PORTSMOUTH --- Former Roanoke College standout Frankie Allen '67 was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame at the 42nd Annual Induction Banquet at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel & Waterfront Conference Center on April 27. He joins more than 350 athletes, coaches, administrators, educators and journalists who have made a major impact on the world of sports in the state of the Virginia.

The Charlottesville native joins Paul Rice '39 of the “Five Smart Boys” and Charlie Moir, who was the head coach at Roanoke College (1967-73) in the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. All three also are Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame inductees. Earlier in April, Allen and Rice were named to the Roanoke College Men's Basketball “All-Century” team at the 100 Years of RC Hoops celebration.

Allen, a product of Lane High School, was the first African-American boarding athlete at Roanoke, where he averaged 24 points and 15 rebounds per game for his career. Allen, who is considered to be one of the most prolific college basketball players in Virginia intercollegiate basketball history, was an integral part in bringing in other big-name recruits to Salem.

Allen's college career started in 1967 and he led the Maroons to its first NCAA Tournament berth as a freshman. In his sophomore year, he led the team in scoring and was named an NCAA College Division honorable mention All-American, First-Team All-Mason-Dixon Conference and he was named Virginia State Player of the Year.

As a junior, Allen broke every scoring and rebounding mark at Roanoke College and was once again named Virginia College Division Player of the Year in 1970. Rounding out his career as a college basketball player in 1971, Allen became the all-time leader in points (2,780) and rebounds (1,758) at all NCAA levels in Virginia. Over four seasons at Roanoke College, the two-time All-American set 18 individual game, single-season and career records. Allen was the first individual to ever be named to the All-state team all four years.

Overall, Roanoke compiled an 82-34 win-loss record during Allen's career including two Mason-Dixon tournament championships. He was a three-time State of Virginia College Basketball Player of the year and the first player in Roanoke College basketball history to have his jersey retired.

After graduating, Allen became a high school coach and in three years won two district championships and was named Central Virginia Coach of the Year. He served as Head Coach at Virginia Tech (1987-91), Tennessee State (1993-01) and Howard (2001-05). Allen is currently the head coach at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Allen enjoyed many of his accolades while at Tennessee State University. He won three Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Championships with the Tigers, 1993, 1994 and 1995. He went to two NCAA Tournaments in 1993 and 1994 and had five appearances in the OVC Final Four. He was a two-time OVC Coach of the Year, National Coach of the Year from the American Sportswire in 1993 and National Black Coach of the Year the same season. That same year, USA Today named him Honorable Mention National Coach of the Year.

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Portsmouth. Established in 1966, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum honors the Commonwealth's greatest sports legends. The Hall is one of only about 16 official state sports halls of fame in the country. More than 45 National Hall of Famers are among its ranks, as are more than 30 of the top 50 athletes of the century recognized by Sports Illustrated.