By D. Clay Best
Sports Editor
The Herald

BENSON, N.C. – Campbell women's basketball head coach Wanda Watkins was recently elected to the 2008 Johnston County Sports Hall Of Fame. Watkins was one of seven former Johnson County residents that were elected in this year's class. The following is an excerpt and quote from the event. The other members of the class were Dwight Hinnart, Mike Wooten, Glenn Nixon, Harvey Heartley, Congressman Bob Etheridge and Fred Bartholomew.

Wanda Watkins was born in Johnston County and grew up in the Cleveland community. She graduated from South Johnston High School in 1975, and then attended Campbell University where she received her bachelor's degree in 1979 and her master's in 1983.

Watkins was an outstanding female athlete at South Johnston High School, playing volleyball and basketball, the only two sports offered for females at the time. She was an all-conference point guard for four seasons and was a member of South's 1974 NCHSAA state championship squad. Watkins was selected to play in the 1975 East-West N.C. Coaches Association Game in Greensboro.

Her outstanding athletic ability allowed her to play at Campbell where she became the college's first female athletic scholarship recipient. She was captain of the basketball team in 1978-79, captain of the softball team from 1977-79, the basketball team MVP for 1978-79 and the school's most outstanding female athlete in 1978 and 1979.

Her leadership ability led to Watkins' appointment as a graduate assistant coach for the women's basketball team in 1979. She became the school's first full-time assistant coach the following year. She also served as Campbell's softball coach in 1981 and was named head women's basketball coach a year later. She continues to serve in that role.

Coach Watkins has achieved many honors, becoming the winningest coach in women's basketball at Campbell and her 27 seasons at one school ranks her 28th all-time among coaches in NCAA Division I women's basketball history. Her 421 career victories place her as the 37th winningest active coach in NCAA Division I. She has coached 34 all-conference award winners and 93 Atlantic Sun All-Academic team members. She was named conference coach of the year in 1987, 1991 and 2001.

Her teams won conference championships in 1989 and 2000. She has led Campbell to six Big South Conference Championship games, two NAIA District playoffs and two NAIA District Finals and one NCAA Division I tournament appearance.

Watkins continues to live in the Cleveland community.

"I'm so grateful for the foundation that was laid for me at South Johnston. So many helped lay that foundation and it had a tremendous impact on me in college and athletics."

"Whatever was important to me was important to my family and that made me feel so loved. I'm thankful for all of the sacrifice my assistant coaches have made and I thank God for the people who have been placed in my life that have been so special."

"I'm also grateful for my coaches and my past, present administrators and for the many players that have worn the orange and black over the year."

Herald Sports Editor D. Clay Best can be reached at 934-2176, Ext. 135, or by e-mail at clay.best@newsobserver.com

Reprinted with permission of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina