Virginia Union University is proud to announce that seven individuals will be inducted into the VUU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Al Bowers, Dr. Lucille M. Brown, Mike Crawley, Moses Golatt, Danielle Hoggard, Sherman Lea, and Fred Pinkston will be inducted September 20 and will be honored during the football game between Virginia Union and Johnson C. Smith University.
Sherman P. Lea (Football 1971-74)
Lea entered Virginia Union University and began playing football for Coach Willard Bailey in 1971. In 1973 Lea was a starter at the center on the 1973 and 1974 teams. The 1973 team won the first VUU CIAA Football Championship in 50 years as the Panthers finished 9-1.
After graduating, Lea became a football official in the CIAA, ODAC and the ACC from 1984-92. Along with Bailey, Lea established the Western Virginia Education Classic in Roanoke, VA, in 2000. In 2016 Lea was elected Mayor of Roanoke (a position that he holds to date) and was instrumental in the negotiation that lead to the Roanoke Valley hosting the CIAA Championship Football Game. In 2019 the CIAA signed a contract to host the CIAA Football Championship in Salem, VA, for the next seven years.
Al Bowers (Golf 1965-69)
Bowers entered VUU in the fall of 1965 after graduating from West End High School in Skipwith, VA. As a member of the Virginia Union golf team, Bowers helped VUU win the CIAA Championship in 1966, 1968 and 1969. He also served as SGA President and Vice-President during his time at VUU while pledging Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and was Mr. Esquire. After graduating from Virginia Union, Bowers went on to become a highly successful entrepreneur and businessman and as a successful contractor, has completed building projects throughout the state of Virginia.
Dr. Lucille M. Brown (Supporter 1946-2019)
Brown was an honor student and a member of Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society during her four-year educational journey at Virginia Union. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from VUU in 1950 with a major in Biology and minors in Education and Chemistry. Brown earned her Master’s Degree from Howard University in Zoology in 1952. She has dedicated her life to serving the Richmond community, becoming first a teacher of chemistry, then a High School principal, Associate Superintendent and eventually Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools. Currently she serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for VUU and as chair of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board. The Annual Dr. Lucille M. Brown Community Youth Bowl, which is played each year at Hovey Field, carries on her legacy.
Mike Crawley (Football 1974-79)
Crawley graduated from Highland Springs High School and enrolled in Virginia Union in 1974 and a member of the VUU Football Team, averaged over 40 yards per punt during his four-year career and was named to the All-CIAA Team in 1976-77 and 78. He was also named Black College All-American and played in the New Orleans Superdome in 1979. After college, Crawley participated in league bowling for 50 consecutive years and was the first Black bowler inducted into the Greater Richmond Bowling Association. He joined the Richmond Fire Department in 1980 and retired in 2010 as a Master Firefighter after 30 years of service.
Moses Golatt (Women’s Basketball 1988-99, 2001-05)
Golatt was a highly successful coach of the Virginia Union women’s basketball team, having won 223 games over 15 seasons. He won career-high 24 games in 1997-98 and again in 2003-04, guiding the Lady Panthers to the 2004 NCAA Tournament. He also served as Assistant Athletic Director at VUU (1988-98). His players had a 90% graduation rate and won the CIAA High GPA Award three separate years. Golatt was also named WBCA Coach of the Year in 1998 and CIAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year in 1993 and 2003. He was also an Assistant Coach for the 1992 Virginia Union National Champion men’s basketball team.
Danielle Hoggard (Women’s Basketball 2000-04)
Hoggard was a mainstay in the middle of the Virginia Union women’s basketball team for four years (2000 until 2004). During that time, as a basketball player on the Lady Panthers Basketball Team, she demonstrated superior skills as a rebounder, shot blocker and scorer. She earned All-CIAA honors in 2003 and 2004. During that time she led the VUU Women’s Basketball Team to the Divisional Championship, Runner-up in the CIAA Basketball Tournament and second round in the NCAA Regional Tournament. She finished her career with 910 points, 577 rebounds and 90 blocks.
Fred Pinkston (Track & Field 1954-57)
Pinkston is past President of the VUU National Alumni Association and current Chairman of the VUUNAA Past Presidents Council. After graduating from Virginia Union in 1957 with a degree in English Education, he was named Alumnus of the Year in 2001 and was a member of the Virginia Union Board of Trustees. While a student at VUU he served as editor of the campus newspaper and was a member of the Student Government Association (SGA), the yearbook staff, the track team and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Pinkston served as track & field and cross-country coach at Hollywood Hills and Coconut Creek high schools. He coached two athletes to spots in the Olympics during his 20 years as a coach and was the first African-American head varsity coach of any sport in Broward County, FL! Pinkston also served as president of the Broward County Track & Field Officials Association. He retired in 2001 after 45 years in education as a teacher, guidance counselor, coach and assistant principal at the high school and college levels. He was inducted into the Florida Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Fred Pinkston Relays were established in 1984 in Broward County, FL.
