University of North Carolina Athletics
Sam Paul Honored At Alma Mater
September 24, 2008 | Men's Tennis
Sept. 24, 2008
CLINTON, S.C. - The Presbyterian College athletic department will bestow the prestigious Bob Waters Award to two deserving alumni on Saturday, Sept. 20, when the Blue Hose take on the Catamounts of Western Carolina University at Bailey Memorial Stadium.
The Bob Waters Award is presented to graduates of Presbyterian College who have exhibited outstanding leadership and service as coaches and who personify the qualities possessed by this distinguished alumnus.
The 2008 Bob Waters Award recipients are University of North Carolina Men's Tennis Coach Sam Paul (PC '83) and Wingate University Women's Basketball Coach Barbara Frady Nelson (PC '85).
Paul's 2007 team earned its highest national ranking ever at No. 5 to set a school record. The five-time Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year has coached 12 All-Americans and 31 All-ACC Selections. He has led UNC to a 49-9 record over the last two years.
Paul has the fourth-best all-time career winning percentage in ACC Dual Match History and in the last three years Paul's players have won the following collegiate awards: National Senior Player of the Year, John van Nostrand National Award Winner, Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship/Leadership Award Finalist, ITA Scholar-Athlete, ITA National Team Sportsmanship Award, ITA Regional Rookie of the Year, ACC Freshman of the Year, Two ITA Mideast Region Doubles Champions. Coach Paul became the only ACC coach to have a player ranked No. 1 in the world in the ATP men's doubles rankings when he acted as personal coach for UNC alumnus Don Johnson during his run at Wimbledon and the US Open. He coached Johnson to a pair of Grand Slam titles and an appearance on the US Davis Cup Team.
Coach Paul is a native of Lancaster, S.C. He played tennis at Anderson College before heading to PC and playing for the Blue Hose for two years. He was an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina and Trinity University.
He was also the Director of Tennis at the University of Richmond before heading to Chapel Hill. Paul began his career with the Tar Heels as an assistant coach (under PC alumnus Allen Morris) before taking over the head coach's position in 1993.
Nelson was born in Clinton and graduated from Thornwell High School. She lettered four years in basketball while at PC and was captain her senior year. She is currently the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Wingate University where in her first season she led them to an NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance. Wingate went 26-7 during the 2007-08 campaign and claimed the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament championship.
Prior to taking over the women's basketball program at Wingate, Nelson also coached high school softball for five years, winning a state championship.
She spent 21 years as the head basketball coach at Providence Day School in Charlotte. Nelson led Providence Day to seven state championships, compiling a 437-176 record. Providence Day entered the 2006 season ranked No. 3 nationally by USA Today.
Nelson was named the Charlotte Observer Girl's Basketball Coach of the Year four times. She had winning records in 19 of her 21 seasons.
Nelson's involvement in the game of basketball extends beyond the court.
A 12-year participant in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), Nelson was a high school All-American selection committee member in 2006-07.
She has been a Nike Basketball Camp Director from 1999 to the present. She has coached AAU basketball (boys and girls) since 1986.
Nelson was an assistant coach for an AAU 18 and national championship team in 1986. She has coached the Charlotte Royals (boys), Charlotte Monarchs, Carolina Comets and N.C. Flight.
Nelson spent two years as a floor coach for the WNBA Charlotte Sting during open and free-agent tryouts.
A much-in-demand clinician, speaker and student of the game, Nelson has worked and attended camps and clinics at UNC Charlotte, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, Lipscomb, Gardner-Webb and Wingate.
She is married to Vernon Nelson (PC '85) and she has two children, Quinn (19) and Haley (16).
Presbyterian College and the Scotsman Club established the Bob Waters Award in 1987 to honor former Blue Hose and National Football League quarterback, Bob Waters.
The President of the Student Body and All-American Quarterback graduated from PC in 1960 and led the Blue Hose to the Tangerine Bowl.
After five years in the NFL, the San Francisco 49er switched his attention to coaching.
He had stints at PC and Stanford as an assistant coach before taking on the head coaching position at Western Carolina University. In 20 seasons at the helm of the football program, he guided the Catamounts to 116 victories, produced 13 All-Americans, and 54 first-team All-Southern Conference selections. His courageous fight against Lou Gehrig's Disease was recognized throughout the country, specifically in Sports Illustrated. He succumbed to the disease May 29, 1989, at the age of 50.
Past Bob Waters Award Recipients
John McKissick `51 - head coach at Summerville (S.C.) High School; has most wins in United States High School football history
Art Baker `53 - PC alum who coached at East Carolina, Florida State, Furman, The Citadel and South Carolina
Keith Richardson `64 - former head football coach at Clinton (S.C.); won over 200 games and six state championships
Charlie Davidson '50 - coached high school football at Washington Wilkes (Ga.) and Darlington School (Ga.); won over 250 games and four state championships
Allen Morris '56 - former head tennis coach at North Carolina and PC; was also a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon
Shell Dula '69 - current head coach at Greenwood (S.C.) High School; has won six state championships
John Franklin Thames `58 - 42 years as a head coach in different sports at Manning (S.C.) High School; won two state championships as a women's basketball coach
Luther Welsh '55 -current head coach at Thomson (Ga.) High School; won over 300 games and three state titles
William "Oscar" Lefty Johnson '56 - Former head coach at Whitmire High School; led Whitmire to state title in 1978
