Bailey to coach St. Paul's football
Just two years after reinstating football at Saint Paul's College, the Tigers have landed the CIAA's all-time winningest coach to guide their fortunes. 
Former Virginia Union and Norfolk State
head coach Willard Bailey was named by SPC President
Dr. John K. Waddell Friday at a press
conference in Richmond as the school's new head football coach.
Bailey, 65, whose 211 wins top the ranks of CIAA coaches, was abruptly reassigned from his head coaching duties at VUU in January. Published reports blamed the reassignment on a dispute with the school's administration over fundraising. Former Winston-Salem State assistant Arrington Jones was selected as his replacement in February.
Bailey takes over at St. Paul's from Bob Smith who compiled a 8-6 mark in two seasons while the Tigers competed as a club team. Smith's troops finished 4-2 in 2003. Bailey will lead the Panthers in their third season on the club level before they join the ranks of the CIAA in 2005.
"We are excited about Coach Bailey becoming a part of our team and bringing his personal and professional resources to bear on Saint Paul's College," said Dr. Waddell. "He will prove valuable to our overall growth and strategic plan by helping us recruit stellar scholar/athletes. His record of achievement and success speak for itself."
Bailey also expressed his enthusiasm in joining Saint Paul's.
"I certainly see it as an opportunity to continue the work I believe that is much needed in our community in terms of providing role models and future leaders," he said. "Saint Paul's College has already made major strides through its history, particularly during the last few years. I'm excited about the leadership and happy to be a part of it."
Bailey, inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in February, is the conference's winningest football coach with a record of 211-112-7. He had compiled a 159-72-5 mark in 22 years leading VUU.
Bailey last year led the Panthers a 6-5 mark which included the CIAA Eastern Division Championship before losing to Fayetteville State in the conference's Championship Game.
He has coached 31 years at CIAA institutions, including nine years with Norfolk State University. He has accumulated six NCAA playoff appearances, seven CIAA Championships rings, and six Gold Bowl Championships.
During the 2002 season, Bailey was at the helm as VUU became only the second black college football program with 500 wins. VUU now has 502. The only other HBCU School to reach the 500-victory plateau is Tuskegee University. Bailey ranks second in black college career football coaching wins and second among Division II career football coaching wins.
In the past three years, three of Bailey's former VUU players have gone on to the NFL including James Atkins of the Tennessee Titans, Pete Hunter of the Dallas Cowboys, and Jerome Leslie of the Philadelphia Eagles.
A native of Suffolk, Bailey earned a bachelor's degree from Norfolk State and a master's degree in Education and Athletic Administration from New York University.
© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.