Hall of Fame
Delise S. O’Meally, a native of Montego Bay, Jamaica, came to Morgan State University in 1991 by way of the University of the West Indies and New York. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Communication/Journalism in 1993. The winner of two Jamaican National Junior titles between the ages of 14 and 18, Ms. O’Meally had taken time away from tennis before accepting an athletic scholarship to play for Morgan; however, she took full advantage of the opportunity and wasted no time adding her name into Lady Bear history.
Selected as a team captain, Ms. O’Meally played number one singles and doubles her entire three year career. She won all but two of sixteen matches during her first season back on the court in 1991, and she followed that effort up with an undefeated regular season record during the 1992 season. During her senior season, Ms. O’Meally won the 1993 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship and was selected as the 1993 MEAC Outstanding Performer after defeating Stephanie Johnson of Howard University in the number one singles match 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. In recognition of her accomplishments, she was selected as the 1993 Morgan State Female Athlete of the Year and as the 1993 NCAA Woman of the Year for Morgan State University. Ms. O’Meally was also selected to be a member of the Jamaican national team for the 1993 World University Games.
Consequently, Ms. O’Meally was not only standout on the tennis court while at Morgan, but she also began an illustrious career in collegiate athletics administration at the University after completing her athletic career. Ms. O’Meally spent five years in athletics administration at Morgan State serving as Assistant Director of Sports Information, Director of Compliance and finally Assistant Athletics Director for Internal Operations before leaving to work at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1997. While at the NCAA, she provided leadership in several areas including Academic and Membership Affairs, Governance, and International Affairs. With almost 20 years of service at the NCAA, Ms. O’Meally has become recognized as a vocal advocate for equitable opportunities for women and people of color, and a passionate believer in the unique power of sports to break down barriers and contribute to a peaceful and just society. She is also a prominent voice in international university sports, serving as the Secretary General of the United States International University Sports Federation (USIUSF), the third secretary general in the organization’s almost 50-year history and the first woman in that role.
Ms. O’Meally earned an MBA from Morgan State University in 1997, a Juris Doctorate from the Indiana University School of Law in 2007, and is admitted to the Indiana Bar. She currently resides in Orlando, Florida, where she is the Executive Director of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS), a non-profit organization of over 250 members that uses the power of sport to effect positive societal change. She and her eleven year old twin daughters Cameron and Casey, whom she has coached since they were 3, can be found most weekends on the tennis courts.
