NORFOLK, Va. – Former Norfolk State football coach Willard Bailey was named Thursday as a member of the 2021 induction class of the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Bailey coached the Spartans from 1984-92, compiling a 52-40-1 record leading the program. In his first season, the Spartans won a school record 10 games (10-2), winning the last of their four CIAA football titles and advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first and only time in school history. NSU posted five winning seasons under Bailey, who also served as NSU athletics director from 1984-89.
In addition to his tenure at NSU, Bailey also coached at Virginia Union (1971-83 and 1995-2003), St. Paul's (2005-10) and Virginia-Lynchburg (2011-13). His career coaching record was 238-169-7. Bailey's teams won a total of seven CIAA championships.
Other members of the 2021 hall of fame class include players Coy Bacon (Jackson State University), Greg Coleman (Florida A&M University), Jimmie Giles (Alcorn State University), Winston Hill (Texas Southern University) and Roynell Young (Alcorn State University).
Votes were tallied from the 11-member selection committee, comprised of prominent journalists, commentators and historians, as well as former NFL general managers and executives, and from members of the BCFHOF to determine the Inductees.Â
The class of 2021 will be honored at the 2021 Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Juneteenth Celebration, presented by the Atlanta Falcons on June 19, 2021. The induction ceremony takes place at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.Â
For more information, please visit
www.BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org.Â
