Francis Marion University athletic director Gerald Griffin has
announced that two Florence natives, a former three-sport Lady
Patriot athlete and a former Patriot baseball player, will be
inducted into the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame this January
1994. The two honorees will be former women's basketball,
tennis, and volleyball player Maria Costas and
former baseball player Mike Wilson.
Wilson played baseball at Francis Marion from
1976 to 1979. Primarily a reserve and pinch runner his first
two seasons, Wilson played third base as a junior and was the
Patriots' second baseman in 1979.
In over 120 career games, he batted .337 and drove in 58 runs,
but it was on the basepaths that Wilson excelled. He compiled
163 career stolen bases in just over 173 attempts. His stolen
base total stood for several years as the NAIA national
record. He still owns the Patriots' single-season marks for
steals (65) and stolen base attempts (67) and the career marks in
both categories. Francis Marion compiled a 105-45 record
during his four seasons.
As a senior, he helped lead Francis Marion to its best mark ever
(31-7), as he batted .383, scored 57 runs, drove in 35 runs, and
was thrown out only twice in 67 stolen base attempts. For his
efforts, he was named his team's most valuable player, earned
All-State, All-District, and All-Area honors; and became the first
Patriot baseball player to gain first-team NAIA All-America
recognition. As a junior, he was an All-District, All-Area,
and honorable mention All-America selection.
When his Patriot career ended, he signed a professional baseball
contract with the Chicago Cubs and played two years in their minor
league system. He earned All-Star honors his first season at
Class A Sarasota (Fla.) and played his second year at Class AA
Midland (Texas).
Wilson graduated in 1979 with a B.S. degree in sociology and is
currently employed with Five Star Seal Corporation in Florence,
where he is in charge of technical services.
