Virginia Union University will host Winston-Salem State University in the First Annual Willard Bailey Classic at 6:00 p.m. on September 16 at Hovey Field in Richmond, Va.
 
Bailey became an assistant football coach in 1964 under the legendary Thomas "Tricky Tom" Harris.  In 1971 Bailey took over as head coach of the Panthers and would collect a school-record 151 coaching wins between 1971-83 and 1995-2003.
 
Bailey never had a losing season between 1971 and 1983 while Virginia Union had a streak of 21 straight winning seasons (1971-91).
 
Bailey took VUU to the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs five straight times.
 
VUU will honor Bailey at a banquet on Friday, September 15, in the Dr. Claude Perkins Living and Learning Center on the VUU campus.  A Meet and Greet will be held at 6:00 p.m. with the banquet beginning at 7:00 p.m. 
 
The Honorable Sherman P. Lea, Mayor of Roanoke, Va., will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the banquet.  Mayor Lea played for Bailey while attending VUU in the 1970s.
 
Tickets are $40 apiece or a table of 10 for $350.  Tickets will go on sale August 1, 2017.