Francis Marion University athletic officials have announced thatformer Patriot men's basketball coach Lewis Hillwill be the newest inductee into the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame onFeb. 28, 2004.
Hill served as the head men's basketball coach at Francis Marionfor 21 seasons, from 1976 to 1997, recording a 339-276record. He is responsible for 74 percent of the program'sall-time win total.
In only his second year (1977-78), he guided Francis Marion toits first winning season (20-8) and the program's first post-seasonberth (NAIA District Six Tournament). He piloted FrancisMarion to its best-ever record (24-7) in 1979-80, and to theprogram's only NAIA District Six championship and NAIA nationaltournament appearance in 1990-91.
His Patriot teams won at least 19 games in 11 of his 21 seasons,including seven 20-win campaigns. His teams ranked nationallyin team scoring defense in six of his final seven seasons atFMU.
His 1985-86 team won its opening eight games and 11 of its first12, and was ranked as high as sixth in the nation (NAIA) in Januaryof that year, en route to a 22-8 record.
He was named NAIA District Six "Coach of the Year" twice, in1978 and 1991. He was also selected as the Palmetto StateConference "Coach of the Year" following the 1990-91 season. Under his direction, Francis Marion twice captured a share of thePalmetto State Conference crown, in 1989-90 and1990-91.
Hill guided Francis Marion to a respectable 5-12 record in gamesagainst NCAA Division I opponents. He won his first game atFrancis Marion, 65-63 over USC Aiken on Nov. 27, 1976, and hisfinal win at FMU was also against USCA, 65-60 on Feb. 25, 1997.
Prior to taking the FMU position, he established the men'sbasketball program at Central Wesleyan College (now SouthernWesleyan University) and compiled a 99-50 record in sixseasons. His 1975-76 Central Wesleyan squad placed second atthe NCCAA national tournament.
After leaving Francis Marion, he spent several years in privatebusiness, but recently returned to coaching at the high schoollevel. He just concluded his second year as boys' varsitybasketball coach at Woodland High School in Dorchester, S.C. The Wolverines were 15-11 in 2002-03, and 10-8 this past year, andboth years advanced to the AA State playoffs.
A native of Greensboro, N.C., Hill's coaching career began atAllen Jay High School in High Point, N.C., in 1965, where currentN.C. State University women's head coach Kay Yow coached the girls'varsity. Hill earned his undergraduate degree from Mars HillCollege and his master's from UNC Greensboro.
