PORTSMOUTH, Va. --- Former Emory &
Henry College Head Football Coach Lou
Wacker is one of seven members of the 2014 induction
class of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, VSHFM
officials announced Thursday afternoon. Per tradition, the official
introduction of the new inductees took place on the floor of the
Senate at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond.
Wacker, a native of Richmond, was an outstanding football player
at the University of Richmond before starting his football coaching
career. He coached at Midlothian High School before joining the
staff at Hampden-Sydney College, where he built a defensive
powerhouse over the next two decades as a defensive
coordinator.
After 24 years with H-SC, Wacker became the head football coach at
Emory & Henry in 1982. He spent 23 seasons with the Wasps and
won nearly 70-percent of his games with an overall record of
164-76. The Wasps had only one winning season in their past 13
before Wacker's arrival but he guided E&H to 17 consecutive
winning years (1984-00).
Wacker was voted Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Coach of
the Year a record five times and has more football wins than any
other conference coach, on his way to a record of eleven conference
championships and five appearances in the NCAA Division III
Playoffs. His leadership also produced five ODAC Players of the
Year, 136 First Team All-ODAC players and 36 All-Americans.
Wacker is also a member of Hall of Fames at Highland Springs High
School, the University of Richmond, Hampden-Sydney College and
Emory & Henry College.
Joining Wacker in the 2014 class are Rondé Barber (Univ. of
Virginia – Football), Sean Casey (Univ. of Richmond –
Baseball), LaTasha Colander Clark (Olympian – Track &
Field), Marty Miller (Norfolk State Univ. – Baseball Coach),
Ticha Penicheiro (Old Dominion Univ. – Basketball) and David
Teel (Daily Press – Writer).
President of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, Eddie
Webb notes, "This outstanding class has
reached the pinnacle of success in their respective sports. Their
extensive careers have set them apart from the rest of the
pack."
The 43rd Annual Induction Banquet will take place on Saturday,
April 26, 2014 at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel & Waterfront
Conference Center in Portsmouth, Va., as the headline event of Hall
of Fame weekend. Tickets are now on sale. For more information,
call (757) 393-8031 or visit www.vshfm.com.
--- This release is
courtesy of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Emory & Henry
College ---
Va. Sports Hall of
Fame ---- www.gowasps.com