Alex M. Rivera Athletics Hall of Fame
A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Richard Wilkins played on two CIAA football championship teams and was an all-conference and all-American running back for the Eagles.
During his rookie campaign in 1954, Wilkins was a member of the CIAA Championship and Black College National Championship team. After his sophomore season in 1955, he joined the Air Force.
Wilkins returned to NCCU in 1959 and went on to lead the 1960 team in rushing and total offense with his 427 ground yards, an average of 4.7 yards per play.
As a senior Team Captain in 1961, Wilkins topped the Eagles in rushing (583 yards), scoring (50 points) and total offense (583 yards), helping the squad to the CIAA Championship and the school’s only undefeated gridiron season with seven wins, no losses and two ties.
Wilkins was selected to the 1961 All-CIAA First Team and the Pittsburgh Courier All-American Second Team as a halfback.
He wrapped up his college career as the fourth Eagle in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards, finishing with 1,049 ground yards to his credit, which still ranks 16th on NCCU’s all-time list.
Wilkins also holds a school record that will never be broken. On October 28, 1961, he set the NCCU standard for the longest kickoff return in school history with a 102-yard touchdown scamper versus Shaw. New college rules state that no play shall be longer than 100 yards.
After his standout playing career, Wilkins was an Assistant Football Coach at NCCU in 1963.
