HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Wanda Watkins, who spent 35 years as head women's basketball coach at Campbell, became the school's seventh inductee into the Big South Conference Hall of Fame during ceremonies Thursday night at the league's annual meetings conducted at the Westin Resort.
 
"I am extremely honored to be recognized by the Big South Conference," said Watkins.  "I consider this a team achievement as my family, along with many players, devoted coaches and supportive administrators have been extremely instrumental along my journey."
 
Watkins joins former Campbell A.D. Wendell Carr, who was a posthumous inductee in the Big South's inaugural class in 2003, Joe Spinks (men's basketball, 2004), Tammy Brown (women's basketball, 2006), Janet Wooten (women's golf, 2008), David Doyle (men's soccer, 2015), Juha Miettinen (men's soccer, 2018) as former Camel standouts enshrined in the league hall.
 
Watkins was inducted along with Hilary McKay of UNC Asheville (women's soccer), Arizona Reid of High Point (men's basketball) and Harold Wells of Gardner-Webb (football).
 
"I value the pioneers who spent countless hours forming this league like my first boss, Wendell Carr," said Watkins.  "The foundation of the league provided many opportunities that we had not been afforded in functioning as an independent with no conference affiliation prior to the league's inception. I know Coach Carr, along with the other pioneers would be so proud of the growth of the Big South Conference today. It has been a wonderful home for Campbell University!"
 
Watkins spent 35 years as Campbell's women's basketball head coach before retiring after the 2015-16 season, and her official tenure in the Big South totaled 14 years from 1986-94 and 2011-16.  She went 230-145 overall during her time in the Big South, which included a 135-67 record in conference games -- still the third-most overall and league wins among the Big South's women's basketball coaches. 
 
A two-time regular-season champion (1988, 1991), Watkins directed the Camels to the first six Big South Championship games, and finished 16-12 in the conference tournament with a title in 1989.  Her six title game appearances remain second-most in league history.  Watkins was voted Big South Coach of the Year twice (1987, 1991) and won at least 20 games five times during her time in the conference.
 
She retired as the 29th-winningest head coach in NCAA Division I women's basketball at 549-443, and in 2015-16 was one of 14 active coaches in Division I to serve 30-plus years at the same institution.  Watkins finished her career with 10 conference championship game appearances (six – Big South, four – ASUN) and won two crowns, as her 2000 squad clinched the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. 
 
Watkins, who was Campbell's first female athletic scholarship in 1975, was named the team's graduate assistant in 1979, was hired as the school's first full-time assistant coach in 1980 and was promoted to head coach in 1981.  She graduated more than 95 percent of her student-athletes while at Campbell, and now serves as Interim Athletics Director after moving into the Senior Woman Administrator position after retiring from coaching. 
 
Watkins, who also sits on various Big South committees, was inducted into the Campbell Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.