FOREST, Va. -- UC Irvine men's basketball head coach Russell Turner is a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's Hall of Fame inaugural class.

To celebrate the ODAC's 50th anniversary, the class honors 50 of the conference's all-time great student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. All inductees were directly selected by conference member schools.

"This inaugural Hall of Fame class embodies the heart and soul of the ODAC," explained ODAC Commissioner Brad Bankston. "They are champions, leaders, and trailblazers whose influence reaches far beyond wins and championships. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we are proud to honor individuals whose dedication and spirit have left an indelible mark on the conference and inspired all who have been part of our story."

Turner, who was a star at Hampden-Sydney from 1989-92, was named ODAC Player of the Year in 1992 as well as a four-time All-ODAC first team selection and a three-time ODAC All-Tournament choice (1989, 1991-92).

He is the only two-time All-American in school history, being named National Association of Basketball Coaches first team All-America in 1992 and United States Basketball Writers Association second team All-America in 1991.

Turner led Hampden-Sydney to the 1989 and 1992 ODAC Men's Basketball Tournament Championships, and two NCAA Tournament appearances, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 1992.

Turner remains the school's career scoring leader with 2,272 points, the only player to surpass the 2,000 points plateau. He also holds the Hampden-Sydney record for points in a season (680) and average points in his career (21.6).

In 1992, he was named the Hampden-Sydney Gammon Cup winner which is awarded annually to the student-athlete in the graduating class who has best served the College and are considered for their character, scholarship and athletic ability.

Turner was as impressive in the classroom as the court, garnering First Team Academic All-American honors in 1992. He graduated magna cum laude in 1992 with a B.A. in English and economics, earning numerous academic honors including election into Phi Beta Kappa.

Turner, who was inducted into Hampden-Sydney's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002, will enter his 16^th season at the helm of the Anteaters with a 321-187 career record. He ranks third among Big West coaches all-time.

He's guided UC Irvine to nine postseason appearances, including two NCAA Tournament berths (2015 and 2019). Turner has been named Big West Coach of the Year four times and has led the team to seven Big West regular season titles in the past 12 seasons. UCI advanced to the championship of the NIT last season, going 32-7 overall, a school record for wins.