Former Savannah State University football and mens basketball coach Dr. Leo Richardson was laid to rest on July 30 in Columbia, South Carolina.

Funeral services for Richardson were held at Francis Burns United Methodist Church and entombment was at Greenlawn Memorial Park.

Richardson, who died on July 23 at age 91, worked at Savannah State from 1964-71. In addition to teaching biology courses, he was the Tigers head football coach from 1964-68 and was the head mens basketball coach from 1964-71. His football teams had a 13-25-2 record while his basketball teams were 112-84.

According to his obituary, during the 1964- 65 season, the Tigers led the NAIA in Free Throw Shooting; during the 1965-66 season, he served as vice-president for the Southeastern Athletic Conference (SEAC), the team won the SEAC Basketball Championship, he was named Coach of the Year and the basketball team represented the SEAC in the NAIA District 26 Championship Playoffs in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; during the 1967 season, Savannah State won the SEAC Football Championship and he was named Coach of the Year; during the 1968-69 campaign, the team won the SEAC Basketball Championship and he was named Coach of the Year; and during the 1969- 70 season, the Tigers won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Basketball Championship and he was named Coach of the Year. That team led both the NAIA and NCAA small colleges in scoring, averaging 106 points per game.

During the 1965-66 basketball season, the leading scorers were Carl Crump (16.3 points a game), O.C. Baker (13.7), Charles Rutland (10.5) and Frank Ellis (10.2). Richardsons 1969-70 team featured All-Americans Michael Jordan and Vincent White. Both players were selected in the 1971 NBA Draft. White was picked in the fifth round by the Detroit Pistons while Jordan was selected in the seventh round by the Atlanta Hawks. The 1967 football team that won the SEAC Championship featured all conference players Frank Bell, Davis Truell, Willie Armstead, Isaiah Berry, Willie West, Judson Brown, Bobby Carter, Henry Betts, Vaughn Ford and Willie Dixon.

Richardson was inducted into the Savannah State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation in Dr. Richardsons name to one of the following scholarship funds:

Morris College Office of Alumni Affairs 100 West College Street Sumter, SC 29150

OR

Leo Richardson Athletic

Scholarship Endowment

Fund Savannah State University in C/O Honia Johnston

University Advancement

Office

3219 College Street

Box 20439

Savannah, GA 31404

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Richardson Laid To Rest - Savannah Tribune