three straight years and appeared in three consecutive NCAA Division II tournaments. Hellyer was named first-team all-Mason-Dixon Conference, first-team all-South Atlantic Region, and a National Association of Basketball Coaches second-team All-American in both 1983-84 and 1984-85. He was also on the NCAA South Atlantic Regional all-tournament team, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Mason-Dixon Conference tournament.
Hellyer is ranked sixth on the Randolph-Macon career scoring list (1,561 points), fourth in career rebounding (823 rebounds), and first in career field goal percentage (64.2%). He also holds the single-season field goal percentage record (66.1%).
From 1985 to 1993 Hellyer was a teacher and coach at Tidewater Academy in Wakefield, VA. Currently, he is employed as a recruiter and sales representative for New York Life. Hellyer has helped Randolph-Macon students by providing internships through the Career and Counseling Center.
Dr. Kelly Keffler Domson '89 (Originally from Centreville, VA; Currently from Winchester, VA)
Dr. Kelly Keffler Domson was a four-year letterwinner in both soccer and tennis, and a three-year letterwinner in basketball. Arguably, her best sport was soccer. She was a four-year first-team all-Old Dominion Athletic Conference selection, and was the ODAC Player of the Year in 1988, her senior season. Also that year, Keffler Domson was her team's captain and Most Valuable Player.
Keffler Domson holds the ODAC and Randolph-Macon records for goals in a game (6, vs. Sweet Briar in 1987), and is also the conference record-holder for total points in a game (12, vs. Sweet Briar in 1987). The six-goal total in that game against Sweet Briar is also fourth on the NCAA all-time list. Keffler Domson is ranked first on Randolph-Macon's career goals list (74), second in total points (180), and sixth in assists (32). On the ODAC career lists, Keffler is second in goals, third in total points, and seventh in assists.
In tennis, Keffler Domson was first-team all-ODAC in both singles and doubles in 1986. She was a three-year letter-winner in basketball. Keffler Domson won the 1989 Compton Award to close out her athletic career at Randolph-Macon.
Keffler Domson went on to graduate from medical school, and is now a practicing physician in Winchester, Virginia.
Bernard J. (Bernie) Pinchbeck '56 (Lawrenceville, VA)
Bernard J. Pinchbeck was a four-year letterwinner in football and baseball, and also participated in track. In baseball, he was a four-time first-team all-state and all-Mason-Dixon Conference selection, and was a first-team all-Little Six Conference pick in both 1953 and 1954. Pinchbeck is ranked fifth on Randolph-Macon's career batting average list (.364) and ninth in career stolen bases (22). He was a member of Randolph-Macon's 1953 state championship team, and in 1955 helped the Yellow Jackets win both the Little Six and the Mason-Dixon Conference championships.
In football, Pinchbeck was an Honorable Mention Little All-American in 1955, and was a first-team all-Little Six selection in both 1954 and 1955. He led the state of Virginia in scoring in 1954. In 1955, Pinchbeck was team captain, and won the Little Six Sportsmanship trophy.
Pinchbeck earned his master's degree from the University of Virginia. He was athletic director and coach at Brunswick Senior High School, where he achieved over 100 career victories in both football and baseball. As the principal at Greensville County High School, Pinchbeck was named Outstanding Educator in America.
John F. (Jack) Whitcomb '52 (Originally from Washington, DC; Currently from Bradenton, FL)
John F. Whitcomb was a star on the basketball court for Randolph-Macon. In 1952, he was team captain and was named both first-team all-Little Six Conference and second-team all-Mason-Dixon Conference. He ranks fourth on Randolph-Macon's career scoring list (1,733 points), and holds the school record for free throws made in a game (21, vs. Lynchburg in 1949-50).
Whitcomb's involvement in athletics continued long after his years at Randolph-Macon. He was the Athletic Director, basketball coach, and a math teacher at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C. from 1956 to 1958. In 1958 Whitcomb moved on to become the first Athletic Director at Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington, VA, where he stayed until 1960. He was also the basketball and baseball coach and a math teacher there. Also, Whitcombwas the basketball coach at Cathedral Latin High School in Washington, D.C. in 1967 and at Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, CO from 1993 to 1995. At Fountain Valley, his team won the conference championship, the only one in any sport at that school.
Professionally, Whitcomb was in the investment business, working for companies such as Merrill Lynch and First Boston. He also worked for Wheat First Securities based in Richmond, managing the company's Washington, D.C. office from 1983 to 1989.
As an undergraduate Whitcomb was an important part of the Randolph-Macon community, and his service has continued as an alumnus. As a student, he was senior class president, vice-president of Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society, a member of Who's Who in America, the first student ever appointed as intramural director, and a representative on the Athletic Council. As an alumnus, Whitcomb has served on the Estate Planning Council, the Society of Alumni Board of Directors, the Alumni Advisory Board, and the Randolph-Macon Athletic Council as an alumni representative.
Nominations or other pertinent correspondence may be sent to:
Kevin Eastman
Athletic Director
Randolph-Macon College
P.O. Box 5005
Ashland, VA 23005-5505