WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Winston-Salem State University will induct a former NFL player, championship teams, distinguished alumni and longtime university supporters into the 2026 Clarence E. “Big House” Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame this fall.
The ceremony honoring the 2026 class will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, in the McNeil Ballroom of WSSU’s Anderson Center. Inductees also will be recognized at halftime of the Rams’ game against Bowie State University at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Bowman Gray Stadium.
A native of Paducah, Kentucky, Gaines coached men’s basketball at WSSU for 47 years, becoming one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history with 828 victories. In 1967, the legendary coach led his team, which featured future Basketball Hall of Famer Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, to the NCAA College Division (now DII) national championship — the first NCAA men’s basketball national title won by an HBCU.
Induction into the C.E. “Big House” Gaines Hall of Fame represents the highest athletic honor WSSU bestows to former athletes, coaches, athletic administrators and individuals recognized for meritorious service.
WSSU Athletics Director Eric Burns said this year’s class embodies the values and principles of Gaines.
“We were blessed to have Gaines, one of the most iconic figures in college athletics, on our campus for nearly five decades coaching student-athletes and teaching them what they needed to know on and off the court for success,” Burns said. “Selecting individuals or teams for induction into the Hall of Fame bearing his name is a task we take very seriously, and this year’s class represents what it means to ‘Restore the Standard’ at Winston-Salem State University.
“The 2026 inductees set the bar as champions when they competed for WSSU, and they continue raising the standard through their professional accomplishments, service and leadership,” Burns said. “Their achievements embody WSSU’s strategic pillar of ‘Embrace Excellence,’ while reflecting the tradition that has defined Winston-Salem State University athletics for generations.”
Tickets to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony are available at www.wssurams.com/hoftickets.
The 2026 Clarence E. “Big House” Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame inductees:
Individuals
- Carlos Fields, a four-year starter at linebacker from 2010-2013, served as team captain for two seasons and was a two-time All-American, two-time CIAA Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-CIAA selection. Fields played for six NFL teams and is currently defensive coordinator at Virginia State University.
- Terrence C. Graves started at defensive back, helping lead the Rams to consecutive CIAA Championships in 1990 and 1991 after transferring from Wake Forest University. A first-team All-CIAA selection in 1992, Graves ranked second in the conference and fifth nationally with 12 interceptions that season. A former assistant football coach at WSSU, Graves currently coaches at Southern University.
- Juan Marcus Corders joined the Rams as a linebacker during the squad’s Division I era in the mid-2000s and remained through their return to the CIAA in 2010. Corders earned All-CIAA honors, served as team captain and was named among WSSU’s Top 25 Players of the 2000s by The Winston-Salem Journal.
- Robert Lewis Mackey III was a three-time starter at outside linebacker/defensive end from 1998-2001, helping the Rams win consecutive CIAA titles in 1999 and 2001. A two-time All-CIAA selection, he led the league in tackles for loss and sacks in 2000 and 2001, finishing his career with 30.5 sacks. He signed as a free agent with the NFL’s Houston Texans in 2002 and is founder and chairman of Paradise Equity Partners in Charlotte.
- Dr. Charlie Spell III was starting point guard for three of his four seasons on the basketball team. He earned All-American and All-CIAA honors in the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons, was team captain in 1985-86 and 1987-88 and earned team MVP honors his senior year. A Meharry Medical College graduate, Spell practices dentistry in Memphis, Tennessee.
- William Julius “Willy” Crandell was a four-year contributor at forward from 2015-19. During the 2016-17 season, he scored 376 points, averaging 13.9 points per game, and led the team in rebounds with 175 boards, or 6.5 per game.
- L’Tona (Samuels) Lamonte was a standout in softball and women’s basketball and remains in the NCAA softball record books in five categories. Lamonte led the nation in stolen bases during her junior season at WSSU. She was WSSU women’s basketball coach from 2016-25 and is now director of development for University Advancement at WSSU.
Teams
- The 1978 Football Team went a perfect 10-0 in the regular season, captured the CIAA Championship and was ranked No. 1 among Division II teams for multiple weeks throughout the season. That year, the squad won the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II playoff game.
- The 2000 WSSU Softball Team went an outstanding 32-2, including a 27-game winning streak, and won the CIAA Southern Division and CIAA Softball Championship. The squad was led by CIAA Coach of the Year Michael Winbush, CIAA Player of the Year Kenisha Williams, CIAA Rookie of the Year Angela Booe and Tournament MVP Natasha Garrett. The squad led the nation in multiple statistical categories and captured the 1999-2000 Director’s Cup for highest cumulative team GPA.
Meritorious Service
- Coretta Jeffries Bigelow, a member of the WSSU Class of 1979, served two terms on the Winston-Salem State University Board of Trustees and is a consistent donor to the WSSU Foundation.
- The 1892 Crew, a group of WSSU football alumni united in their support of university athletics through philanthropy and service, received the WSSU Foundation’s inaugural Simon G. Atkins Philanthropy Award in 2024.