SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2013 SESSION


SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 45
Celebrating the life of C. J. Woollum.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, February 21, 2013
 

WHEREAS, C. J. Woollum, a devoted and influential college athletics coach and athletic director in Newport News, died on February 6, 2013; and

WHEREAS, a native of Alexandria, C. J. Woollum graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College and embarked on a career in college athletics; and

WHEREAS, C. J. Woollum served as a basketball coach at Marshall University before returning in 1984 to what is now known as Christopher Newport University (CNU), where he had gotten his start as a coach years before; and

WHEREAS, over the course of his 26-year career as head basketball coach at CNU, C. J. Woollum helped turn the school’s basketball team into a Division III national powerhouse; his teams won 502 games and 13 conference championships and made 17 NCAA tournament appearances; and

WHEREAS, as a mentor to his athletes, C. J. Woollum believed that the most important part of his job was helping them grow into responsible, successful, and productive adults; and

WHEREAS, serving as athletic director from 1987 to 2012, C. J. Woollum oversaw a great deal of growth at CNU; the school built several new athletic facilities in that time, including the Freeman Center, where the basketball court is named in C. J. Woollum’s honor; and

WHEREAS, after retiring in 2012, C. J. Woollum was named the athletic director emeritus and proudly continued to serve CNU by engaging alumni, helping with fundraising, and encouraging fan support; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of his incredible accomplishments, C. J. Woollum was inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame in October 2012; and

WHEREAS, C. J. Woollum’s inspirational legacy lives on in the thousands of athletes he helped achieve greatness on and off the basketball court and in the institutions he expanded and strengthened at CNU; and

WHEREAS, C. J. Woollum will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by many family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of C. J. Woollum, a dedicated coach, leader, mentor, and friend to countless college athletes; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of C. J. Woollum as an expression of the Senate of Virginia’s respect for his memory.