Adele Mears
 Mears in 2026 | |||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Field hockey | ||||||||||||
| Position | Center halfback | ||||||||||||
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Adele Mears is an American former field hockey player. She played in college for the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs, where she co-captained two national championship teams and was a first-team All-American. In 2026, she was selected for induction to the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.
Biography
[edit]Mears grew up in Lewes, Delaware.[1] She attended Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes where she competed in field hockey, basketball and softball and was a top performer in each sport.[2] Mears was a member of Cape Henlopen's field hockey team which compiled a record of 47–5 from 1976 to 1979.[3] In Mears's senior year, the team went 16–0 with 15 shutouts, outscoring their opponents 63 to 2 while winning their first state title in the sport.[4] Mears was named second-team All-Henlopen Conference in field hockey in 1977 and then first-team all-conference in 1978 and 1979.[2][5][6] As a senior, she was considered the top defensive player in the state.[7] Mears also was a top basketball player, earning honorable mention all-state honors at point guard as a junior and then second-team all-state as a senior when she helped Cape Henlopen to a 20–1[a] record with a conference title.[2] She was co-team captain of the 1979–80 basketball team.[11] She graduated from high school in 1980.[1] After high school, she signed to play college field hockey for the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs on a full scholarship.[9]
Mears attended Old Dominion from 1980 to 1983, where she was a physical education major.[1][2][12] She did not play for most of the 1981 season, her sophomore year, due to a tearing ligaments in her right knee.[1][12] Mears, a center halfback, was then one of Old Dominion's top defensive players in 1982 and 1983 and served as co-team captain both years.[1][12] She helped the 1982 team to a record of 20–1.[13] At the 1982 NCAA Division I field hockey tournament, she scored the game-winning goal in overtime in a 4–3 win over the Penn State Lady Lions and then helped the Lady Monarchs to a 3–2 win over defending champion Connecticut in the finals to win the national title.[13][14] As a senior in 1983, Mears helped Old Dominion to a record of 19–1 and their second consecutive national championship, a 3–1 win against Connecticut in triple overtime.[2][15] She was selected a first-team All-American by the U.S. Field Hockey Association for her performance.[16]
Cape Gazette writer Dave Frederick described Mears as "one of Cape's greatest athletes of all time".[17] In 2026, she was selected for induction to the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.[10]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Ireland, Jack (November 30, 1983). "Change of scene spells success for Sherwin". The Morning News. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "2026 HOF Inductees". Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. March 18, 2026. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ Frederick, Dave (April 9, 2004). "Bobby Jacobs was right - the possibilities are limitless". Cape Gazette – via SmallTownPapers.
- ↑ Frederick, Dave (November 22, 2013). "Consistency, not dynasty, for Cape hockey". Cape Gazette. p. 96 – via SmallTownPapers.
- ↑ Ireland, Jack (November 30, 1977). "Henlopen taps Ivins top coach". The Morning News. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Rodgers, West Head Henlopen All-Stars List". The Daily Times. November 22, 1978. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Frederick, Dave (December 15, 1995). "Mooning Delaware no longer acceptable". Cape Gazette. p. 51 – via SmallTownPapers.
- ↑ Ireland, Jack (December 7, 1980). "Cape Henlopen has talent to replace five lost starters". The Morning News. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 Ireland, Jack (March 16, 1980). "Len Chasanov can't get opportunity to knock on his door". The News Journal. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 Tresolini, Kevin (March 22, 2026). "Honoring the heroes of sports". The News Journal. p. C5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Durante, Chuck (February 24, 1980). "Are the girls taking over?". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 "Cape grad Mears to start for ODU in field hockey". The News Journal. November 20, 1982. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "Field Hockey 1982". Old Dominion Monarchs. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Lock Haven Wins Field Hockey Title". The Patriot-News. November 21, 1982. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Field Hockey 1983". Old Dominion Monarchs. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Field hockey stars". USA Today. December 2, 1983. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Frederick, Dave (October 12, 2012). "Tweety and Adele: two of the best-ever athletes at Cape". Cape Gazette.