Oliver W. Jordan, III

Class of 2000 / Inducted 2010 / Football

Oliver William Jordan, III is a native of Clifton Forge, Virginia. The 2010 Emory & Henry Sports Hall of Fame inductee was a standout on the gridiron. Jordan was one of the most prolific running backs in school and conference history and holds school records for career carries (721), rushing yards (4,059), and touchdowns (43).

Jordan, a running back, played for the Wasps from 1996-99. In both 1997 and 1998, he led the ODAC in rushing, with 1,380 yards and 1,297 yards, respectively. In a game against Greensboro College in 1998, he had 310 rushing yards and four touchdowns – both single-game school records. That year he was named the State of Virginia Player of the Year and ODAC Player of the Year, as well as earning All-America honors. He was elected co-captain and earned All-America honors both his junior and senior years.

Jordan rewrote the record books during his collegiate career. He holds the national record for average yards per carry in a game at 19.6 yards, a record previously held by Billy “Whiteshoes” Johnson, who went on to a lengthy career in the NFL. Jordan once held the ODAC records for career rushing touchdowns (43) and career points (280). He also ranks second in ODAC history for career kickoff return average, coming in at 26.1 %.

After graduating, Jordan found employment as supervisor of patient access services at the Ohio State University Medical Center. He is the owner of Excelerate Sports, LLC.