The Roanoker - May/June 2018 - 85

25 Y E A R S O F AT H L E T E S

waived by Memphis Grizzlies, played
briefly for Panionios in the Greek
basketball league. Works for Lamkin
Wealth Management as a financial
advisor in Louisville.

7. Danny
Karbassiyoon

Danny Karbassiyoon was a
member of the Roanoke Stars soccer
team while in high school. He played
one year at Northside High and was
in the class of 2003. Generally, the
best soccer players play on traveling
teams and not for their high
schools. He was part of the Olympic
Development team and the U.S.
National Under 18 team. He won
the Golden Boot Award as the top
offensive player at the Adidas Elite
Soccer Program. Karbassiyoon was
offered college scholarships by Duke
and Virginia (top-tier programs) but
signed with Arsenal of the English
Soccer League, the first American
to do so out of high school. At 20,
he became the youngest American
to score a goal in an English soccer
match, a winner against Manchester
City. He played for Ipswich Town

and Burnley in English Premier
League. A knee injury cut short his
pro career. He is an Arsenal scout in
the U.S. now, and recently published
his memoir "The Arsenal Yankee"
about his years with Arsenal.

8. Amy Layman

Amy Layman made her reputation
as an all-state softball pitcher and
outfielder at Glenvar High School
(class of 1997) in Roanoke County,
then became Roanoke College's first
All-American in the sport. She was
a noted golfer, as well. As a softball
player, she was a three-time ODAC
Player of the Year (the only player
designated thus three times) and led
Roanoke to four conference titles, four
trips to NCAA playoffs and two trips
to the Division III College World
Series.

9. Carrie Moore
O'Keeffe

Carrie Moore O'Keeffe was a
Patrick Henry High (class of 1996),
William and Mary and pro soccer
player (Washington Freedom) and a

Many of these athletes
weren't just good on the
field, they were and are
contributing members of
their communities.
member of the athletic halls of fame
at each school. She was captain and
MVP of championship soccer teams
at PH and also played volleyball
and basketball, and she ran cross
country and indoor/outdoor track
and basketball. Her senior volleyball
team was a state runner-up. At
W&M O'Keeffe helped to lead
the soccer team to four straight
conference championships and
NCAA tournament appearances.
She was first or second team allconference each year, as well as
MVP in 1999. She was named to the
CAA Silver Anniversary Team. She
played and coached six years for the
Washington Freedom Soccer Club
(teammates included Olympians Mia
Hamm and Abby Wambach). She
was a WUSA All-Star in 2002 and
named to the 2003 Soccer America
all-WUSA team. Named Hollins
University soccer coach in 2007 and
also coached at Patrick Henry.

10. Abby Oliver

AMY LAYMAN, GRAYSON OVERSTREET, J.J. REDICK: COURTESY OF BRIAN HOFFMAN

AMY L AY MAN

CA RRIE MOORE O'KE EFFE

Abby Oliver, Hidden Valley
High School (class of 2008) and the
University Richmond basketball. Was

a key player for the Titans' 2007 and
2008 state titles, runner-up in 2006.
She was River Ridge District Player of
the Year in 2007 and 2008, a two-time
All-Timesland Player of the Year and a
two-time all-state choice. At Richmond
she was the 7th leading all-time scorer
(1,488 points), the A-10 Conference
Sixth Player of the year 2009-2010 and
first team all-conference in 2012. She
led the nation free throw percentage.
Oliver played professionally for Elizur
Netanya in Israel, where war disrupted
her career. Oliver was named director
of basketball operations at Radford
University in 2013 and moved to Foot
Levelers in Roanoke as a sales rep after
a little more than two years at Radford.
She is a personal trainer at Carilion
Wellness.

11. Grayson
Overstreet

Grayson Overstreet of Staunton
River High School in Moneta (class
of 2018) is a football player who
broke O.J. Thomason's "unbreakable"
rushing record during his last season
(2017) with more than 2,900 yards.
He passed Thomason, ironically,
against Thomason's alma mater,
William Byrd. He also smashed
the state record for touchdowns in
a career. Overstreet was Virginia's
Player of the Year in 2017 and has
signed to play in college at the
University of Richmond.

12. J.J. Redick

ABBY OL IVE R

TheRoanoker.com

GRAYSON OVERSTREET

J. J. R ED ICK

J.J Redick, Cave Spring basketball
player (class of 2002) and consensus
MAY/JUNE 2018

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