2016

Aaron Shingler is a native of Washington DC and played basketball at both Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge High Schools in Washington, DC. After a stellar high school career, he received an athletic scholarship to attend Howard University in 1963. He was named captain of the men’s basketball team from 1964-1967. His career at Howard was characterized by consistency in scoring and rebounding. Over that four[1]year period, he averaged a double-double in scoring and rebounding—an astounding feat for a trim 6’4’’ player. Aaron amassed over 1,700 points during his playing career at Howard. His 49-year-old men’s basketball record was only recently broken during the 2015-16 season.  Aaron was selected to the 1967 CIAA Tournament All-Star Team and he was honored at the Sports Banquet as the Outstanding Basketball Player for that year. As a retired investment banker, commercial bank officer, and president of several financial services firms, Aaron has had over 30 years of senior level executive experience. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Howard and a Master of Business Administration degree from Morgan State University.

Donna Wood is second generation Washingtonian and started her athletic career as a youth at the Taft Recreation Center and Pioneers Athletic Club. Donna grew up admiring Howard University Athletics. She participated in the track and field events during the National Summer Youth Sports Program, and was a superstar at her high school, McKinley Tech, before transferring from Florida A&M University to Howard, where she excelled in playing basketball, volleyball, and track. Donna was a walk-on and became one of the most illustrated and talented Lady Bison basketball players. In her sophomore year, she was also a member of the track team participating in the long jump and high jump. Her junior year, she received the D.C. International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO) award for her powerful inside game and quickness. Donna scored sixteen points and twelve rebounds to help the Lady Bison win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women’s basketball champion in 1982. She was selected to the 1st team All-MEAC. Donna made college history by playing on the first MEAC women team selected to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s basketball tournament. Donna’s senior year, she averaged 15 points and was the second leader in rebounds. She was selected to the 2nd team All-MEAC and received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for her leadership and competitiveness. She has earned the reputation as “The Lady Bison.” Donna earned her economics and computer science degree, and graduated from Howard in 1983. She is a performance analyst with the U.S. Small Business Administration and is a Bison Express board member. She bleeds blue and loves to give back.

Brenda Bailey Short was a dominating performer for the Howard University track program from 1982-1986. Bailey competed in the long jump and was a member of the mile relay team. In 1985, she earned three times Division I All-American Track and Field and All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) honors, making her the most decorated women in Howard track and field history. She holds Howard’s record in the long jump (21 2 ¼) and triple jump (42.5), which she set in 1985. Brenda won the women’s long jump competition at the Penn Relays in 1985 with a jump of 20 7 1/2. During her four year stay at Howard, Brenda was a member of the Olympic Festival Team each year and was also invited to the 1984 Olympic Trails in the long jump competition. In 1986, she received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for her stellar performance in track and field. Brenda earned her computer-based information system degree from Howard’s School of Business in 1986. Currently, she is a senior consultant for the accounting firm of Ernst and Young in Houston, Texas. As a senior consultant she is responsible for designing and building computer systems

The originator of Howard University’s Taekwondo program, Dong Ja Yang expressed a passion for his sport and was extremely involved in the Taekwondo community. Dong was the chairman of the AAU National Taekwondo Union from 1979-1984. From 1984- 1988, Dong was a member of the Executive Board of the United States Olympic Committee. Dong earned a doctorate degree in counseling psychology and also introduced Taekwondo to 77 colleges in the United States from 1977 to 1983. During these years, he was essential in helping raise Taekwondo to an Olympic status. He taught Taekwondo for 35 years at Howard. In 1988, three of his students earned medals in the Olympics in Taekwondo: Lynnette Love, Debra Holloway, and Sharon Jewell. Dong was presented with an award from Congressman Ralph Metcalfe for his work in bringing women to Taekwondo and was elected to the Taekwondo Hall of Fame. He holds a 9th degree black belt.

James Terry attended Howard University from 1975 until 1978. During his tenure as a member of the Howard University men’s basketball program, Teri played all four seasons for the Bison and received all-tournament honors three of the four years in which he played. After his productive career, Terry was drafted by the then, Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards). After a short stint, he went on to the CBA where he played for the Maine Lumberjacks, an affiliate of the Bullets. He continued his career when he went on play in the European Basketball League for 14 seasons. Terry received his degree in political science and is currently a sales and marketing account manager for Fleets

Elijah Thurmon, an Anne Arundel County, Maryland native, was a triple sport threat from Meade Senior High School. Although Elijah’s primary sport was basketball, he earned a football scholarship to Howard University and took advantage of the opportunity, setting several MEAC records, and ending his senior year ranked number one in the IAA. Elijah was considered a Consensus All- American since he had earned every award available in the IAA, such as Associated Press All- American, NCAA Academic All- American, Howard University Excellence Award recipient, and others. Elijah signed his first professional contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He went on to play with the Oakland Raiders, where he was coached and inspired by NFL Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff. As a Raider, Elijah played alongside Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. Elijah is currently playing and coaching in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes—the 2008 Grey Cup team—where he continues to excel and demonstrate his passion for the game

Benjamin Harris is considered one of the all-time greatest defensive football players at Howard University and in the MEAC. This Floridian arrived at Howard as a heralded recruit. From his first practice it was clear that he was in a league of this own. Benjamin is a four[1]time All MEAC performer. He is also a two-time NCAA II Football First Team All American. Against MEAC rival North Carolina A&T University, Benjamin made 13 unassisted tackles, two assisted tackles, and sacked the quarterback twice. For this game he was named “Jet Magazine Player of the Week.” During his football career at Howard he was named as “Jet Player of the Week” multiple times.

Gosnell White was one of the first recruits of Hall of Fame Coach William P. Moultrie. Gosnell came to Howard after a stellar high school career in Charlotte, North Carolina where he successfully competed in varsity basketball, and track and field. Gosnell was a member of the Howard University 4x4 relay team that competed in the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Provo, Utah. He has the honor of being the first Howard University NCAA Division I All American—an honor he achieved three times. Coach Moultrie said Gosnell was the best lead-off man in the country. Gosnell was a member of many record-setting relay teams at Howard: Nations Fastest Time 4x400 Relay – 1975, All MEAC 4x400 Relay – 1975 and 1977, and Howard University Record 4x400 Relays – 1977 Texas Relays. After graduating, Gosnell began his basketball coaching career. His accomplishments continue as a coach: 7 times conference tournament, 5 consecutive North Carolina Regional High School appearances, #8 Nationally Ranked High School Team, USA Today Top 25 High School Basketball Poll 1998-1999, and 10-time Conference Coach of the Year. During his summers, Gosnell coaches summer basketball camp at Duke University with Coach Mike Krzyzewski (and has coached previously with Coach Dean Smith). He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Raneika Bean was born on January 22, 1983 and spent her early years on the lovely island of Bermuda before moving to the USA where she completed high school. Raneika has always been athletically inclined and during her early years, she participated in many sports which included gymnastics, track and field and soccer. While she was also academically inclined, her love for sports filled her schedule from a very early age. Sports kept her very busy, and she spent many hours per week training for one sport or another until she finally had to decide on which sports, she would dedicate her time to as she was being pulled in many directions. She chooses to concentrate on track and field and soccer and was successfully able to balance the two very well. She represented her county in many sporting competitions and has collected a plethora of awards because of her success. In 1998, Raneika broke a record in the Carita Games for running 100m in a time of 11.28 seconds. Although she did very well in track and field, her first love was soccer and when it was time to apply for college, she had her mind set on focusing only on soccer. She was offered a soccer scholarship to attend Howard University by coach Michelle Street who was impressed with her skills when she saw her play while in Bermuda when she was 14 years old. Raneika gladly accepted the scholarship. She is very grateful to Coach Street for believing in her talent and offering her a life changing opportunity. During the beginning of her career at Howard Raneika scored 19 goals in her first season and 21 goals in her second season. She holds several individual school records and was ranked among the nation’s best during her career in goals. She led Howard to its first winning season at 10-8

Fred Hill is another athlete in a long line of outstanding Bison basketball players. Fred was a member of the All-MEAC Rookie Team 1984, All MEAC Tournament Team 1984 and 1985, All MEAC Team 1985 and 1986, and MEAC Season Championship in 1985 and 1986. During Fred’s distinguished career he hit the winning basket to give Howard University its only win against city rival George Washington University. He scored over 1,200 points during his career as one of the most successful tenures of Bison Men’s Basketball.

Antoine Bethea was a three-year starter and played in 37 career games. He made 309 tackles, including 187 solo stops, during his four-year career at Howard University. Antoine racked up seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and seven interceptions as a sophomore (2003). During his time at Howard, he was a three-time All-MEAC selection, three-time Black College All-American and two-time All-American. Antoine was selected during the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts as a safety. He currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers. As a pro, Antoine has appeared in two Super Bowls, winning one with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006. He has registered 836 tackles since 2006, which leads all active defensive backs. He earned the 2012 Ed Block Courage Award. Antoine has also been an invaluable member of the community off the field by starting the Save Coverage Foundation, with the goal to help youth stay in school and receive a valuable education. Antoine hosted an inaugural college tour for youth from Newport News, Virginia to Howard University. The Safe Coverage College Tour aims to build a connection between inner-city high school students and universities by exposing teenagers to campus life through visits, and meetings with college counselors and faculty.

Born in Tableland, Carlton Hinds attended Nelson Street Boy’s R.C. School before entering Queen’s Royal College. After leaving school, Carlton joined some of his friends in Malvern to represent the N.A.F.L in inter-league competition. After gaining numerous honors, the league moved to the second division, winning the B.V.D. cup in 1946. Before this accomplishment, Carlton was invited to the trials in 1945 for the tour of British Guiana early the next year. He scored multiple goals and gained selection on the team but saw very little action on the tour. Carlton then went on to play on the “Family XI” at inside right when Haiti was visitors and earned the nickname “Prince of Forwards.” He became a fixture on the national team and in 1952, toured Suriname with a West Indies Select team. He was captain of that team in the final test. Carlton visited Great Britain with the Trinidad team in 1953, but unlike many of his teammates, he continued to play at the national level. His last big match was in 1955 against the visiting English F.A. team. That year he joined the Sporting Club and when that club won the League Shield the following year, he was a member of the team. Afterwards, he moved to the USA to pursue his education at Howard University, graduating with a degree in civil engineering.

James Edward “Jim” Bradford was born and raised in Washington D.C., graduating from Armstrong High School in 1946 and Howard University in 1974. Jim received a master’s degree in library science from Federal City College in 1976 and a master’s degree in management and supervision from the Washington branch of Central Michigan University in 1979. As a junior heavyweight-lifting competitor, Jim won the AAU Junior Championship in 1950, and the 1960 and 1961 heavyweight titles. Jim also competed at the 1952 and 1960 Olympics, and the 1951, 1954, 1955, and 1959 world championships. He won silver medals on all appearances. Jim passed on September 13, 2013 at age 84 of heart failure. His legacy lives on through his wife, Grace Robertson Bradford, and three children, James E. Bradford Jr., Sharleen B. Kavetski, and Jo Bradford.

Laura Bonner Phillip Samotshozo was born and raised in New York City (South Bronx and West Harlem). She came to Howard University to study mechanical engineering. During her freshman year, she enrolled in Elementary Taekwondo to fulfill a physical education requirement. Shortly afterwards, she joined the taekwondo club where she met her husband, the late Samotshozo Phillip Samotshozo. Under the leadership of Dr. Yang, she made the tenets of taekwondo (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit) an essential part of her everyday life and earned a black belt degree. From 1981 through 1986, Mrs. Samotshozo became a national collegiate taekwondo champion five-times in the women’s black belt sparring category. In 1986, she represented Howard and the United States at the 1st World University Taekwondo Championships and earned a silver medal in her division. In 1987, she also earned a silver medal in the Pan American Team Trials. Since retiring from sparring competition, Mrs. Samotshozo has coached and mentored many athletes to help them set and achieve goals. This includes her three sons (Ernest, Wardell, and James) all of whom earned their third-degree black belts and made the taekwondo junior national team before attending Howard University. In February of this year, she served as a referee official at the 2016 Virginia State AAU Taekwondo Championship & National Qualifier. In addition to earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Howard University, she holds several degrees and professional certifications, and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Science degree in Cybersecurity

Arthur Cox, a native New Yorker, is one of the most outstanding wrestlers in Howard University and MEAC history, as a four-time conference champion (CIAA and MEAC). Arthur led the team to multiple team championships. He utilized his speed, strength, and vast knowledge of wrestling to dominate his opponents. Arthur is a graduate of Howard’s School of Architecture and successfully applied his trade for many years. During his stellar wrestling career, he competed in multiple weight classes (142, 150, and 177) to support the success of his team. In addition to his other accomplishments, he was also team captain for four years, NCAA II Qualifier three years, and All MEAC for four years.

Colonel Eugene (Gene) Davis was a basketball player at Cardozo High School in Washington, DC. After high school graduation in 1965, Gene was recruited by Coach Marshall Emery to Howard University to use those athletic talents honed in the DC Inter High. Gene was a valuable member of the Howard basketball team from 1965-1969 and was appointed team captain during the 1968-69 school year. Gene joined several other local high school stars at Howard to produce exciting and fast-paced basketball. As a 6’3” swing man, Gene was proficient starting games and giving the team a lift as the sixth man. As evidence of his defensive skill and shooting prowess, Gene was named to the DC Metropolitan Area Basketball Collegiate All Metro Team in 1969. Gene was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry though the Army ROTC Program at Howard University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1969 and designated an Army ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. He earned a Master of Education Degree from Howard in 1984. Gene commanded light infantry, air assault infantry, and combat aviation units. He had tours of duty as Chief of Staff for US Army Aviation Troop Command and Chief of Staff for the National Defense University.