Sports Envoy
Sports Envoy Program

Year: 2019

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2005  –  Senegal
  • 2006  –  Senegal
  • 2019  –  Italy

One of the most decorated players in the history of women’s basketball, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke returns to lead the Texas Southern women’s basketball program as its head coach.

Cooper-Dyke served as TSU’s head coach during the 2012-13 season before taking the reins at her alma mater, Southern California. She led the Lady Tigers to a 20-12 record and a trip to the postseason Women’s NIT in her only season at TSU. She had a 70-57 record in four seasons at USC before stepping down in 2017. Cooper-Dyke provided color commentary for Texas Southern basketball home broadcasts on AT&T Sports Net Houston during the 2017-18 season.

Cooper-Dyke arrived at TSU in 2012 after spending the past two seasons at UNC-Wilmington where she led the Seahawks to two of their most successful campaigns in 2010-11 and 2011-12, guiding the squad to a school-record 24 victories (2010) and its second consecutive postseason appearance with an at-large berth in the 2012 Postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament. During the 2010-11 season UNCW was victorious in its first postseason contest, recording a 63-54 victory over Richmond before falling to Eastern Michigan in the second round.

That same year Cooper-Dyke was named CAA Coach-of-the-Year, marking the third time in her six-year collegiate coaching career that she has earned Coach-of-the-Year accolades. Freshman point guard Alisha Andrews garnered CAA Rookie-of-the-Year honors, while seniors Brittany Blackwell and Martha White were First and Second-Team All-Conference selections, respectively. All three players were named to the league’s All-Defensive Team.

Cooper-Dyke also achieved a personal milestone during the 2010-11 season, recording her 100th collegiate coaching victory with an 85-68 triumph at Northeastern on Jan. 23, 2011.

Cooper-Dyke was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August, 13, 2010. Part of the largest induction class in the Hall of Fame’s history, Cooper-Dyke was enshrined along with Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen, longtime LA Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, St. Anthony’s (N.J.) high-school coach Bob Hurley, Sr., as well as former players Dennis Johnson, Gus Johnson and international star Maciel “Ubiratan” Pereira, all of whom will be honored posthumously. Also included in the enshrinement ceremony were the 1960 and 1992 US Men’s Olympic teams.

The former college great, Olympic gold medalist and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Most Valuable Player was named the ninth head coach in UNCW’s history on May 10, 2010 following a successful five-year stint at Prairie View A&M in central Texas.

Cooper-Dyke joined the Prairie View program in May of 2005 and guided the Lady Panthers to their first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) regular season title, SWAC Tournament crown and NCAA Tournament berth in 2006-07, collecting conference Coach-of-the-Year honors.

PVAMU repeated as SWAC regular season champions in 2008 and 2009 under Cooper-Dyke. The 2008 club made its first appearance in the WNIT and Cooper-Dyke was voted SWAC Coach-of-the-Year for the second time in 2009 after leading the Panthers to their second NCAA Tournament appearance.

Born in Chicago but raised in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, Cooper-Dyke was a four-year standout at Southern California, where she sparked the Women of Troy to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1983 and 1984. She later completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Prairie View A&M.

Cooper-Dyke collected five medals while representing the United States. She won a gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, captured gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, claimed gold at the 1986 and 1990 FIBA World Championships and won bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.

Cooper-Dyke began her professional career overseas and played 10 seasons in Spain and Italy. She returned to the United States in 1997 to play with the Houston Comets of the newly-formed WNBA.

She subsequently led the Comets to four consecutive WNBA championships and was named WNBA Finals MVP four times. Cooper-Dyke was voted the league’s MVP in 1997 and 1998 and was a four-time WNBA All-Star before retiring in 2000.

Cooper-Dyke moved into the coaching ranks in 2001 as the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury and spent two seasons on the sidelines before returning to the Comets’ playing roster briefly until an injury curtailed her season in 2003. She announced her final retirement prior to the start of the 2004 campaign and finished as Houston’s all-time leader in scoring (2,601 points), free throw percentage (.871) and assists (602).

Cooper-Dyke, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, has also been active beyond the basketball court. In 2000, she published her autobiography, “She Got Game: My Personal Odyssey,” chronicling her childhood, basketball career and her mother’s battle with breast cancer.

Chasity Melvin

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2019  –  Albania
  • 2019  –  Kosovo

Chasity Melvin currently lives in Raleigh NC and works for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. She is the Director of High School Play4Kay and Coordinator Developer. Chasity is also host of her own podcast True Sports Talk Radio and recently self published At The End of the Day her first book .

Not only is she known for her stellar basketball career , her success with tendencies outside of sport includes giving back to the game by developing players and coaching them. Her athletic experience combined with her engaging personality with off-court activities makes her one of a kind.

Chasity played in the WNBA for 12 seasons, Cleveland Rockers, Chicago Sky, and the Washington Mystics. She also played internationally for 14 years in Spain, Russia, Poland, S Korea, Italy, Israel, Turkey, and China amassing championships throughout the world. She solidified her athletic prowess as one of the few females to play in all 3 professional leagues, the ABL, the WNBA and win multiple championships abroad in Europe.

Cappie Pondexter

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2019  –  Malaysia

Cappie Pondexter is a former NBA player who is known for her play style, quick crossovers, and midrange jumpshot. In 2011, she was voted as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history.

In high school she was close friends with basketball star Dee Brown and played for John Marshall Metropolitan HS in Chicago where she was named a WBCA All-American. She also took part in the 2001 WBCA HS All-American Game where she scored 16 points and earned MVP. Pondexter attended college at Rutgers University. She led the Scarlet Knights to a 97–22 record and back-to-back Big East Championships in 2005 and 2006.

Cappie was drafted as the 2nd overall pick by Phoenix Mercury in the 2006 WNBA draft. As a rookie, she was picked to the western conference WNBA All-Star team. In 2007, she was named the WNBA Finals’ Most Valuable Player after she averaged 22 points per game. To celebrate the WNBA’s twentieth anniversary in 2016, she was named in the WNBA Top 20@20.

Alex Shibutani

Ice Dancing

Served as envoy

  • 2017  –  South Korea
  • 2018  –  Japan
  • 2019  –  Japan

Maia and Alex Shibutani, known to audiences around the world as the “ShibSibs,” are the sister-brother ice dancing duo who captured two Olympic bronze medals at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Their dedication and hard work, skating together for 14 years, paid off as they became the first U.S. team of siblings to earn an Olympic medal in ice dancing and the first in the world to do so since 1992. The Shibutanis also made history in South Korea as the first ice dancers of Asian descent to claim an Olympic medal.

Maia, born in NYC and Alex, born in Boston, MA, spent their early years growing up in Boston, MA and Old Greenwich, CT. Maia and Alex decided to take up ice dancing when she was 9 and he was 12 after their family traveled to Washington, D.C., to see the 2003 World Championships. They were so enthralled by the ice dancing competition that they became a team shortly afterward.

During their first year competing, they earned a silver medal at the U.S. Junior Championships (2005) at the Juvenile level. From 2006-2007, they lived and trained in Colorado Springs, and won unprecedented back-to-back National titles at the Intermediate (2006) and Novice levels (2007). As they advanced to the Junior level, they relocated to Michigan to train alongside the top ice dance teams in the world. They debuted internationally with a gold at their first Junior Grand Prix at the ages of 14 and 17. They won silver medal at the 2009 World Junior Championships, and the Junior ice dance title at the 2010 U.S. Championships.

Upon advancing to the senior level, Maia and Alex made a historic debut on the international circuit in 2010, becoming the first ice dance team ever to medal at both of their Grand Prix events during a rookie season. By earning a silver medal at the 2011 Four Continents Championship, they became the first ice dancers of Asian heritage to medal at a major ISU championship. During the 2011 World Championships, they became the first American ice dancers to medal at their Worlds debut. At just 16 and 19, they were the second youngest team in the history of the sport (and youngest since 1962) to medal at the World Championships. They secured a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team, competing at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, competing as the second youngest team in the field and placing ninth.

Maia and Alex went on to win the national crown in both 2016 and 2017. Maia and Alex are the only ice dance team to medal at every level of national competition over consecutive years, standing on the podium at each of the 14 years that they have competed. A gold medal at the 2016 Four Continents Championships marked their first ISU Championship title. They returned to the World Championships medal podium, earning a silver medal in 2016 and the bronze in 2017. Their bronze-performance secured three spots for the United States at the 2018 Olympic Games.

Maia Shibutani

Ice Dancing

Served as envoy

  • 2017  –  South Korea
  • 2018  –  Japan
  • 2019  –  Japan

Maia and Alex Shibutani, known to audiences around the world as the “ShibSibs,” are the sister-brother ice dancing duo who captured two Olympic bronze medals at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Their dedication and hard work, skating together for 14 years, paid off as they became the first U.S. team of siblings to earn an Olympic medal in ice dancing and the first in the world to do so since 1992. The Shibutanis also made history in South Korea as the first ice dancers of Asian descent to claim an Olympic medal.

Maia, born in NYC and Alex, born in Boston, MA, spent their early years growing up in Boston, MA and Old Greenwich, CT. Maia and Alex decided to take up ice dancing when she was 9 and he was 12 after their family traveled to Washington, D.C., to see the 2003 World Championships. They were so enthralled by the ice dancing competition that they became a team shortly afterward.

During their first year competing, they earned a silver medal at the U.S. Junior Championships (2005) at the Juvenile level. From 2006-2007, they lived and trained in Colorado Springs, and won unprecedented back-to-back National titles at the Intermediate (2006) and Novice levels (2007). As they advanced to the Junior level, they relocated to Michigan to train alongside the top ice dance teams in the world. They debuted internationally with a gold at their first Junior Grand Prix at the ages of 14 and 17. They won silver medal at the 2009 World Junior Championships, and the Junior ice dance title at the 2010 U.S. Championships.

Upon advancing to the senior level, Maia and Alex made a historic debut on the international circuit in 2010, becoming the first ice dance team ever to medal at both of their Grand Prix events during a rookie season. By earning a silver medal at the 2011 Four Continents Championship, they became the first ice dancers of Asian heritage to medal at a major ISU championship. During the 2011 World Championships, they became the first American ice dancers to medal at their Worlds debut. At just 16 and 19, they were the second youngest team in the history of the sport (and youngest since 1962) to medal at the World Championships. They secured a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team, competing at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, competing as the second youngest team in the field and placing ninth.

Maia and Alex went on to win the national crown in both 2016 and 2017. Maia and Alex are the only ice dance team to medal at every level of national competition over consecutive years, standing on the podium at each of the 14 years that they have competed. A gold medal at the 2016 Four Continents Championships marked their first ISU Championship title. They returned to the World Championships medal podium, earning a silver medal in 2016 and the bronze in 2017. Their bronze-performance secured three spots for the United States at the 2018 Olympic Games.

Angela Meyer

Kickboxing

Mixed Martial Arts

Served as envoy

  • 2019  –  Pakistan
  • 2020  –  Kyrgyzstan

Angela Meyer is an internationally known teacher, public speaker and activist. She has worked in the favelas of Brazil, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, taught young girls self defense in Pakistan and Nairobi, Kenya.

She is a black belt in self defense, a competitive Muay Thai fighter and Boxer, renowned yoga instructor, leads yoga teacher trainings and retreats, is a Budokon Brown Belt and Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt.

Angela has also worked at an AIDS Hospice for homeless men and women in Washington DC for over 15 years, is an End of Life Care Counselor, Buddhist Chaplain and has a Masters of Divinity.

In addition, Angela is the Empowerment Director for Global Journalist Security, leading hostile environment trainings both domestically and abroad, owner of Warrior Woman Republic, and columnist for Elephant Journal.

She loves to laugh, play with kids, and if not wearing black boots, you’ll find her barefoot in the grass.

Linda Hamilton

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2007  –  Philippines
  • 2010  –  Ivory Coast
  • 2011  –  Brazil
  • 2013  –  Chile
  • 2014  –  Bangladesh
  • 2015  –  Burma
  • 2016  –  China
  • 2019  –  Egypt

Linda Hamilton enters her fifth season as head coach of the Southwestern women’s soccer team, coming off a season in which she was named the SCAC Coach of the Year, leading the Pirates to the SCAC Championship match.

Hamilton brings a wealth of experience to the program, both as a player and coach. She played collegiately at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina, earning All-America status and all-conference honors all four years. She was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 1988. Hamilton was a member of the United States National Team, where she played in 82 international matches. She helped the team to a World Cup gold medal in 1991 and bronze in 1995.

Hamilton, who owns a United States Soccer Federation “A” coaching license, got her start in coaching at Old Dominion University as the team’s head coach from 1993 to 1995. She later served as an assistant at Hofstra University (2006-2007) and most recently served as head coach at the University of North Florida (2007-2013). She has additionally worked with the Easter Seals and National Multiple Sclerosis Society (2002-2006), serving as director of development.

Jim Cleamons

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2018  –  Algeria
  • 2019  –  Tanzania

Jim Cleamons, who was born in Lincolnton, NC and moved to Ohio before high school, played nine NBA seasons and later became a NBA assistant coach and head coach, most famously assisting legendary head coach Phil Jackson during three-peats with the Chicago Bulls from 1991 to 1993 and with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 to 2002.

A standout at Columbus, Ohio’s Linden-McKinley High after moving from Lincolnton, Cleamons was a four-year starter at Ohio State from 1967 to 1971, beginning his career on the Buckeyes’ freshman team before three years on the varsity.

Playing for legendary coach Fred Taylor, Cleamons scored 1,335 career points in 72 varsity games and capped his career as the Buckeyes’ captain and an All-Big Ten selection in 1971 when the team finished 20-6 and lost in the Elite Eight to Western Kentucky.

A first-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971, Cleamons played on a 1972 NBA championship team before helping the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first-ever playoff appearance in 1976 while also earning All-NBA defense honor in 1976. Cleamons later capped a nine-year NBA career that lasted 652 games with the New York Knicks and Washington Bullets (now Wizards).

In 1982, Cleamons began a 34-year coaching career that took him to college at Furman (1982-83), Ohio State (1983-87) and Youngstown State (1987-89) and eventually the pros with the Chicago Bulls (1989-96), Dallas Mavericks (1996-97), Los Angeles Lakers (1999-2004), New Orleans Hornets (2004-06), Los Angeles Lakers (2006-11), Milwaukee Bucks (2013-14) and New York Knicks (2014-16) of the NBA, the Chicago Condors (1998-99) of the American Basketball League and the Zhejiang Guangsha (2011-12) of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Cleamons’ time with Youngstown State and the Mavericks was as a head coach.

Gawen DeAngelo “Bonzi” Wells

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2019  –  China

Gawen DeAngelo “Bonzi” Wells is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Ball State University and was drafted in the 1998 NBA Draft.

Chris Henderson

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2019  –  China

Chris Henderson works as a Partnership Management Analyst for the NBA 2K League, focusing on League Marketing and Partnerships.