June 30, 2010
Former Monarch Basketball standout Wilson Washington ('77) will be inducted into the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 6th. He will be inducted along with former ODU Baseball great Wayne Gomes ('93).
Wilson Washington became Old Dominion University's first Division I All-American in 1977 after earning third team Division II All-American honors in 1975 and first team Division II All-American honors in 1976.
Washington scored 1,366 career points, grabbed, 1011 career rebounds and blocked 363 shots. He grabbed a career high 24 rebounds against Roanoke in 1976. In 1975 Washington was named the NCAA Division II Tournament Most Valuable Player as he helped lead the Monarchs to the National Championship with a win over New Orleans in Evansville, Indiana. As a senior, he helped lead the Monarchs to a 25-4 record in 1976-77, the school's first season in NCAA Division I. That year, Old Dominion won 22 straight, including a 80-58 victory at Georgetown in the ECAC South Finals.
Washington grabbed 20 or more rebounds five times in his career and blocked 12 shots against William and Mary and Charleston Baptist. He performed four triple-doubles during his career (points/rebounds/blocked shots). Probably the best of the four was his 22 point, 20 rebound, 12 blocked shot performance on Feb. 5, 1976 in Williamsburg, Va., against William and Mary.
A second round draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1977, Washington played two seasons in the NBA. His jersey number 52 was retired in 1978.
They will be inducted along with Boo Williams, Marty Miller, Aaron Brooks, Jackie Dolberry, Larry Rose and Calvert Davidson.