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.
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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.
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Bailey never had a losing season between 1971 and 1983 while Virginia Union had a streak of 21 straight winning seasons (1971-91).
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Bailey took VUU to the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs five straight times.
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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.Â
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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.
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Tickets are $40 apiece or a table of 10 for $350. Tickets will go on sale August 1, 2017.