SWAC honors Alcorn State Legendary Coach Dave Whitney


Brave

Brave

Da Better U get, Da Better we get & That's IT
much respect to The Wiz and all he's done for Alcorn, the SWAC and all HBCUs

http://www.alcorn.edu/news/item/index.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=9196&ModuleID=21

SWAC Tournament trophy to be named after the late Coach Davey L. Whitney


The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Men’s Basketball Championship trophy will bear the name of an iconic Alcorn State University sports figure.

The SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted to name the Men’s SWAC Championship Basketball Tournament trophy after the legendary Coach Davey L. Whitney.

President Alfred Rankins Jr. commended the Council for recognizing Whitney’s achievements.

“I am pleased that the SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors recognized the great accomplishment and contributions of Coach Whitney by naming the tournament championship trophy in his honor,” said Rankins. “Coach Whitney was one of the best Division I coaches of all time.”

Whitney, who passed away in 2015, coached at Alcorn from 1969 to 1989 and 1996 to 2003. Under his leadership, Alcorn beat Mississippi State 80-78 in the 1979 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Whitney led Alcorn to a win against South Alabama in the first round of the 1980 NCAA Tournament, which was the first time a historically black college and university had won in the tournament. Whitney also led Alcorn to NCAA Tournament wins in 1983 and 1984 and six appearances in the dance. Whitney finished his career with a record of 566-356 and 12 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships.
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not to mention that undefeated regular season that has gone down in the record books. ;)
 
He was one of the best. Those wins over the big schools in the NIT (at a very good Mississippi State team) and NCAA were no flukes.
 

EB said:
He was one of the best. Those wins over the big schools in the NIT (at a very good Mississippi State team) and NCAA were no flukes.
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Yep Wiz went 3-3 in NCAA opening round games
 
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Legendary coach. Coached at Texas Southern before my time. i remember battles between the Wizard, Bob Moreland, Ben Jobe and the Jackson st. Coach Paul Covington, Fred Hobdy Grambling. You young folks should have been in any of the gyms, The Pit at jackson, Adams TSU among others. I am not sure Strib was coaching against that group of legends. I am not intending to slight the other schools. This is just off the top of my bald head.
 
BBALLWILL said:
Legendary coach. Coached at Texas Southern before my time. i remember battles between the Wizard, Bob Moreland, Ben Jobe and the Jackson st. Coach Paul Covington, Fred Hobdy Grambling. You young folks should have been in any of the gyms, The Pit at jackson, Adams TSU among others. I am not sure Strib was coaching against that group of legends. I am not intending to slight the other schools. This is just off the top of my bald head.
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My grandparents were neighbors to Coach Hobdy and he and Coach Rob along with Prez Jones and Conrad Hutchison (long time band director) were members of my church.

Imagine coming in church and seeing Coach Hobdy and Rob on the same row on end seats, then seeing Prez Jones as a Deacon giving communion and Conrad playing amazing grace on an instrument.
 
Brave said:
Yep Wiz went 3-3 in NCAA opening round games
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In 1980 they lost to LSU in the NCAA tournament by 10. It was competitive for much of the game. It would not have shocked me if Alcorn would have won even though LSU had a very good team.
 
EB said:
In 1980 they lost to LSU in the NCAA tournament by 10. It was competitive for much of the game. It would not have shocked me if Alcorn would have won even though LSU had a very good team.
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yeah that was the first year any HBCU had played in the Big Dance. Alcorn won in the first round against South Alabama and then lost to LSU by 10
 
Brave said:
yeah that was the first year any HBCU had played in the Big Dance. Alcorn won in the first round against South Alabama and then lost to LSU by 10
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Yes. I was at that game. Some of Alcorn players were puzzled as they started pressing LSU and got back in the game and was making a run at them, than the press was called off. IDK....but guess that's why I am an accountant and not a coach.
 
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