Morris Harvey basketball All-American, hall of famer and legendary coach, Henry Dickerson, has passed away at the age of 71.
When asked about Dickerson, UC Athletic Director Dr. Bren Stevens said, "Coach Dickerson was known for his humility and stewardship of young people. Henry was an incredible athlete who collected many accolades for his prowess on the basketball court. Henry was a beloved coach, friend, and mentor that many Morris Harvey and the University of Charleston graduates will miss."
Dickerson hailed from Beckley, West Virginia and brought pride to the capital city of Charleston and Morris Harvey College. He was the first athlete in the WVIAC to be named First Team All-Conference and Conference All-Tournament in all four years as a student athlete. To this day, Dickerson still leads the Golden Eagles in career rebounds with 1,356.
Dr. Jerry Forster, the institution's former chief of staff, says "We lost a good man, coach, mentor, father, and friend to so many this week. I loved Henry dearly and will miss him. Prayers for Debra and the family."
Once he graduated from Morris Harvey College, Dickerson worked his way into the NBA as a guard for two seasons, playing for the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks.
After his playing career came to an end, it did not take long for Dickerson to jump into the two-piece suit. In 1978, he began his 35-year-long coaching career at Maury High School in Norfolk, VA as an assistant coach. A year later, he returned to West Virginia to be an assistant coach for his alma mater, Morris Harvey, even though he would have to get used to the 1979 name change to the University of Charleston.
Buddy Valinski, a former Golden Eagle and player for Coach Dickerson says, "Coach D. Was a calming voice during difficult situations. A great guy!"
After a four-year stand with the Golden Eagles, Dickerson joined the Thundering Herd staff of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia as an assistant coach from 1983-1989.
In 1989, Mack McCarthy, the former head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga hired Dickerson away from Marshall in order to achieve his perfected "good cop/bad cop" coaching style. His ability to create tight relationships with recruits and their parents was unmatched. Parents showed their gratitude towards Dickerson by consistently sending letters to the office speaking well of him and the contact he keeps with parents consistently.
After being an associate head coach for the Chattanooga program from 1989-1997, he was named Head Coach for the first time in his coaching career. In his five years, he was able to lead his team to two Southern Conference Regular Season Champion titles.
After spending 13 years with the Mocs, Dickerson took another head coaching role with North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. He stayed with the North Carolina Eagles for five seasons and help transition the program from Division II to Division I in the 2007-2008 season.
Dickerson finished his influential career with Johnston Community College in Smithfield, NC where he retired after the 2012-2013 season.
Archie Talley, an American basketball player and friend of Dickerson's says "Henry was blessed with such a kind, caring, and giving-to-others heart. He made a big difference in this world while touching many lives along the way."
