THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 4, 1996 TAG: 9604040488
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
Former Virginia basketball star Ralph Sampson, professional golfer Lanny Wadkins and former Old Dominion basketball star Anne Donovan are among six people who will be inducted to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame on May 3.
The others are Ralph Cummins, who won more games than any other high school football coach in the state; former University of Richmond three-sport star George Lacy; and Caroline Sinclair of Gloucester, a pioneer in the development of women's college athletics.
Sampson, a Harrisonburg native who now lives in Richmond, was named the Division I player of the year three times. The 7-foot-4 center led Virginia to the National Invitation Tournament championship as a freshman in 1980, then to three NCAA tournaments, including the Final Four in 1981. The Cavaliers were 112-23 during his four years.
The four-time All-American was the NBA's No. 1 pick by the Houston Rockets in 1983 and was the league's Rookie of the Year.
Wadkins, a member of the PGA Tour since 1972, has more than $6 million and was named player of the year in 1985. The Richmond native now lives in Dallas.
Donovan, the women's head basketball coach at East Carolina, is Old Dominion's all-time leading rebounder (1,976) and scorer (2,719) and owns the NCAA record for career blocked shots (801). She played on three Olympic teams and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Cummins' Clintwood High football teams went 267-90-14 from 1953 to 1987. He has been named national athletic director of the year and national coach of the year by the National Coaches Association.
Lacy lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Richmond in the 1930s. As a junior, the Richmond native starred for the only undefeated Spiders basketball team in school history. He played baseball in the Boston Red Sox organization.
Sinclair helped establish women's athletic programs at William and Mary (1944-1950) and James Madison (1950-1966). by CNB