CIAA Hall of Fame Members
On March 17, 1967 the Winston-Salem State University men’s basketball team won the NCAA Division II Championship as the first black college team to ever win a NCAA national title. Under the leadership of legendary Head Coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, members of the 1967 WSSU men’s basketball team include: Earnest Browne, William English, David Green, Frank Hadley, Jr., Vaughn Kimbrough, John Lathan, Allen McManus, Earl Monroe, James Reid, Eugene Smiliey, Steve Smith, Johnny Watkins, and Donald Williams.
Winston-Salem State finished the regular season with an impressive 30-1 mark, but ended up third in the CIAA Tournament behind North Carolina A&T and Howard University. After being invited to the NCAA Tournament, the team breezed past Baldwin-Wallace University (91-76), Long Island University (62-54), and Kentucky Wesleyan University (85-73) to advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game where they defeated Southwestern Missouri State University, 77-74. All-CIAA, All-American, and future NBA legend Earl "The Pearl" Monroe averaged 41.5 points per game and was named NCAA Division II Player of the Year.